Dog Life

So You're a Dog Dad Now: A First-Timer's Guide to Life With Your New Dog

Food, walks, the vet, the kit list and training: a straight-talking guide for first-time dog dads.

By 4 min read
So You're a Dog Dad Now: A First-Timer's Guide to Life With Your New Dog

Congratulations, mate. You have brought home your first dog, and life as you knew it is officially over, in the best possible way. Expect mud on the sofa, a lead hanging by the door and a small, hairy shadow following you to the loo. Whether you have taken on a slobbery bulldog, a retriever with permanent zoomies or a quietly serious rescue, here is a straight-talking, occasionally daft guide to your first year as a dog dad.

It is written with Father's Day in mind (in the UK that is the third Sunday of June), but it works just as well on a wet Tuesday in November.

1. The non-negotiables

Being a dog dad is a bit more than chucking a tennis ball about. It is feeding, walking, brushing and, yes, occasionally scrubbing an unpleasant surprise off your favourite rug. Four things to get right from week one:

  1. Buy decent food. Go for a good-quality complete dog food. If the ingredients read like a chemistry exam, put it back on the shelf.
  2. Walk every day, whatever the weather. Dogs are not built for the sofa. A daily walk is compulsory, drizzle included, and it does your own head a world of good.
  3. Register with a vet. Don't wait for a limp or a funny sneeze. Regular check-ups catch problems early. Ask your vet what your dog needs, and check GOV.UK for the rules on microchips and ID tags.
  4. Get the brush out. Your own hair may be a lost cause, but your dog deserves better. Regular grooming means fewer mats and a comfier dog.

Dog dad tip

On a hot day, something frozen beats a handful of biscuits. Our summer treats your dog will love are easy wins for the odd British heatwave.

2. Kitting out your place

Dog-proofing is baby-proofing with more drool. Before your dog arrives:

  • Cables: tucked away. Trainers: up high, unless you fancy them with extra ventilation.
  • A den of their own: a bed, a couple of toys and a quiet corner where they know they are safe. Think of it as their shed.
  • The shopping list: bed, crate, collar, lead, ID tag, poo bags, treats and a few fillable Freezbone toys. Basically a student flat for a furry housemate.

Freezbone enrichment toys for a new dog

The toys worth buying early are the durable, fillable kind. Get two or three on the go and there is always one frozen and ready when your dog has energy to burn.

3. Got a dog with energy to burn?

Walks sort the legs out. The brain needs a job too. A toy you fill and freeze keeps your dog busy and mentally stimulated while you cook tea, answer emails or watch the match in peace.

“Like the simplicity of style and good size for my border terrier, keeps her busy and she loves the different frozen recipes, mostly made from everyday ingredients already in the house”
Ishbel M., verified buyer

4. Raising a well-behaved (but still cool) dog

You can be the bloke with a dog at the pub and the bloke whose dog actually behaves at the pub.

  • Training is communication, not just sit and stay. Be consistent and reward the good stuff rather than shouting. Our guide to training with frozen toys has ideas that genuinely work, and a local puppy or training class is worth a look too.
  • Socialise early. Introduce your dog calmly to other dogs, people, places and noises. Nobody wants the dog that barks at every pushchair.
  • Pick up the poo. Every time. Don't be that bloke.

First autumn together? Start getting ready for Bonfire Night and fireworks well before 5 November.

5. Moments you won't forget

  • The first time they fall asleep on your chest halfway through a box set. That's it. You are bonded for life.
  • The day they slip out of the garden gate and you leg it down the road in your socks. You will laugh about it later. Probably.
  • Early mornings: just you, a brew and the sound of your dog snoring. That is the good stuff.

Your dog does not care what you drive or how much you lift. They just want to be next to you.

You've got this

Being a great dog dad does not mean being perfect. It means turning up: every walk, every vet trip, every muddy-paw wipe-down in the hallway.

So here's to you, first-time dog dads, on Father's Day in June and every soggy weekday in between. May your lead never tangle, your sofa stay mostly hair-free, and your heart grow about three sizes with every wag.

Frequently asked questions

  • A bed, a crate, a collar, a lead, an ID tag, poo bags, treats and a few durable, fillable toys. Set up a quiet corner with the bed and a couple of toys before your dog comes home.

  • Father's Day in the UK falls on the third Sunday of June. A new toy and a long walk together make a pretty good celebration for a dog dad.

  • Every dog needs a daily walk, whatever the weather, plus something for the brain such as training or a frozen enrichment toy. How much exactly depends on breed, age and health, so ask your vet.

  • UK law has rules on microchipping and on ID tags for dogs. GOV.UK sets out exactly what is required, and your vet can microchip your dog and keep the details up to date.

  • Keep it short, consistent and positive. Reward the behaviour you want rather than shouting at the behaviour you don't. A local puppy or training class can help, and a frozen toy makes a great reward at the end of a session.

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Written by Freezbone Team

We design freezable, refillable chew toys and test every fill and routine on our own dogs before we write about it. Freezbone LTD ships across the UK.

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