How To Introduce Your New Puppy To Your Home
You’ve done it! You’ve got a puppy! Congratulations on your new addition.
But how do you make this new member of your family feel at home?
If this is the first time you have had a puppy, there are a few things you need to consider to see how you can make sure they settle in and feel like a member of the family.
Here is our handy guide on what to do and what not to when it comes to making your new pooch feel loved and settled in their new abode.
Tips To Make Your Puppy Feel Welcome
The key thing to remember is this is a totally new environment for you little one.
They will find the experience overwhelming, so it is good to make your new arrival feel comfortable.
Key things to remember are not to spoil your new pet. For example, if you let them lie on the bed from the outset, they will think they can do that all the time.
Remember to set the boundaries from the outset.
Give them plenty of attention, but you need to make sure your puppy feels comfortable enough to be in a room on their own and feel safe.
So make sure you don’t carry them everywhere or they will scared when alone.
A way to make them feel calm when they first arrive is to brush their coats
Try not to spoil your pet by allowing them to lie on you bed or constantly carrying them around. They need interaction but also need to learn that they are safe even when there is no physical contact or when they are alone in a room.
You can put a collar on your new puppy a few days after they have come to your home.
They may scratch at their neck as they get used to it, but they will soon become used to it.
To make sure it isn’t too tight, you should be able to place two fingers underneath, but it still cannot be pulled over the pups head.
Always make sure your pooch has an id tag or is microchipped. This is very important.
Here is our handy guide to keep your new arrival cool, calm and collected….
Home Sweet Home
Make sure the room they are brought into is warm and well ventilated, and also quiet.
That way when they first get a chance to explore, they can do so at an easy pace, and in their own time.
It is a good idea to let them get used to their new home in stages.
If you have stairs, use a stair gate so they can’t get confused.
This also helps with toilet training.
Give Them Comfort And Ease Anxiety
Your new pup will want to feel relaxed in their new home and one way to do this is a cosy and comfortable place to sleep.
A good suggestion is to make it chew resistant as puppies like to get their teeth into everything.
Little ones also like to sleep a lot when they are young, and one way of giving them comfort is to put a ticking clock near where they sleep, which is similar to their mom’s heartbeat.
Providing background noise is another way of providing reassurance – for example a radio on low.
Keep Things Interesting
Puppies need lots of stimulation as they grow. You may not be able to walk them outside, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy what is around them.
Why not take them for a walk carrying them so they get to be familiar with your neighborhood.
Remember unvaccinated dogs cannot be anywhere near other dogs are for three months in case they catch something.
But they can still experience new sights and sounds.
This phase of new experience is from 1 – 3 months for dogs so make the most of it. Make sure they have plenty of stimulating play.
Food and Water
As humans we don’t like to eat where we go to the toilet. And your puppy is no different.
Make sure they have enough space between these areas.
Also use easy clean food and water bowls
They should be heavy enough so they cannot be pushed around when they are used.
And make sure you change your puppy’s water once a day.
Milk is a big no no because it can cause diarrhoea and allergy problems.
Don’t have food available for your pup all day.
Instead try and introduce set meal times.
That way they won’t graze or have feeding on demand.
Puppies also need special food – and have to be fed 3 – 4 times a day. They need special attention just like babies do!
You can soften dried food with some water to make it easier for them to eat.
Dried food is also much better for their teeth than using tinned food or sachets when they are young.
Make sure you only give treats for good behavior, that way they get to realize when they are well behaved, they get a reward.
Another thing to remember is you shouldn’t allow strenuous exercise if you puppy has just eaten as this can cause problems.
One such issue is a “twisted gut” and it can be very painful.
Make Their Environment Safe
Puppies like to get into everything – and that includes in your house and home.
So keep anything that you DON’T want chewed or swallowed out of harms way.
This includes electrical flexes and blind cords etc.
Make sure you keep chocolate out of the way – as it is very very bad for dogs and in poisonous.
They love it, but it doesn’t love them.
Houseplants can also cause them problems tulip bulbs, azaleas, and lilies are toxic.
If you have these in your home or garden, keep an eye on your pup so they don’t go eating them!
You can always introduce a playpen or crate for them so they can be somewhere safe. And then you don’t need to worry so much about whether they are exposed to things they shouldn’t be.
If you have stairs in your home, keep their exposure to them to a minimum and only supervised, as puppies don’t have great co-ordination and misunderstanding of height.
Make Your Other Pet Their Pal
This can be a tough one as it is important to make sure any pooch you already have and your new addition are introduced to each other carefully.
They should both be loved, and get the same amount of attention when the introduction takes place.
Your older pet should be allowed to have a good sniff around your puppy, so than get to know them.
Give them both some calm reassurance.
Make sure the atmosphere is relaxed. Feeding your two pets together can cause all sorts of issues as they will get territorial.
Initially feed them separately until this can be worked out. Be aware this process can sometimes take a while.
If you like these tips then please check out our other blog post which is a great guide on how to groom your dog.