The first days of a puppy at home are a mixture of excitement and responsibility for the new member of the household. Don't forget that the first day of a dog at home will be full of novelties for your new friend. We are going to give you some tips to facilitate the adaptation of your puppy, and that this will be the beginning of a precious friendship between you.
Tips for your puppy's first days at home
1. Maintain a relaxed home environment
Have you thought about what you are going to do on your puppy's first day at home? Can you imagine the mixture of sensations before your new friend's first contact with you and yours? Almost certainly the puppy will be stressed by the novelties: smells, sounds, unfamiliar surroundings, the absence of his mother... Try to make the puppy's first day at home calm and relaxed.
2. Let him go outside to relieve himself
You should be very careful when he goes outside for the first time. Take him to the garden or the porch to do his first needs and then reward him so that he starts to associate that he doesn't have to do it inside the house.
If you live in an apartment, do not go too far from the door of the house, as he may not yet have his first vaccinations, essential for his first moments of socialization with other dogs.
3. Exploration and familiarization with his new environment
Next, allow your new friend to explore the whole house on his own, he has to get used to his new home! Watch the entrances and exits so he doesn't run away, and let him sniff everything he wants.
4. Give him his own space
What you may find most difficult at first will be to separate yourself from him, and perhaps your protective instinct will lead you to not give him all the space he needs. Keep an active watch, but don't overwhelm him; puppies can become stressed by too much human contact in the early days, so let him come to you when he wants to.
5. Introduce him to his resting place
A puppy's first night will also be crucial, since during his night's rest, he may feel strangers and strangers in his new home. Show him his bed, and leave some clothing impregnated with your scent there to make him feel at ease.
Keep in mind that puppies can sleep up to 20 hours a day, intermittently, so it will be in that part of the house where he spends most of his day. The beds that we offer in Baluka can be the great allies of the adaptation of your puppy in his first nights with you, since they will also protect him against mites, viruses and bacteria, something especially important until he begins to receive his vaccinations.
6. Place his bed close to yours
Where can a 2-month-old puppy sleep? The location of the bed is also important: don't leave him in a corner or in a secluded area, far from your resting place. Try to have him sleep close to you, in case you notice that he is restless during the night, and you have to reassure him (speaking in a soft voice and without inciting him to play).
7. Take care of his feeding
During the first days, we recommend that your puppy eats the same food he has been eating before his arrival at your home. Gradually and very slowly, you will be able to introduce modifications in his food, but always keep in mind that dogs do not usually take well to changes in habits.
8. Provide a quiet environment for their food
The food and water bowl should be in a secluded area where your new friend can retreat to eat and drink without sharing space with other pets, including you and your family. During feeding time, the puppy may feel vulnerable, and the presence of other people or pets may make his behavior aggressive or protective, as he may perceive others as a threat to him or his food.
9. Take him to the veterinarian
After a few days of adaptation, you should take your puppy to the vet for a check-up and a vaccination schedule, and the vet will advise you on important aspects such as nutrition and deworming.
10. Allow him to socialize
When the time comes (usually after the first mandatory vaccinations, about 4 months), your new friend will be protected to socialize with other dogs . Through play, dogs establish social relationships with each other, and you can take him for a leisurely walk to let him relieve himself in the street and strengthen his bond with you.
Having your puppy at home for the first few days will be an adventure for both you and him. Take care of these important aspects to facilitate his adaptation, and don't hesitate to provide him with a suitable place to rest while he has something that smells like you nearby.
