Bringing A Puppy Home

Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting time. As exciting as it may be for you, it is equally terrifying for your new puppy. You will be taking him from his safe place, from his mother, and from the warmth of his siblings. Make sure that you have the supplies you need all ready. To help him acclimate there are a few things you can do ahead of time.

Decide where his safe, quiet, comfy zone in the house will be. Choose an area in your home where he can go to get away from excited children or visiting friends without being locked up. You can also designate this area for his meals. You can fence off an area to keep him away from trouble. Setting up a sort of playpen also works. Have a doggie bed or doggie cave with comfy blankets, a few toys along with a chew toy.

Have his crate ready. The puppy will be taking all his naps and sleep in it at night. Many people keep the crate in their bedroom. Although, you may not get much sleep the first few nights, the puppy will be comforted by your presence. Do not lock him up all alone in a basement. You don’t want him to feel isolated. If he cries, take him out to his potty zone on a lead then put him back in his crate without treats or playtime. Limit any interaction to a minimum during sleep time. To make this transition easier, ask the breeder to give you a blanket that has his mother’s and siblings’ scent. Many have tried the Smart Love Snuggle Puppy with success. The Snuggle Puppy mimics a beating heart to remind them of mom and comes with a disposable heating pad.

BRINING THE PUPPY HOME

Take his new collar and tags with you. You may want to lay down some plastic sheeting in the car and bring lots of washable bedding that you can change out during your drive. If the crate fits in your car that’s great otherwise you may need to buy a travel crate to drive him home in and for vet visits. If the puppy seems anxious, covering the crate some and maybe calming music will help.

When arriving home, pick him up with one hand under his butt and the other under his belly at the same time hook a finger under his collar. Puppies can be real squirmy and slip out of your hands very easily. As soon as you take him out of the car take him out on a lead to his potty zone. Let him sniff around and relieve himself. Give him lots of calm praise and maybe a small treat like half of a baby carrot. If there are children there to greet the puppy, make sure they stay calm and don’t chase the puppy around. Have the children sit down and wait for the puppy to come to them. Explain that the puppy is nervous and maybe scared. He just needs time.

Show him his puppy den. You can put his mother’s blanket there too. You can feed him a light meal once he has calmed down some. Puppies sleep a lot, about 15-20 hours a day. He will be awake for an hour or so at a time. Every time your puppy wakes up, take him straight out to his potty zone. Give him time to relieve himself more than once. Some puppies go a little, move and go again. Try to keep visitors down to a minimum the first couple of days until the puppy is more settled in. You also may want to take a couple of days off work to be home and bond with your pup.

You want to set up his routines right away. Give him his meals at the same time daily. After meals and waking up, take him outside to his potty zone. He should be taken out to potty every two hours and every three at night. Soon your puppy will be on a schedule which will help you foresee when he needs to go out. Remember a young puppy does not have control over his bladder pretty much like a human baby. He will need to pee after eating, drinking, playing, or sleeping.

Enroll him in training school and remember to socialize your puppy with other animals and children. Be patient and give him lots of love. They grow up fast.

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About Simba's Mom

I was born and raised in California, lived in Pennsylvania for several years, and have recently moved to Delaware. I have gone from being a teacher for 20 years to a blogger and now back to teaching but still blogging. I have a great dog named Simba. Simba is a German Shorthaired Pointer. Life with Simba is an adventure every day. I have had dogs my entire life but I have learned most about dogs living with Simba. German Shorthaired Pointers really do become your best friend. They become extremely attached and that is why they say they have the Velcro phenomenon. Simba now has a sister 8 years younger and her name is Gypsy.
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