Many who adopt puppies are unaware of how restless that first night might be. Sure, it is possible to get lucky and have no trouble settling your puppy down for the night, but in most cases, you can expect an almost sleepless night (or couple of nights) as your puppy gets settled in.<\/p>\n
The reason behind why it can be so hard to get your puppy adapted to their new surroundings stems from an evolutionary behavior. In the wild, puppies will whimper and cry when they don\u2019t sense their mother or littermates around them.<\/p>\n
This prevents their mother from leaving their side, thus leaving them vulnerable to predators; whimpering makes sure the mother is likely to spend most of her time with her puppies\u2019 keeping them quiet, secure, and ensuring that they all stay safe.<\/p>\n
When your puppy first gets home, they will likely exhibit these same signs of crying and whimpering as if they are searching for their littermates or mother (and the same security they previously felt) to ensure that they will not be harmed by predators. This is why it is so essential to make your puppy feel comforted and protected that first night, as this will allow them to settle into their new home and start building bonds with their new family less stressfully.<\/p>\n
Additionally, puppies will whimper or cry when they want to use the bathroom. You may find yourself waking up every few hours during your puppy\u2019s first night to ensure that they relieve themselves in the proper area and are not spending all night distressed (we go into more detail on this later<\/a>). It is essential that you start building good habits on the first night your puppy spends with you if you want them to grow up well-trained and well-behaved. These essential items are important to secure before your puppy\u2019s arrival. They will help you prepare your home to be the most welcoming and comfortable it can be and will help you get started on positive routines with your puppy from the moment they arrive home.<\/p>\n There are several things that you need to do in order to prepare your home for your puppy\u2019s arrival. These items are fairly important as they will help keep your new puppy safe and make your home a more welcoming, calm environment for them.<\/p>\n Before your puppy gets home, you should have already decided on a name<\/a> for them. Already knowing which name you want for your puppy prevents confusion; you don\u2019t want to cycle through several names before settling on one because it might take your puppy longer to learn their name that way.<\/p>\n As an added bonus, if you have chosen your puppy\u2019s name ahead of time you can purchase customized dog tags and bowls to help stylishly decorate your home.<\/p>\n Puppies, much like small children, are prone to getting into areas where they shouldn\u2019t be. Puppy proof your home by placing small dog or baby gates blocking areas you don\u2019t want your dog to be, locking pantry doors your puppy could potentially get into, and placing potentially toxic plants<\/a> well out of reach.<\/p>\n You may also want to scope out the main areas that your puppy will be staying in and move any electrical wires, books, shoes, or other chewing hazards out of the way. You can alternatively tape down wires to the sideboards or floor of your home in order to protect them from chewing.<\/p>\n If you are bringing a puppy home to a family or significant other, you should make sure that all expectations about the care of the puppy and necessary chores have been understood. This may mean that you have a household meeting where you establish who is caring for what aspect of the puppy\u2019s livelihood. Obviously, if you have very young children, you and your significant other will be doing the majority of the essential work (such as walking and cleaning up after the puppy), but smaller children can assist in playtime and feedings.<\/p>\n Even if you are adopting a puppy solo, you will need to put some thought into establishing a feeding and walking schedule. This will allow you to seamlessly fit your puppy into your daily routine and obligations with less stress for both you and the dog.<\/p>\n In the days before your puppy comes home, make sure to check our checklist<\/a> of essential puppy items and confirm that you have everything you need to make your puppy\u2019s first days in your home as comfortable as possible. If you are missing items, make a quick trip to purchase them before your puppy gets home so you have everything you need on hand as soon as your furry friend arrives.<\/p>\n There should be at least one area in your home that your puppy can have all to themself and is filled with toys and comfortable bedding. You may want to place a playpen or other gate around the puppy zone to ensure it stays free from other animals or children in your home. You can also choose to place your dog\u2019s sleeping crate in the puppy zone.<\/p>\n The car ride home with your new puppy can be stressful, as you will want to pay attention to your new friend but will also need to keep your eyes on the road. It can be helpful to have a family member or friend come with you to pick up your puppy; one of you can drive on the way home while the other one sits with the puppy to ensure they are safe and not feeling too overwhelmed.<\/p>\n You may also want to purchase a puppy car seat<\/a> to prevent your car from being soiled in accidentally and to help keep your puppy in place while riding in the car. The first night home is essential in setting your puppy up for good habits and ensuring that they feel comforted and safe in their new surroundings. Follow our tips below for creating a healthy environment for your new best friend.<\/p>\n Potty training your puppy should be taken seriously if you want to prevent accidents, so the moment you get home with your puppy, this routine needs to begin. Upon exiting the car, immediately take your puppy to a designated area that they can relieve themselves in. Wait for them to use the bathroom and give them lots of praise when they do.