BRINGING HOME A PUPPY

Bringing home a puppy is so exciting but there are some things to think about beforehand and over the next few weeks to help them with their development. Puppies are still learning and exploring the world. We have to create a safe environment for them and help them to grow. Their experiences as a puppy will help shape the dog they become as adults.

This post looks at specific puppy needs in more depth, but the blog on bringing home a big dog would also be helpful to read as it has a general overview on how to help the dog settle into a new home.

Puppy Proof

Before bringing your puppy home you should puppy proof the house or the area they are going to be staying in. It’s a good idea to start with one or two rooms that the pup can explore and get used to before letting them have a full run of the house as this can be scary for them. Puppies love to get into everything! Make sure the electrical wires are hidden, plants are moved off the floor, any breakables or rugs you don’t want to be peed on should be removed as well as anything they could chew but shouldn’t. Adding gates to the doorways and stairs is a great way of restricting the puppy’s access to other rooms and keeping them safe.

As well as puppy proofing the area you should also try and buy all the things your puppy will need such as food bowls, toys, beds etc. Set up a bed and safe space for your puppy, this could be a crate or a puppy pen. Crates can be great for dogs as it gives them a space of their own where they can go and feel comfortable. However, dogs should be introduced to the crate gradually and in a positive way, they should not be used to restrict the dog. Don’t put your puppy in the crate and shut the door as this will be stressful for them. To begin with, put them in the crate when they are sleepy but leave the door open. If you need to restrict the area for the pup then add a puppy pen around the crate, this allows them to move around but in a controlled area.

If you want to use a crate for your dog long term, you can find tips on how to introduce your dog to the crate and how to encourage them to use it on my blog.

First Night

The first few nights will be the hardest. The environment is new and the puppy has left their mum and litter which is scary for them. If possible, ask for a blanket or a teddy from the previous home to take with you. This will smell of it’s littermates and will bring comfort to the puppy.

Puppies don’t have a bedtime and are likely to fall asleep randomly in the day. Don’t wake them and if possible move them to their sleeping area, such as their bed or crate (with the door open). When it comes to night time, make their bed as warm and cosy as possible with a hot water bottle under the blankets and teddies, you can also put a blanket over the crate to make it dark. A lot of puppies struggle to be on their own at first so find it easiest to sleep in the bedroom with humans, they will take comfort in your being near and you will be able to hear them when they wake up for the toilet. Once they are older and more comfortable you can gradually move them to the hallway or downstairs if that is where you want them to sleep.

Feed your pup and play with them to help tire them out before bed. Your puppy will wake up in the night, they might need the bathroom or they might use wake up and cry. When your puppy wakes up you should take them to their toilet spot, either the garden or puppy pads, and then back to bed. Try not to interact too much as you don’t want them to think it is play time. If your pup continues to cry, try to ignore them and avoid bringing your puppy into bed with you, even if you do it just once it will be a hard habit to break in the future. If they cry continuously for 20 minutes then briefly let them out and reassure them, once they are calm put them back to bed and try to encourage them to be quiet or play by themselves. What you don’t want to happen is for them to learn that if they cry humans come running to play. It might be a tough few days but stick with it and your pup will be sleeping through the night in no time.

Play and Training

You can begin to play and train your pup from the very start, it’s a great way to bond with them as well as teaching them good habits. They have a lot of energy and love to play. Make sure you have plenty of safe toys for them and try to swap them out every few days so they get to try new ones. Toys with different textures and noises are great for young pups as it helps them learn and explore the world.

Train your pup by rewarding good behaviours and ignoring unwanted behaviours. They are likely to be confused at first so be gentle and don’t ask too much of them. Rewards for your pup could be treats, play or affection. Training should be simple, for example rewarding when they respond to their name, go to the toilet outside or have settled down. Be consistent with your rules and signals. Make sure the whole family knows which commands to use so your pup doesn’t get confused.

There are more tips on basic training on my blog and more puppy specific posts to come that will look at housetraining, mouthing, socialisation and more. These tips will help your puppy to grow into a confident and well adjusted adult dog.