Bringing home a new dog is an exciting experience for everyone in the family. This implies not only the fun and joy of sharing a life with a pet, but also a lot of responsibility and firmness when it comes to implementing the rules and helping the new member to integrate in harmony.
When he first arrives, the puppy may cry or feel uncomfortable and distrustful, because he will find himself in an unknown place surrounded by strangers. Therefore, our site brings you this article on how long it takes a puppy to get used to its new home, with useful recommendations for you.
Adapting to a new home, with everyone's collaboration
Adopting a dog is a decision that all the members of the family have to agree with. The arrival of the puppy not only represents a great change in people's lives, but for the dog itself, which in most cases faces the fact of having been separated from its mother, in addition to having many new smells, places and people to adapt to.
To make everything easier, it is best to wait until the puppy is at least 2 months old before weaning him and separating him from the mother. Before this, it will be much more difficult for the little one to adapt and fend for himself. Similarly, do not attempt to start training until the dog feels 100% safe and comfortable in his new home and with his new family. The puppy's adaptation time will depend on how you and your family collaborate with him in the process, it can be from a couple of days to several weeks, so Here are some tips to show you how to get a puppy used to his new home.
Knowing the environment
The first thing you do when your puppy comes home is Allow him to explore the new environment He may adopt one of these three attitudes: that he wants to follow you everywhere, that he prefers to stay still in one place, or that he hides under the furniture. Before any of them you must have patience, let him feel comfortable enough to snoop on his own all the corners of the house. Never pressure him to go out or want to be interested in things in a fast way.
It is likely that after a while he will get carried away by the new smells and begin to recognize the place, sniffing and poking his head into everything, although cautiously. Do not leave him alone during this process, as he could injure himself or get out through a door that has been left open, for example.
From the beginning, show him the places where he rests, his bathroom and the bowls where he will eat and drink. Try not to move them around so they are easy to remember; before the arrival of the dog these places must be agreed with all the members of the family.
What to do if the puppy cries?
At night, and especially at first, it is normal for her to cry, because the puppy is still getting used to her new home. By crying we mean a kind of whimper, similar to human crying, that dogs emit. Most puppies will do this for the first few days, but if you don't know how to handle it it can become a problem that lasts for weeks.
The puppy's crying is normal, because you must remember that it has been separated from its mother and siblings, from whom it received warmth and affection at bedtime, so at night, when his human companions have gone to sleep and the dog is in his bed, he is very lonely. Your first impulse will be to run to the puppy's bed to comfort him, but this actually backfires. If you constantly go to pet the puppy, he will interpret this as a reward for his crying and will never stop doing it. On the contrary, ignoring him is the most feasible option, and to make his stay more pleasantso that he doesn't feel so alone
During the day, try leaving him alone in his bed and walk away for several minutes, approaching him only after he's quieted down. Try 5 minutes and increase until you reach 20, so it will be easier for you to get used to it. At night, she places a fluffy stuffed toy on her bed so she can lie against it; Also make sure that the bed is warm and soft, so that it is comfortable and does not get cold. For more information, don't miss our article on "What to do if your puppy cries at night".
Be sweet
Soft words and caressesare one of your main allies when it comes to getting your puppy used to his new home and getting him to he feels safe quickly. Spending time with him, scratching his head, getting toys that amuse him and always using a calm and calm tone of voice are keys to achieving this
The rest of the family members should also join in the task of creating a pleasant environment for the puppy, getting to know each other better. Of course, do not force him to approach other people, when he feels safe he will do it on his own. Create exercise and play routines, necessary to get to know each other, interact and for the puppy to drain all the energy that he has accumulated
Set his spaces and show him where to relieve himself
From the beginning it should be clear where the puppy will use to relieve himself, whether inside the house, in the garden or on his walks down the street, and where will their food and water bowls be.
About feeding, choose a feed according to the age of the puppy, and vary it with raw and fresh food. Do not introduce sudden changes in the menu, but small variations gradually. The water must always be fresh and clean; change it at least 2 times a day and never leave it under the sun.
The instructions to relieve themselves will depend on the place you have chosen for it, but in general you must have patience so that the dog learns where it will be. Also, it may take him about 20 minutes to decide whether or not to relieve himself, so don't try to rush him with anxious words. Likewise, since the ideal is to start the walks once vaccinated, we recommend you consult the following article to discover how to teach your puppy to relieve himself in a newspaper.
Never scold him or yell at him when he urinates or defecates in the wrong place, much less hit him: these attitudes will only make him afraid of you, and it will be harder for him to get used to his new home.
Adapting the puppy to children and other pets
A new pet can be fun for kids, but it's best to supervise the interaction between them and the puppy, both for prevent the dog from being frightened by something and bite them, so that the children do not play any mischief with the animal. From the earliest childhood it is necessary to educate the little ones on how to treat animals, with love and respect, and teach them that they are not toys, but beings who experience affection, pain and fear just like people. Working on these values from the beginning will make the puppy get used to its new home quickly and the children will treat it properly.
The introduction of the puppy to the other pets in the home can be a delicate process, which requires a lot of subtlety so as not to unleash feelings of jealousy or dangerous behaviors of dominance, which could trigger violent behavior. For the first few weeks, keep an eye on all the animals and immediately correct any hostile behavior, letting everyone know that they are not being displaced by the new pup. Likewise, if you have the opportunity, the ideal thing would be to present the animals before the puppy's definitive entrance, in a neutral space, so that they begin to recognize its scent.
With these recommendations we are sure that in a few days, maybe two weeks, your puppy will be completely used to life with his new family.
