Happy Dog Expert: Supporting Your Puppy in Their First Weeks

Adopting a puppy is a great adventure! The first few weeks are often full of emotions and discoveries, and sometimes the reality is different from what you had planned. Here we're going to look at how best to prepare for your puppy's arrival, how to manage your puppy’s first weeks, and explore a few puppy training tips!

Preparing the House Before Your Puppy Arrives 

First of all, it's essential to prepare your home before the arrival of your "little tornado". Here are the things you need to do: 

1. Install Your Puppy’s Bed 

As their landmark and safe place, your puppy’s bed will be an essential area throughout their life. What's more, puppies sleep a lot, so they need their own space where they can rest well.

2. Prepare Food and Water Areas 

Plan where your puppy will eat and where you will have access to water. The water bowl should always be clean and available for your puppy. Speak to your puppy’s breeder to understand what they’ve been eating so as not to make any sudden changes to their food, and make sure you have the right food available ready for their arrival.

3. Buy Toys 

Toys are essential for your puppy for several reasons. These include exercise, to help with teething, for playtime together, and to provide opportunities to develop your bond together.

It's a good idea to have several types of toys available, such as plush, chewable, and so on. Be careful not to leave toys unattended during your puppy’s first few weeks, however, for safety reasons.

4. Have Treats: 

Good quality, palatable treats will be a valuable tool when it comes to puppy training, so you’ll need to plan ahead.

5. Remove All Hazards: 

A puppy can be very curious and will try to investigate things to learn about their environment. Puppies discover a lot with their mouth, so you need to be careful to remove anything that could be dangerous: electric sockets and wires in particular.

Your Puppy’s First Car Journey

All your dog's first experiences should be as positive as possible so that they start building positive associations. That's why it's a good idea to take the first car journey with care. 

Just imagine, your puppy is going to be taken away from their mum, their brothers and sisters, and finally from the only place they have ever known. One of the most important new puppy tips then is to be reassuring. It's best to have someone accompany you on the drive back from the kennels so you can have your puppy on your lap and reassure them whilst someone else drives. Take regular breaks if you have a long journey home.

Your Puppy’s First Few Nights 

The first few nights can also be very special opportunity to reassure your new puppy and help you form a bond together. You can do this by sleeping near to your puppy. This will have a number of advantages, not least the fact that your puppy will sleep better and therefore be more restrained when it comes to their needs. Of course, after a few days, your puppy will be able to sleep in their bed if you wish. 

As an extra new puppy tip, and still with a view to creating a reassuring bond of attachment, it's essential to make sure you have time to spend with your puppy. So, you may need some time off from work. This will also give you time to gradually and positively introduce your puppy to spending time alone ahead of when you go back to work.  

Your Puppy’s First Outings 

During your puppy’s first few weeks of life, they’re in a very important socialization phase. That's why, during their first year and especially during the first few months, you'll need to take your puppy out and socialize them. This socialization, which starts as soon as you adopt your puppy, will of course have to be maintained throughout their life. 

Here’s a few tips for new puppies to get their outings off to a good start: 

1. Choose Quality Over Quantity: 

It's essential that outings go positively for your puppy, so there's no point in taking them everywhere and overwhelming them. Instead, make sure the quality of your outings is up to scratch.

2. Start With Short, Safe Socialization Sessions: 

You need to adapt to your puppy's pace and not the other way round. To do this, it's advisable to keep the sessions short and to be able to adapt the duration, stopping the outing if it's too much for your puppy. This helps to keep the experience positive during the learning process.

3. Diversify Your Dog's Experiences:

Socialization obviously involves different environments, but also meeting other dogs. It can be interesting to take part in quality puppy shows to socialize your puppy to environments and develop their dog language.   

Dealing With Puppy Mischief 

Your puppy may be a little reserved for the first few days, but it's a safe bet that their true temperament will be revealed later on. So, be careful when they start to explore and try out lots of new things to avoid perpetual correction. Don't hesitate to contact a qualified dog trainer for puppy training tips, as well as to understand how you can help your puppy learn about your rules with positive reinforcement, without resorting to punishment. 

Above all, don't forget that the balance of the interactions you have with your puppy must remain positive. By "punishing" your puppy for any annoying behaviour, you risk losing ‘points’ and damaging your relationship. That's why, if your puppy becomes unruly, you'll need professional help.

The Puppy Blues

In some cases, puppy parents feel down after the first few days of adoption. This is mainly due to expectations that were imagined before adoption and not then fulfilled. In fact, sometimes the difference between what you expect from your puppy and what actually happens is quite different. So, it's essential to get plenty of information beforehand about the choice of breed and puppy, and to be helped and supported by a professional dog trainer so that you can face this new situation in the best possible conditions.

Adopting a puppy is a big step, and we hope this article has helped you. My final piece of advice is, of course, to take the time to get to know your puppy and to capture all the little moments of life together.

For more new puppy tips, covering everything from enriching your dog’s environment to advice for socializing, why not browse our other articles? You can also get in touch to ask any questions, or stay informed with our latest tips, advice, and Q&As, by signing up to our newsletter.