How to Adjust a Puppy to a New Home

We've all been spending a little (or a lot) more time than usual at home over the last few months and for many of us it has created the perfect environment for a new addition to the family. No, I'm not talking about a baby – I'm talking about a puppy!

With our family all working and doing school from home for the foreseeable future, our family decided it was the perfect time to add a tiny little puppy to our rowdy crew. So, Homes.com friends, meet our sweet little buddy, Potter.

He's about three months old, a Cocker Spaniel Chihuahua mix, and he's the cuddliest, wildest, most adorable puppy ever. I know a lot of people have been expanding their furry families lately, so when Homes.com asked if I'd be interested in sharing a few of our tips for making things easier with a new puppy, I was excited to get writing! My husband and I have always been a great team when it comes to having a puppy in the house, and we joke that after potty training four different dogs, we're basically professionals at this point.

Read: The Ups and Downs of Stairs: 5 Considerations for Dog Owners

So, here are a few of my best tips for how to make the new puppy transition as seamless as possible.

Find a Schedule that Works for You and Your Puppy

One of the most important things you can do to make your life a little easier with a new puppy is to have a loose schedule that you stick to as much as you can. Potty training a puppy can almost feel as exhausting as potty training a toddler! When you bring the puppy home, make it a point to take them outside to use the restroom every hour throughout the day. We love to use a training clicker paired with a treat to help them make a connection between using the restroom outside and getting rewarded. Keep a close eye on your puppy and you'll quickly learn the signs of an impending accident, some might look at you or get up to go sniff around – try to swoop them outside before it happens!

Read: New Home Anxiety: Helping Our Furry Friends Adjust

In addition to taking the puppy out as often as you can, if they go anywhere near your door, ask if they want to go out and take them outside immediately. In our experience, most puppies will start to get the hang of it and begin asking to go outside within a week or so!

Sleeping at Night

Nighttime sleeping goes best if we make sure to keep our puppy awake and playing in the last one or two hours before we want to go to bed. This way, he's tired out and ready to go in his kennel for the night. If we allow the puppy to nap right up until bedtime, he's ready to play when we're ready to sleep!

Make a Space Just for Them

Your new puppy will feel at home more quickly if they have a dedicated space that they know is just for them. We always kennel train puppies, and we've found that if they have a little area around their kennel with their food and a couple of cozy places to snuggle, they'll use it as a space to relax and escape when the house gets chaotic. And, if you've got kids, you'll know things can get chaotic often .

With Potter, we dedicated a corner of our closet to his kennel and food and I spent a little bit of time making it look cute – because why not?! If I have to have a puppy kennel sitting in my closet, I'd much rather it make me smile rather than feel like an eyesore.

A cozy little puppy bed added to the bottom of the kennel, along with a blanket that smells like a member of your family will make the puppy feel even more safe and cozy when they're in their bed.

Establish House Rules Early

Don't want your dog to hang out on the furniture? That needs to be the house rule from day one if you want it to be a rule you stick to!

Before you bring the puppy home, think about any particular rules that are important to you and your family and establish a plan to implement them from the very beginning. For example, here are a few of our house rules:

• The puppy can never have any soft toys. Puppies can't distinguish between their own toys and the kids' stuffed animals, so we've always been very strict about not letting the dogs play with any stuffed toys (so we can ensure the kids' stuffed animals stay safe).
• Dogs don't get table food. We don't want our dogs to beg at the table while we're eating, so we're very strict about not letting anyone feed them from the table or hold them while meals are happening. The only exception to this is that the dogs are allowed to snatch up food we drop in the dining room or kitchen – because what's the point of having a dog if they can't clean up after you a bit?!
• The kennel always gets used at night and when we leave the house. This is a rule that we have always dropped once the puppy is about a year old and able to handle holding their bladder for longer periods of time. But, while puppies are little they always do their nighttime sleeping in the kennel, and they go in the kennel when we leave the house. It gives them a sense of security and protects our stuff from puppy teeth! No matter how tempting it is to let your tiny puppy sleep in your bed, I promise you'll regret it when you wake up in the middle of the night to a puddle in your bed!

Your rules may include things like not letting the dog go upstairs (we love using a baby gate to keep puppies out of certain spaces in our home), making them stay in the kennel during family mealtimes, or anything else that works well for your family – just know ahead of time what you want the rules to be and be sure to stick to them from the moment you bring the puppy home!

Puppies are a never-ending source of entertainment, cuddles and, yes, messes. They can be a lot of work, but it's kind of like having a child – it's exhausting for a few months and the next thing you know, they're all grown up and it's all worth it!

Need a few more tips? Here are some other tips from the Homes.com team!

Tips for Playful Puppies

"My puppy, Loki, definitely came in like a ball of energy. Since I'm working from home, my Zoom meetings became a lot more hectic when he arrived. One thing I've noticed that helps is lots of daily walks and rope toys," says Chris Davis, a Training Manager with Homes.com. "Those walks tire him out and he naps most of the day now. If he is up, I have a rope toy right next to me so I can throw it to keep him occupied." Davis says his puppy is a playful one and loves to chew anything he can find. "I learned quickly that squeaky toys get destroyed within minutes, so I made the decision to switch to Kong toys. Those have lasted a long time and have helped pull out some puppy teeth as well –everybody knows the pain of those."

"Overall, he is a very active pup who is loving and affectionate. He is smarter than he acts and definitely abuses that power. Right away I taught him simple commands which have helped with any fits or displeasures he likes to vocalize. Him knowing sit has been very beneficial. I suggest teaching that to any puppy right away."

Tips for Understanding Your Dog Better

"I think first and foremost, no matter what you do, whether it's potty training, crate training, or teaching basic commands, persistence is key. Especially with smart pups like Loki and Olive, they can be stubborn. You just have to make sure you're more stubborn than they are when it comes to training and teaching them desirable habits," says Christian Misthos, Sales Manager with Homes.com.

"If you happen to know the breed, or even a few of the breeds that make up your pup, I would highly recommend doing a bit of research about what motivates them. For Olive, she is more motivated by fetch than she is by treats. The only reason we thought to try this was reading up about Border Collies which is what her mom is. If you don't know the breed, trial and error is always an option – but stay persistent!"

Misthos also recommends making time to take your puppy to the dog park regularly if they're one who loves to exercise. "Once Olive had all of her necessary vaccines, we started taking her to the dog park daily. This has been the biggest help with giving her ample exercise without having to commit too much time. She's made so many dog friends at our neighborhood park and it's a great way to meet new human friends as well!"

"The entire experience with Olive has been exciting, tiring, frustrating, and rewarding. At the end of the day, the unconditional love you get from your four legged friend makes up for any amount of shoes they may (and inevitably will) chew up!"

Amanda & Corey Hendrix bought their first home in 2011 and love to share their renovation and decorating adventures on their blog, Love & Renovations. They love to encourage homeowners to have the confidence to make their house a home, and believe that anyone can tackle DIY projects in their home. You can follow their adventures at loveandrenovations.com, Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

How to Adjust a Puppy to a New Home

Source: https://www.homes.com/blog/2020/08/puppy-tips-adjust-home-quickly/

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