Two families came to Luke Buchanan in the same month, both wanting a puppy for the same reason: the kids had been asking for years. One family spent six weeks working through what that actually meant day to day before bringing a puppy home. The other brought one home the weekend after deciding. Eighteen months later, the first family has a settled, confident dog. The second rehomed theirs at ten months, unable to manage a dog nobody had actually planned for.
Luke Buchanan, Owner of The Toe Beans Co and Sydney's Puppy Trainer, has this conversation with new and prospective owners every week. Wanting a puppy and being ready for one are two different questions, and most of the damage done to a first-year puppy comes from owners who never separated the two.
Why do you actually want a puppy right now?
Be specific. "The kids keep asking" or "our friends just got one" aren't answers, they're the start of a conversation. What does day one hundred look like in your head? If the honest answer is mostly cuddles and photos, that's worth sitting with, because the reality is early mornings, toilet accidents, and a level of consistency that doesn't take a day off.
What does your next twelve months actually look like?
A puppy needs real time in the first year, not just at the start. Short daily training sessions, several times a day. Socialisation outings before five months, while the window's still open. A settled daily rhythm the puppy can learn from. If the next twelve months already has a house move, a new baby, or a demanding work stretch booked in, that's not a reason to say no forever, but it's a reason to be honest about the timing.
Who is actually doing the work?
In most households, one person ends up doing the bulk of the early training and management, even when everyone agreed to share it. Before bringing a puppy home, have the actual conversation: who's doing the 6am toilet trip, who's home for the midday break in the early weeks, who's consistent about the rules everyone agreed to. Puppies notice instantly when the household isn't aligned, and inconsistency between people is one of the most common reasons early training stalls.
Can your current life absorb the cost of getting it wrong?
Most people budget for the purchase price, food, and the odd vet visit. Fewer budget for what happens if things don't go to plan early: a longer course of in-home training to unwind a habit that had months to set in, a full behavioural consult, or in the hardest cases, a rehoming decision nobody wanted to make. None of that is likely if the groundwork goes in early and consistently. It's worth knowing the range exists before you're in it.
Is everyone in the house actually on board, not just agreeing to keep the peace?
A partner who's quietly not that keen, or kids who promised to help and won't, shows up fast once the puppy actually arrives. This conversation is uncomfortable to have honestly before the puppy exists. It's far more uncomfortable to have it three months in, with a dog already in the middle of it.
What Luke actually asks prospective owners
In a first conversation with a family thinking about a puppy, Luke works through the same ground every time: what a typical weekday will actually look like with a puppy in it, who's realistically around for the midday check-in during the first few months, whether there's a garden or a genuine plan for toilet access, and what the household's tolerance is for a few weeks of broken sleep. None of these have a right answer. They're there so the decision is made with open eyes rather than good intentions alone.
None of this is about talking you out of it
These questions aren't a gate to keep people from getting a puppy. They're the difference between a family that's genuinely ready and one that's reacting to a feeling. The families who sit with these honestly, even for a week, consistently end up with calmer, easier puppies than the ones who skip straight to picking a breed.
Want help getting the foundation right from day one?
The Toe Beans Co runs a free SKOOL community where Sydney dog owners get training guides, Q&As, and direct support from Luke. It's free to join.
Upcoming Puppy Schools Across Sydney
Luke runs regular puppy schools right across Sydney, from the Lower North Shore through the Eastern Suburbs and out to Campbelltown. Check upcoming dates and book your spot.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is there a wrong time of year to get a puppy?
Less about the calendar, more about your own schedule. A puppy arriving right before a house move, a new job, or a period of heavy travel starts at a disadvantage regardless of the season.
Q: We're a busy household. Does that automatically rule us out?
No, but it means being honest about who's actually available for the daily basics in the first few months, and building a real routine around that before the puppy arrives, not after.
Q: What if we're not sure and want to talk it through first?
That's exactly the conversation worth having before bringing a puppy home. Luke works through exactly this with prospective owners regularly, no obligation attached.
