Day 1 – You will be arriving to our place to pick up your new puppy. Your new puppy has had a fresh bath, nails clipped and is ready to adapt to his/her new home! What a scary thought for him/her and for you! This puppy has been used to all sorts of sounds, dogs, people and animals. But he/she is not used to YOU and YOUR environment and YOUR animals. This can bring about stress for your puppy. Diarrhea may occur, poor appetite and some whining is normal. Patience, keeping familiar objects around puppy and time will help! In time your puppy will know all the places he/she isn’t supposed to chew on, potty on and play on!
Warnings – be aware that at this time, puppies are the most sensitive. They are stressed, not sleeping well and have had a huge change in their life. It is not entirely uncommon for immune systems to drop and puppy to become ill. Being aware of symptoms such as lethargic behaviour, excessive watery diarrhea and attitude changes are imperative. While the puppy has had health checks at our veterinarian, we always require you get your pup set up within a few days of pick up to ensure puppy is staying healthy as can be!
DO NOT CHANGE FOOD! Puppies are notorious for wanting to eat NEW and CHANGED food at their new home. This does not mean puppy didn’t like his/her old food, it’s just a different thing so puppy may be excited to try a new food. Keep puppy on the same food for as long as you can to prevent stomach upset. Obviously not all foods work with all dogs, if your veterinarian advises a different food or if your puppy requires a different food than start very gradually.
Crate Training – Day 1 nightmare.. Yes though these pups have been in crates many times, he/she will not feel the same at the new home. So whining is normal. We advise to keep the room dark, quiet and do not visit with puppy unless you feel puppy needs to go to the bathroom. Bathroom time before crating is a must! Crating is a positive experience when done right. Puppies learn to love their crates and accept that it is their “safe place.” Crates need to be an appropriate size where the pup can stand erect, turn around comfortably and lay down. You don’t want too big of a crate or puppy will find a nice area to potty in.
Treats – In moderation or you’ll pay for it later. Diarrhea can occur from treats so be careful!
Enjoy your new puppy! Don’t panic, it’s a lot of work but so rewarding in the end! Friends for life!
This guideline also applies to any adoptions including purchasing a puppy.
