A puppy is moving in

A puppy is moving in

The first few days and nights in a new home are a big change for a puppy. 

With good preparation you can make it much easier for your new companion to settle in. Here are a few tips on picking up your puppy, the essential items you need, how to interact with your little one and what a puppy-safe home should look like.

How do I best prepare for a puppy?

Once the decision has been made to keep a puppy, the first questions will soon arise: What do I have to consider when the puppy moves in? What basic items does it need? Where should the puppy sleep on the first night? What food should you give it? And how long will it take it to settle in? Some things are impossible to foresee and plan for. But with good preparation, everything will be much easier. This concerns, for example, how the home is equipped. It is best to go through everything a few days before the puppy moves in and consider whether your home is puppy-proof. Wherever possible, electric cables should not be left unprotected because some puppies will chew anything. This can also apply to plants, which is why poisonous varieties such as ferns, poinsettias and chrysanthemums should be placed out of reach where possible. If you live in a multi-storey apartment, a stair guard is recommended to avoid the risk of falling.

What basic items does a puppy need?

A puppy does not just need a lead and collar; it needs a whole lot more. Many a new dog owner becomes aware of this when they pick up the puppy. If you are travelling alone, you should put the little one in a carrying box or strap it in. Otherwise the puppy could tumble around the car or distract you. A collar is unsuitable for strapping a puppy in. We recommend a harness, which many owners also use in everyday situations. Especially with dogs that tend to pull on the lead, this is a useful alternative to prevent bruising in the neck area.   

At home you will need care utensils (comb, brush, tick tweezers) and toys for your puppy. You will also require a dog bed or basket in a fixed place and preferably also a dog blanket. Other essential items are a feeding bowl and at least one water bowl. If you decide to give your dog dry food, it is better to provide several water bowls in order to encourage it to drink. Wet food is, however, the safer and more natural option. We recommend our special puppy food “Gran Carno Junior” and “Vom Feinsten Junior”. The food is specially formulated to meet the specific nutritional requirements of puppies and growing dogs. You should, however, wait one to two weeks before switching food. In the early acclimatisation phase, the intestinal flora may be unstable due to all the new impressions, which can lead to diarrhoea. During this phase, you should stick to the food that the puppy has been given up to now, to be on the safe side.


Transport to the new home
A puppy should be picked up in the morning if possible, so that on the first day there are still a few hours for it to get used to its new home in daylight. Find out if there is anything in particular to consider regarding your puppy and do not hesitate to ask any specific question. This will all benefit your future pet. Ideally someone should be present for the car journey who can keep an eye on the puppy and talk to it. It should also be carried in a transport box or strapped in and placed on a dog blanket because it is quite possible that a “little accident” will occur. Drive as smoothly as possible and not too fast, and take breaks if the journey is longer.

The puppy moves into its new home

In order to take some of the pressure off the little one, the first thing to do when arriving at its new home is to take it for a short walk. Then it is time to explore your home. Preferably without too many people around so that this is not too much for the puppy. For your new companion, everything is unfamiliar and extremely exciting. Show the puppy where the water and food bowls are and where its bed is. A lot of affection and playing together will now be a distraction from being separated from its mother. The puppy will become tired after a short while. Let it sleep as long as it wants, so that it is able to recharge its batteries. The whole family should be aware that the puppy must not be disturbed when it is sleeping or eating. As much as it may crave bonding with the family, there are times when a dog needs its rest.

Where should the puppy sleep?
The dog bed should be in a quiet place that is centrally located, but where the puppy will not be disturbed. This is often the case in the living room. Most puppies do, however, feel homesick for the first few nights, so they do not want to sleep too far away from their new family. They have been used to falling asleep with their mother and siblings. This is why they do not want to spend the night alone in a room. They far prefer a place in the bedroom. This does not mean that this must necessarily be a permanent solution. It is, however, also advisable for the initial phase because going for a walk every few hours is part of the daily agenda.

The acclimatisation phase
In the early days, you should neither go on holiday nor frequently leave the puppy alone. It is best to spend your holidays at home, so that you can quickly develop a strong bond with your dog. Scold the puppy as little as possible, and simply ignore any unwanted behaviour. Instead, you should get into the habit of rewarding good behaviour with praise and treats right from the start. Use positive reinforcement instead of pressure and try to develop a strong bond with your dog – the training process will then be all the easier.