As a result of long disputes, all family members came to a single decision and chose the breed of the future four-legged pet. And now comes the most important stage – preparing the house for the appearance of a puppy.
How to organize life and what should be taken care of in advance? We will consider what advice experienced dog handlers give and we will analyze what it is necessary to refuse in the first day of a puppy’s stay in a new family.
How to prepare a house for buying / adopting a puppy?
In order for the puppy not to be injured and unable to cause serious damage to the apartment or house, one should prepare in advance for its appearance. Specialists recommend owners to allocate one room for the puppy. This will keep the remaining premises intact until the baby has mastered the basic rules of behavior in a new house.
It should also be removed from the room where the pet will be:
- All small items that can harm the young inhabitant (paper clips, buttons, pins, etc.). It is important to understand that everything a puppy can reach will automatically be tried “by the tooth”;
- Electric wires. They should be securely put into the box and, preferably, be out of the reach of the puppy;
- Books and magazines. They must either be lifted to the shelves of the cabinet, or simply removed from the coffee table. Otherwise, the owner runs the risk of discovering many small pieces of paper scattered throughout the room, or books with traces of teeth;
- Shoes and wardrobe items. Puppies often have itchy teeth or just need new toys. To save the puppy from the temptation to chew on the owner’s shoes or slippers, they should not be left in the access zone of the young tomboy.
This is important: in order to prepare the safest room for a four-legged pet, you need to carefully evaluate all the possible risks to his life and health. Imagine that a 7-8-month-old baby appears in your house. Prepare the room so that its presence in it is comfortable and entails as little damage as possible.
Why a new home for a puppy is stressful?
Not all owners understand that moving to a new family is a real stress for the puppy. Until this moment, he was inseparably with his mother, sisters and brothers in the usual atmosphere. There were only familiar people, smells and objects around. And quite unexpectedly, strangers who take him to an unfamiliar house take him. The puppy has no protection against the unknown. Therefore, the baby can whine, worry, or look for a place for privacy.
No matter how you want to spend maximum time with him, pet, feed or play, you should not do this anyway. Let the pet get comfortable. Let him sit in the chosen shelter. You should not pull it out by force or impede the attempt to hide from others. Gradually, he will get used to it and will be happy to look for your company for joint games, walks and pastime.
Where and how to arrange a puppy’s place?
In order for the puppy’s habituation process in the house to proceed as quickly and effectively as possible, it is important to correctly equip its future place. Dog handlers recommend choosing a place for the puppy so that it meets several criteria:
- Located far from drafts, radiators, places of constant walking of family members. The puppy should be comfortable and cozy. He should not be forced to constantly rise to make way for the owner or other inhabitants of the house;
- The mat or litter chosen by the owner should be made of non-marking material and easily washed with detergents.
When choosing a lounger in the form of a house, consider the size of your pet and how quickly it will grow. Of course, it is not worthwhile to buy a bed for the size of an adult animal. But one also should not make a choice in favor of a model that exactly matches the parameters of a 2-3-month-old pet. After all, after a couple of months, the bed will become small and you will have to visit the pet shop again.
Entrance to the couch-lodge should be convenient for the pet. If the puppy is forced to perform acrobatic numbers in order to get into place, then the pet is highly likely to refuse to use such a house.
In some cases, breeders enclose part of the room, turning it into an enclosure for puppies. This is a good way to save the rest of the house from inevitable destruction. The more carefully the owner reacts in preparing a place for his four-legged friend, the more likely it is that the puppy will appreciate the comfort and convenience of its litter.
How to calm a puppy in the first day in a new house?
In the first few hours after the change of ownership, the puppy experiences severe stress. The owner’s task is to create the safest and most comfortable environment in the new house. The advice of experienced dog handlers and professional breeders helps in this:
- Ask the previous owner for a small part of the litter or a piece of cloth on which the puppies were lying. It is saturated with the smell of the puppy’s mother and will be a good sedative.
- Make sure you have a soft toy in advance. It should be taken with you to the breeder. Rub the toy against the belly of the mother. Thus, the fabric is saturated with familiar scents and will allow the baby to feel calmer in the new environment;
- Arrange with the breeder to tell you in detail about the diet and taste preferences of the four-legged pet. Check what goodies the puppy likes, and which food he flatly refuses. Offer your new puppy favorite treats. This will make him feel more confident.
- Do not let children turn the pet into a toy. The puppy needs a relaxed atmosphere. Let him sniff his new possessions, get enough sleep, eat. And he will come out to people only after he has a need for communication.
- In the first nights it is better to let the pet sleep on its litter, but next to the owner. Most dogs whine with loneliness and longing. Do not scold the puppy. If you placed his bedding next to your bed, then lower your hand and caress the pet. Put him a toy smelling of mother’s smell, or cloth from the bed, taken from the house of the former owner. Prepare in advance for the puppy to whine for 1-2 nights. Then he will get used to it and will behave calmer.
When and how much you can start leaving the puppy alone?
You can leave the puppy alone after a couple of weeks. But do not leave the baby alone all day. This negatively affects both the psyche of the pet and its habits.
The following scheme is considered optimal:
- For a pet at the age of 2 months, it is permissible to be alone no more than 4 hours a day;
- For a puppy of 3 months – no more than 5 hours.
Do not immediately leave the puppy for 4 hours. Start with half an hour and gradually increase the time the pet is left alone. If you leave the baby alone, then take care of the availability of drinking water, his favorite toys and a safe place where he can not harm himself at the time of the game.
This is important: give your puppy as much time as possible, try to instill in him good habits and skills. Be patient and persistent. And then after a while you will become the owner of a well-bred and balanced dog!