Surviving those First Few Nights at Home with Your New Puppy

  Posted on July 11, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

Party Marty, that lovable cat who has all the fun! It’s Friday once again! Where does the time go?  First it’s Monday and the next thing you know, it’s Friday!  I guess when you have to sleep and relax as much as I do, one day just bleeds into the next without much warning!

So, before I get back to my well-deserved R&R time, I have to post something to enlighten you and to make you believe that I am the esoteric fountain of knowledge when it comes to these pet blog posts…and I am!

So…how many new puppy owners do we have out there? Show of hands, please!  Thank you!  I have to ask you this…how did that first night go for you?  Lots of whining, crying and whimpering?  And the dog, too?  Did he wear you out because he was homesick and wouldn’t remain quiet?

Fear not!  It is perfectly normal and natural for your new pup to be anxious and a bit frightened in his new surroundings. However, there are a few ways you can reduce that stress and ease him into this new life with you.  Thanks to pets.thenest.com, I found some amazing tips….

• See if you can get a piece of cloth, towel or rag from the whelping box or puppy pen in which your puppy formerly napped.  Keep it close to your puppy on those first few nights at home. If you cannot get access to that, place a piece of your clothing in with the pup.
• Purchase a crate and keep your puppy confined in it, at least for the first few nights and regularly if you plan to crate-train him.  Be sure to line it with warm bedding and place a towel or blanket over the top to simulate a cave-like experience for him.  Allowing your puppy to wander throughout your home may lead to confusion and injury to the pup.
• Get a ticking clock and place it next to the crate.  The sound of the rhythmic ticks will mimic the mother’s heartbeat.  Make sure that the clock is out of reach of the puppy, however.
• Every puppy loves toys, so put a couple of them on her bed. After all, he spent time cuddling with his litter mates.

While a whimpering puppy just begs you to cuddle and coddle him, you may have to tough it out to teach the puppy a lesson. If he realizes that every time he whimpers, you come running, he will use that to his benefit when he wants attention in the future.  Instead, offer him a treat when he is resting quietly or behaving well.

Finally, if your new puppy takes up residence in a place where the cat already rules, then make sure he understands the cat is king!  Just sayin’!!  We have to set boundaries and establish the order of the house!

Gotta run!  Duty calls! It is already past my nap time!