The puppy's first night in the new home.
Getting a new four-legged family member is such an exciting experience, but it can also be stressful for everyone in the family, especially your new puppy. Not only is your little one in a new home with new people and perhaps some new animal friends, but he's also facing a new challenge - his first night away from his old family - so he may need a little extra care.
Make the cage a safe place
Crate training is recommended for all puppies, but especially during the puppy's first night home. When dogs are nervous, they tend to seek out small spaces to create a protective shelter for themselves. Crates/boxes/cages are a great way to provide them with a safe haven. Later, many dogs will continue to use their crate as a safe place if they ever feel overwhelmed or anxious. Crates are also a useful tool for housetraining your puppy, as dogs don't like to get the area where they sleep dirty. Feeding food or treats inside the crate is often seen as a reward and creates a positive association for dogs. Keeping dog toys in a crate can also provide similar rewards and positive associations for pets. Adding a dog bed or blankets to the crate can make it even more comfortable (although some dogs prefer to just lie on hard surfaces).
Organize your puppy's dinner correctly
Create a feeding schedule. When you bring home your puppy: Between 14 and 18 weeks of age, your baby should be fed three times a day, and these meals should be given in the morning, during lunch, and during dinner. When the puppy is 18 weeks old, his feeding schedule can be reduced to twice a day: morning and evening. As a general rule, dinner for your puppy should be around 5:00 pm or about four hours before bedtime. This gives him enough time to digest his food and go potty one last time before bed, so he doesn't have to go outside at night. Whatever feeding schedule you choose for your puppy on his first day at home, it is important to keep feeding times consistent thereafter as this can help make his bowel movements more consistent and aid in house training.
Schedule playtime before bed
Playing before bed is ideal for tiring your new baby out and helping him get a good night's sleep (and you too). While there are no hard and fast rules about when to play in the hours leading up to bedtime, keeping your baby active before bed can be very beneficial. However, it is important not to overstimulate your pet before resting. The hour before bedtime should be used to ensure that the puppy gradually calms down and is ready to sleep. If you plan to put your puppy to bed at 9 pm, consider playing between 7 and 8 pm, this gives him time between 8 and 9 pm to gradually wind down before bed.
Know that your puppy will cry
It's very common for puppies to cry their first few nights - or weeks - at home with you. Until now, they are used to being surrounded by their mother and siblings all day and every night. When you look at the problem from this perspective, it's easy to understand how they might be anxious and lonely on their first night. So if your puppy whines in his crate the first night, it's considered normal; he is adjusting to his new home and family.
