So, you brought your puppy home. He is now a member of your family. However, at first, it will be difficult and scary for him, because the puppy was torn away from his mother, brothers and sisters, with whom it was so cosy and fun. You need to help the puppy to adapt as soon as possible. There are some tips from a DogsPlanet for a new “mom” and “dad”.
A puppy in a new home: why is he scared
Moving to a new home is a serious stress for the puppy. Make sure that it feels comfortable at his new home. Do not immediately call neighbours and friends to admire your pet. Give him time to get used to the world of new smells and things, to get to know you better. If you have children, do not let them grab and grip the puppy – this is an additional stress for him.
The first days at home are an important stage both for the owners and for the puppy itself. Remember that while the puppy is scared by absolutely everything, he feels lonely and lost. Therefore, for the first two days, the puppy can constantly whine and cry, calming down only on your hands. Take him in your arms, but do not hold him in your arms for a long time, this way he will never get used to independence.
At night, the puppy will certainly come to you – for him, it is the only, in his opinion, a worthy refuge from nightmares in a new place. Be reasonable, if you do not plan that an adult dog will sleep with you, do not take the puppy to your bed, otherwise, it will be impossible to wean him. Better to put a fluffy towel for him next to the bed and touch the puppy whenever he starts whining. Very soon the baby will get used to a new place, to you, and will feel at home.
How to help a puppy to adjust to a new home
If possible, try not to leave the puppy alone in the first week. He is not yet used to his new habitat, and your presence is somehow reassuring.
If you still need to leave home for a few hours, make sure that the puppy is not so scared. Lock him in the smallest room, provide constant access to food and water, and place several toys in a prominent place. Do not leave a phone or anything else in the room that can suddenly make a loud sound.
At the same time, if your usual rhythm of life does not allow you to spend a long time at home and you plan to leave the grown dog alone, you do not need to accustom the puppy to the fact that there is always someone with him. Habits are actively developed between one and three months of age. When the time comes to disrupt the puppy’s normal life under your constant supervision, problems will begin: whining under the door or constant barking.
There are several rules to follow:
- It is necessary to train gradually: you cannot leave a puppy at home alone for more than 4 hours at the age of one month, for more than 5 hours at two months, for more than 6 hours at a three-month-old.
- If a puppy is left alone in a new house in the dark, the light must be switched on.
- There should always be fresh water and food available to the puppy.
- Make sure to give your puppy his toys while you are away.
- Upon returning home, behave with the puppy affectionately and calmly in any case, even if you do not really like your destroyed apartment.
How to avoid clutter at home?
As soon as the puppy has got used to the new house and is calmly left at home alone, the next problem arises – the total mess that the puppy arranges while exploring the new space. His curiosity and mobility are completely normal and indicate good physical condition, however, the degree of destruction can be reduced by properly organizing the home space.
There should be no wires in the access of the puppy – he will certainly want to gnaw them.
Irresistible interest in the puppy in the new home will also cause any of your shoes, which for a while should be hidden.
A pile of papers, neatly lying on the desk, will probably be scattered evenly all over the floor by your arrival and in places bitten. Avoiding this is simple – put all papers in the boxes.
Toilet paper will also seem like a great toy to a little house tyrant: in order to protect it from being torn apart, replace a regular toilet paper holder with an airtight one.
You should also meticulously inspect all surfaces in the house: anything that is poorly fixed may be on the floor within the first hour after you leave. It is better to remove everything valuable and important for a while from shelves and tables. You can return all decorative elements to their place when the puppy grows up a little.
Walking with a puppy
Start walking your puppy only after all the necessary vaccinations have been made. Otherwise, the very first walk can turn into an infection and a long process of treatment. In addition, they teach them to walk when the adaptation of the puppy in the new house is over, and he gets used to the owners.
Walking is needed not only for the administration of physiological needs and health promotion but also for gaining life experience, studying the environment, developing the correct reaction to various, including strong, external stimuli – strangers, animals, vehicles.
The first appearances should be done as carefully as possible. There are many cars, people and other dogs on the street, so the puppy will be scared.
Start with a 15-minute walk. For the first 10 minutes, hold the puppy in your arms to get used to the noise and odours.
When returning from a walk, put the puppy on the ground for a while, but do not allow it to sit on it if it is cold and wet.
Wait for the puppy to go to the toilet and be sure to praise him. So he will gradually understand that for the toilet you need to wait for a walk.
You need to walk with puppies older than three months daily, gradually increasing the time.
It is better to do it on a leash and with a collar
In quiet places away from the roads, you can let your puppy go for a walk freely.
If the puppy is scared of something, bring him to the object to convince him that there is no danger, and give him a treat.
Gradual socialization
After the first two weeks of careful walks, you can go to the dog playground. There the puppy will have to meet his own kind – often big and very scary! Be always close to your pet, without letting it off the leash, and at first limit contact with large dogs.
Once the puppy has mastered the basic commands, allow him to run on his own, while remaining in your field of vision.