<\/p>\n Ideally, your puppy with relieve themselves before being let into the house, but if they don\u2019t you can take them inside and then try again in another 10 to 15 minutes. Just be sure to keep an eye on your puppy once inside to prevent any accidents from occurring.<\/p>\n Your puppy will likely have to go to the bathroom every few hours, so make sure to take them outside to the designated potty spot after their meals, after naps and playtime, and before bedtime. As they grow older, they will be able to hold their bladder for longer, but the first night is essential in establishing a potty routine.<\/p>\n If you want more information about potty training your new puppy, read this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once your puppy comes home, you will want to maintain a quiet and calm environment. This includes removing anything that can make a loud noise, including other animals and small children, from around the puppy. Your puppy will likely feel overwhelmed and a little bit scared about being taken to such a new environment, so it is important to let them adapt and not make the experience more uncomfortable than it needs to be.<\/p>\n You can give lots of gentle praise and speak softly to your puppy, but try to avoid yelling, overwhelming them with touch, or picking up and carrying them around too much, as this can be quite frightening.<\/p>\n Your puppy will likely be curious when they first get to your home. You can encourage this by allowing them to explore slowly; you should be constantly monitoring your puppy while they check out their new home and ready to swoop in and stop any potty accidents or prevent your puppy from getting into trouble.<\/p>\n If you have other animals or small children in the home, you may want to confine your puppy to one or two rooms away from them for the first few days until they become a little more comfortable. Then, you can slowly open up more of your home to them as they build their exploring confidence. While you don\u2019t have to crate train your puppy, it is highly recommended to establish a nighttime routine in which your puppy goes to sleep in a crate. This can be helpful in keeping your puppy out of trouble while you are asleep, can prevent them from having accidents around your home, and will enable you to establish a clear nighttime routine. Additionally, the security of a crate with a comfortable blanket in it can help your puppy feel a little calmer during their first few nights home.<\/p>\n It is not recommended to allow your puppy on the bed with you, even though they may cry and whimper through the night, as you run the risk of your puppy falling off the bed, you rolling on top of them, or creating bad sleeping habits.<\/p>\n When setting up your puppy\u2019s crate, you can choose to keep it in your puppy\u2019s dedicated zone, in your bedroom, or just outside your bedroom. Wherever you set up the crate, you should be sure that you can hear your puppy and that you can easily get to the crate multiple times a night; puppies will need bathroom breaks every few hours throughout the night to prevent accidents in the crate.<\/p>\n You can find more information about crate training your new puppy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n As you settle your puppy down for the night, there is sure to be a little bit (or a lot of) whimpering and crying from the puppy. This is because they are in an unfamiliar location and probably missing the comfort of their littermates. You can alleviate this by providing comfortable blankets, a toy with your puppy\u2019s littermate\u2019s scent on it, and heating pads in your dog\u2019s sleeping area or crate (if using heating pads, make sure your puppy will not be able to chew on them at any point during the night).<\/p>\n For the most part, you will need to ignore any loud whimpers, barks, or cries from your puppy. Giving them attention when they make noise, even negative attention such as yelling at them to stop, will create an association between making noise and attention. This will only make the problem worse and teach bad habits.<\/p>\n Additionally, you will certainly need to take your new puppy out for bathroom breaks throughout the night, something that will be indicated by their whimpering. The best way to deal with this is to take your puppy outside to the designated potty area as soon as they whimper or cry. Wait 5 minutes for them to use the bathroom. Even if they don\u2019t go, bring them back inside after time is up and settle them back into the crate.<\/p>\n Do not stop to play with them, praise them, or coddle them in any way in order to get them to settle down. Simply tuck them back into the crate and go back to bed. The whimpering or crying should gradually stop, but if it doesn\u2019t after a long time or if it stops and then starts up again, repeat the potty exercise.<\/p>\n This teaches your new puppy that they will not be leaving the crate unless it is for bathrooms and will encourage them to make less noise. Make sure to praise your dog when they are well-behaved and quiet. It can take several restless nights for this pattern to sink in, but eventually, your puppy will understand what is expected of them and will start sleeping through the night.<\/p>\n More nighttime potty training tips can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Even after the first few nights with your puppy pass, you will need to keep working at setting positive routines and making sure that your puppy feels comfortable in their environment.<\/p>\n If there are other dogs or cats in your home, you will need to make sure that you take your time when introducing your new puppy to them. This will relieve the stress on both your new puppy and your current animals as they take the time to acclimate to each other.