How To Get Your New Puppy Integrated into Your Home

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

 


As most of you know, we got our new puppy Daisy in October and it's been a wild ride....not really, but I was used to my senior chihuahuas so I almost forgot what it was like to have a puppy because it's been so long.  But I wanted to do a post to help other pet parents with their new puppies so I figured I'd post some of the things I did to help Daisy fit into our wolfpack. 




Give them their own space.
Daisy had her very own little pen area with food, water, potty pads, toys, and her bed the first few months she was here.  This gave her a safe space to retreat to when things got too overwhelming and helped her feel like she had her own territory since the other dogs were still getting used to her and didn't always want her laying in a bed with them.  It's also good because if you want to keep your puppy safe when you have to leave the house, they can go in their pen and can't get into anything.  Daisy now free roams the house because it's dog proof and I work from home, so I'm not too worried about it. 

Positive reinforcement is key. 
Whether they go potty where they're supposed to, come when you call them, or eat their dinner, praise is important so they know that they're doing the right thing.  We celebrated Daisy's successfully going on the potty pads for months and months just to keep reinforcing that she should do it and not have accidents, and it's been a success. 

Socialization is important.
We made sure Daisy got to see all different types of people and animals in her first few months with us.  Whether it was a neighbor or delivery person that approached us while we were outside, we allowed her to get familiar with other people and even see other dogs safely.  She now is ecstatic when someone comes to the house and has no issues with strange men that come to repair things.  

Get that vet checkup. 
Upon bringing Daisy home, I immediately scheduled her first vet appointment so she could get in their books and we could keep up with her vaccines and monitor her weight, etc.  The last thing you want is to put off a vet appointment and then your puppy gets sick and it's hard to get in some place as a new client in a rush. 

Alone time.
Even though I've been working from home, I made Daisy get used to me not being in the house.  I would leave throughout the day for walks or run and errand over lunch.  Daisy saw that I always came back and she's good at spending time in the house without me so we have no issues with separation anxiety.
 
Get on a routine.
I am a creature of habit so it's easy for my dogs to see that and do the same.  By waking up, eating, sleeping, and doing everything else on a scheduled routine each day, week, and month, Daisy is pretty much the puppy expert on knowing when it's play time, dinner time,  or quiet time. 

Lots of toys. 
Puppies are curious and who can blame them? So make sure you have plenty of toys for your puppy to keep them occupied so they can entertain themself especially when everyone else in the house doesn't feel like entertaining them.  Daisy has so many toys, there's no way she'll ever get bored. Try choosing toys that they have to figure out like toys where there is a treat inside and the dog has to spin or open something to get it out.  This helps them learn to "figure things out" themselves. 

If I had to some up how I dealt with a new puppy, that's how I did it.  If you have a new puppy or plan to get one soon, I hope these tips help you!




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