A new puppy may bring new joys but also new possible struggles. Bringing this new family member home means new responsibilities for the owner and his or her family. These responsibilities are bound to be either good or bad, but the fact that these are something we need to be aware of, stands still. We all love a bit of floof especially during a pandemic, where we are restricted to spend most of our time indoors, a new puppy may just fill those feelings of loneliness in our mind. However, having a new family member come into the house, may bring a new set of challenges and may even change your current lifestyle.

The main thing I've found out about bringing a new puppy home during quarantine is that being active enough for the puppy is essential. Now, there are many dog breeds that may not need as much exercise or physical activity as others. However, it is true that all dogs will want some playtime with their owner and the rest of the family. Given how we have been quarantining in our comfy homes for almost the past year, it is difficult to not want to stay on the couch and watch that last episode of Bridgerton. But it is crucial that we make enough time for the new puppy and to be "social" with him or her.

-Buy toys that require both you and the puppy to run around in the house- By this, I don't mean a full throttle marathon. However, it is still important that the puppy stays active enough to not also fall into the quarantine slum with the owner. That said, any toy that can be used to tease the puppy and make the puppy want to run all over the house to play with the toy, is the new deal. This can be anything from a tug of war toy, balls that bounce easily, and soft ropes or strings that the puppy may want to run away from you with.

-Give the puppy unconditional love- By love, I don't mean just simple kisses, but actual care and understanding for the puppy. A new puppy is sensitive to their emotions and what is around them, including the situations (such as the pandemic for example). Therefore, they require a lot of comforting and reassurance. Try simply holding the puppy's paw for a bit while looking into their eyes. Just as we might want some of this understanding and tugs on our heartstrings during the pandemic, a puppy may want just that as well.

-Allow the puppy to just sleep- Puppies are not robots. They cannot run on full level energy all the time. Although they do need some level of exercise, they also cannot come to a point where they are tired out. I cannot say puppies are human but they are deserving of just enough attention as humans. An average 8 week old puppy is supposed to sleep between 18-20 hours per day. This is mostly throughout the day, so don't wake them up when they are getting their beauty...er puppy rest!

-Try to sleep with the puppy at nighttime- One thing I have learned from my puppy is that they don't enjoy sleeping by themselves during the dark hours. They want affection and want to be lulled to sleep at night. A good strategy to use here would be to place the puppy's bed in the corner of the person's room.

Something I've figured out from bringing a new puppy home is that it isn't easy in the beginning. However, with the right balance of care and attention towards the puppy, it can and will become easier to care for the new family member.