To make your home safe for your new puppy, eliminate potential hazards around the house and pay attention to the following items:
- Keep breakable objects out of reach.
- Deny access to electrical cords by hiding or covering them; make outlets safe with plastic outlet plugs.
- Safely store household chemicals.
- In the garage, be sure engine lubricants and other poisonous chemicals (especially antifreeze) are safely stored.
- If you own a pool or hot tub, check the cover or the surrounding fence to be sure they're in good condition.
- If you provide your puppy with an outdoor kennel, place it in an area that provides sun and shelter in the pen; be sure the kennel is large enough to comfortably accommodate your puppy's adult size.
The First Days at Home
The ideal time to bring home a new puppy is when the house is quiet. Discourage friends from stopping by and don’t allow overnight guests for the first week with your puppy.
The puppy needs to get to know her/his new surroundings and her/his new family before being introduced to more people and places.
We are serious about this. Please don’t overwhelm your infant puppy when s/he is first home. It’s a big move.
First establish a daily routine and follow these steps:
Step 1: Before bringing her/him in the house, take her/him to the area in your yard that will serve as her/his “bathroom” and spend a few minutes there. If s/he goes, praise her/him. If not, proceed into the house but be sure to take her/him to this spot each time s/he needs to use the bathroom.
Step 2: Take her/him to the room that accommodates your crate this restricted area will serve as his new “den” for several days. Put bedding and chew toys in the crate, leave the door open and line the area outside of the crate with newspaper, in case of an accident. Let her/him investigate the crate and the room. If he chews or urinates on his bedding, remove it from the crate.
Step 3: Observe and interact with your puppy while s/he’s acclimating to her/his new den. This will help forge a sense of pack and establish you as the pack leader.
