How can I load Dired+ only if I actually use Dired?

Question

I'm loading dired+ from a file ( as it has been removed from Melpa ), but it won't load when I try to make it conditional of opening a dired buffer.

;; ---- Dired + --------
;; Loads Dired+ 

(use-package dired+
  :load-path "~/.emacs.d/elpa-offline/dired+"   

  :after dired
  
  :config
  (require 'dired+)
  (print "Dired + package Loaded")
)

Also I tried making it depending of using a binding key but it doesn't load that way either:

;; ---- Dired + --------
;; Loads Dired+ Manually

(use-package dired+
  :load-path "~/.emacs.d/elpa-offline/dired+"   

  :bind ( "C-x d" . dired)
  
  :config
  (require 'dired+)
  (print "Dired + package Loaded")
)

The (print "Dired + package Loaded") is just so I can check if is properly loading on the message buffer.

Answer 1

Use one of the hooks (dired-before-readin-hook or dired-mode-hook) that's used each time Dired is used, but have your hook function do just (require 'dired+), so it does nothing once Dired+ has been loaded.

I would probably put it on dired-before-readin-hook. Use M-x customize-variable and add this hook function:

(defun my-require-dired+ ()
  "Require Dired+."
  (require 'dired+))

(add-hook 'dired-before-readin-hook 'my-require-dired+)