Here are some tips to help make bringing home your puppy the best experience possible.
Bring your puppy home on a long weekend or when you know you’ll have time to focus on him and only him. This will give you both a chance to get properly acquainted with each other, as well as help the puppy get used to his new home.
The puppy will bond the most with the family members who go to pick him up to be brought home, so make it a family affair!
On the way home, make sure that someone is either holding the puppy securely in her lap or the puppy is in a crate.
Be sure to pack a soft cloth collar, Flexi of at least 6 ft, bottled water, small treats, small dog toys, paper towels, blankets, plastic bags, poop bags, etc.
After picking up the puppy, go straight home. It may be tempting to share your new little bundle of joy with a few friends, but it’s important that you get your puppy home and settled as soon as possible.
Once you’re home, take the puppy outside so he can do his business. Calmly walk him around his designated bathroom area. And make sure your yard is puppy-proofed ahead of time.
Make sure that everyone is calm when the puppy arrives home. The best way to get your puppy to warm up to you is to be calm and relaxed. Too many loud noises or voices will likely frighten your puppy.
If there are other pets in the house, don’t be in a rush to introduce the puppy to them. Make his first day home all about him. Introduce other pets to the puppy when he/she settles down and no longer feels nervous. Crate is recommended for the puppy to feel safe when other pets are around for the first couple of weeks until they become playmates.
Sit the puppy down inside and let him explore. He may decide to run around a bit, or he may hide under the couch and stare at you. It’s been a long day. Just give him some time and make sure you have rules and a schedule in place for when he gets settled.
Based on your work schedule, try to come up with a routine for the new puppy that will help the puppy feel secure and content.