Dogs Value Guides

Revisiting the basics of your puppy’s first day home

Congratulations on your new puppy! He is now ready to go to his new home. This period of adjustment could be a very stressful experience in your new puppy’s life. You want to make him feel welcomed. He might be a little scared from being away from his mother and litter mates so you want to make sure that he feels secure and comfortable in his new home and also alleviate any kind of stress he might be experiencing.

In order for him to feel comfortable with his new surroundings, he would need to have his own space. This will be his sanctuary, a place where he can feel safe while he is adjusting to his new home.

Assuming that you have already made the necessary preparations such as a bed and a blanket, place your new puppy in his new space as soon as he arrives home. If you do not have a bed for him yet, a cardboard box or a piece of carpet will work fine until he gets his bed.

Let him get acquainted with his new space. Within limits of the areas he can explore, give him plenty of time to roam around, to sniff, and to investigate his new surroundings. Let him determine a good area for him to take his naps and see if he can find his bed again. Show him where to find his food and water bowls and see if he can find them again on his own.

Determine a good place to keep your puppy when you’re away during the day. Some suitable places include the kennel, the backyard, or maybe a room inside the house that is puppy proof. Decide on where you want your puppy to urinate and defecate. You would need to have a supply of puppy food available as well as food and a water bowl.

Give him good quality puppy food. His breeder should inform you about the kind of foods that he is already eating. Keep in mind that a seven or eight week old puppy eats about four times a day and can be changed later on to three meals a day. At about four to six months of age, feeding can be changed to two meals a day. Scheduled mealtimes are advisable because it give your puppy consistency which helps with house training.

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