<\/p>\n With cats, you will need to give your feline friend an area to escape to that is completely puppy-free. This will provide them with more confidence because they know they have an escape route should they feel overwhelmed.<\/p>\n When introducing dogs, you should watch for signs of aggression in either your puppy or your current dog that include drawn-back lips, growls, or flattened ears, as these are signs of an incoming fight.<\/p>\n This guide<\/a> can provide you with more in-depth information about creating a harmonious meeting between your new puppy and current pets.<\/p>\n The first few days of owning your puppy are essential in building up bonds between them and you as your owner. Plus, having someone monitor the pup during their first few days will prevent them from feeling lonely or from getting into too many messes.<\/p>\n If you work, you may want to consider taking a few days off or working from home after adopting your puppy in order to establish a comfortable environment for them. If you can\u2019t do this, then choose a time to adopt your puppy where you will provide them with the most exposure before returning to work (such as a long weekend).<\/p>\n It is important to be consistent in all training routines with your new puppy. Consistency is key to developing good habits and raising a well-behaved dog. You may also want to consider attending a puppy obedience class in your area to provide your dog with necessary socializing and to learn some helpful tips for training your dog.<\/p>\n If your puppy did not receive their first round of vaccines from the shelter or breeder, you will be responsible for getting these administered. You should not skip getting your puppy their basic vaccines, as this could be in violation of local laws or cause your puppy to get sick unnecessarily.<\/p>\n It is also a good idea to book a general dental care and health checkup with your veterinarian, as this will establish your puppy as a patient at the clinic and give the vet a good baseline on their health.<\/p>\n Bringing a new puppy into the family can be hard, but these frequently asked questions can give you additional insight into troubleshooting any first-night problems.<\/p>\n New puppies will need to use the bathroom pretty frequently, and all dogs need exercise to stay healthy and happy. In the first few weeks, you can expect your puppy to need to go outside between 5 and 10 times throughout the day and night. However, they may only need 5 or 10 minutes outside each time.<\/p>\n As your dog gets older, they won\u2019t need to go outside as often, but they will need longer bursts of exercise to keep them happy. You can read more walking advice here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Whether or not you ignore your puppy when it cries depends on why it is crying. If you have just taken the puppy out for a potty break and they are whimpering about being in their crate for the night, you should probably ignore the crying until it stops, instilling good habits. However, if you haven\u2019t taken your puppy out for several hours and they are whimpering, you might want to take them for a bathroom break in an attempt to stop the cries.<\/p>\n Make sure to evaluate each situation in which your puppy is crying rationally and ensure that you are doing the best for your dog in the long term, even if that means ignoring them until they settle down, but you should also be sure not to neglect their basic bathroom needs.<\/p>\n It can take longer than you would think to potty train your puppy, and patience is a necessity in this process. For most puppies, it can take between 4 and 6 months for them to be fully potty trained and to learn how to hold their bladder. For other puppies, it can take up to a year to be fully potty trained.<\/p>\n Make sure to be consistent in the potty training of your puppy and don\u2019t react too harshly to accidents as they typically part of the learning process for your dog. If your dog seems resistant to housetraining and frequently has accidents, you may want to take them to the vet to ensure there is not a greater health issue at work.<\/p>\n You can prevent bad habits in your puppy by establishing a clear set of training routines and expectations from the first moment you bring your puppy home. You shouldn\u2019t correct bad behaviors with yelling or smacking at your puppy, as this is only likely to make the issue worse. Instead, utilize positive reinforcement and clear, stern language to correct your puppy.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nChecklist of Essential New Puppy Items<\/h2>\n
\n
Preparing for Your Puppy’s Arrival<\/h2>\n
Choose a Name<\/h3>\n
Puppy Proof Your Home<\/h3>\n
Set Expectations With Your Family<\/h3>\n
Ensure All Essentials Have Been Purchased<\/h3>\n
Prepare a Comfortable Puppy Zone<\/h3>\n
Prepare for the Car Ride Home<\/h3>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nWhat to Do on the First Night Home<\/h2>\n
![\"puppy](\"https:\/\/usserviceanimals.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/puppy-chewing-on-a-toy.jpg\")
<\/p>\nImmediately Start Potty Training<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t Overwhelm Your Puppy<\/h3>\n
Allow Slow Exploration<\/h3>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nEstablish a Crate Training Routine<\/h3>\n
Settle Your Puppy Down, but Don’t Indulge Them<\/h3>\n
Establishing Routines With Your Puppy in the Following Weeks<\/h2>\n
Introduce to Other Animals Slowly<\/h3>\n
Spend Lots of Time With Your Puppy<\/h3>\n
Maintain Training Routines<\/h3>\n
Book a Trip to the Vet<\/h3>\n
New Puppy Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
![\"child](\"https:\/\/usserviceanimals.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/child-with-puppy.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHow Often Do I Need to Walk My Puppy?<\/h3>\n
Should I Ignore My Puppy When They Cry?<\/h3>\n
How Long Does It Take to Potty Train a Puppy?<\/h3>\n
How Do You Prevent Bad Puppy Habits?<\/h3>\n