If your dog comes from a breeder, you should ask if your puppy comes with various equipment. For example, many breeders give a collar, leash, blanket, or basket. Usually, you will also receive a small amount of the previous food so that your puppy does not have to cope with a change of food right away as well.
Basket/box/blanket/pillow
When it comes to sleeping and resting places, there are a lot of choices and the decision is often difficult. Ask about the doggie's previous sleeping place, he may prefer this in the new home as well. Otherwise, you may have to try out a few things before you find the right one for your four-legged friend.
If you want your dog to sleep or rest in a box permanently, he must first be accustomed to it slowly. Under no circumstances should you simply put him in the box and close the door. First, he should be lured in with treats and thus stay longer and longer in the box.
Consider in advance where the dog's resting place should be. Many people do not want to have the dog in the bedroom, however, the dog babies often feel very abandoned if they are to sleep separated from their new pack right in the first nights. A good alternative is to put a cardboard box, a high-walled basket, or a box that can be opened from above, next to your bed. The dog will feel your closeness and you will quickly notice if he needs to go out at night.
Toy
Maybe your puppy already has a favorite toy in his previous home, then you can get one for home. With puppies, chew toys are very popular such as chew ropes. But also balls or cuddly toys are gladly taken. It is important that nothing can come off with the toy, which the dog could then swallow.
Collar, leash, and harness
Perhaps they get the first collar, leash, or harness already from the breeder or animal welfare association. If not, you should ask for advice on the right size in a specialist shop. Make sure that the first piece of equipment is not too heavy. Well-suited material is for example nylon. Also, do not invest too much money in this initial equipment, because the dog will probably grow out of it on the one hand, and on the other hand, some puppies also like to chew through a leash.
Food
For the first few days, continue to use the menu that the little four-legged friend has received so far. If you want to change, this should be done slowly and carefully, replacing more and more of the old food with the new.
Treats should be small and compact. However, they do not have to be made specifically for puppies. Make sure they do not contain sugar or other harmful ingredients.
For employment, puppies can also be given balls or kongs that can already be filled with food. The natural need to chew can be satisfied by natural products such as dried beef skin or chewing roots
The first days in the new home
For the puppy, a decisive break in his life has just happened. It has lost its home, mother, and siblings from one moment to the next. While young dogs are usually very flexible and adaptable, some time is needed for a puppy to get used to its new pack and environment.
Therefore, don't plan on any big activities for the first week. Friends and relatives should also be able to curb their curiosity for a few more days. The first time should be spent mainly at home, interrupted by frequent but short walks outside so that the dog can get loose. A calm, relaxed atmosphere should also prevail in the house or apartment. Under no circumstances should the dog be kept constantly occupied. Like a human baby, a puppy should still sleep a lot and the rest of the time he is busy exploring the new environment.
Only in the second week, you can slowly start with smaller walks. Per month of life, the puppy should walk for 5 minutes at a time. Thus, a 12-week-old puppy can take a fifteen-minute walk. This rule is especially important for puppies of large and heavy breeds to protect their joints. Stairs should also not be climbed in the first few weeks, your dog baby should then always be carried.
Housetraining: education of the puppy
Housetraining is the most important educational goal in these first days. As a rule of thumb, a puppy should always be brought out after eating and sleeping. At the latest, however, after two hours. At night, you can extend the period to three to four hours, but this depends individually on the puppy.
Even if you go out with the puppy regularly, there will be one or the other puddle of poop. Just make it go away without comment, scolding does not help yet, because the puppy cannot associate it with this action yet.
There are small dog miracle children who are already house-trained after one week. The majority, however, need four to eight weeks, but even four months are still within the framework to learn the house training.
Keeping the puppy alone
Dogs are pack animals. A puppy separated from the pack in the wild is likely to be in mortal danger. This primal fear is still ingrained in our dogs today. Therefore, you should take into account that a puppy cannot stay alone for two to three hours until it is about half a year old. Nevertheless, you can start training from the first day. You should, when you move through the apartment, also close a door behind you now and then. Be it when taking a shower or going to the toilet. After that, just come back into the room without much fuss. After a week or two, you can even go outside the front door for a minute or two. Some puppies respond to this by howling and whining. Always allow a short period of quiet time for the little dog to come inside. This way he learns that you will not come if he howls.
Getting used to collar and leash
Ideally, your new roommate already knows the collar and leash. If not, he must be accustomed slowly and sensitively. First show him the collar, let him sniff it, at the same time he gets a treat. Then put the collar over his neck and give him another treat. And so you continue slowly with the habituation until the puppy lets himself put on the collar and does not want to get rid of it. You can then put the leash on at home first and let the dog run around freely with it. Again, treats can make habituation easier. Targeted training to walk well on the leash will take place later.
