Bringing home your new puppy
Congratulations on your new arrival! When your puppy arrives home for the first night, they can feel shy and apprehensive, and will be missing the companionship of littermates and his/her mother. Upon arriving home, a new puppy is best allowed to explore his/her surroundings without too much noise, interference or distraction. Children should be allowed so be shown how to appropriately handle the new pet without trauma. If there are other pets in the households, especially adult dogs or cats, the transition and introduction should be done slowly and under supervision. It is a good idea to keep the puppy in a small room to start with, such as the laundry or an ensuite, and provide a bed, basket or box for the puppy to curl up in. A warm (not hot) water bottle and a loudly ticking clock can help to reduce crying when put to bed for the first few nights. Some crying can be common, as they are used to curling up with littermates and mum at night, so a new environment can be very daunting.