Bringing a new puppy or adult dog home is very exciting for everyone in the household – including the puppy! That could be a good thing, or it could turn into something rather traumatic for the pup. Here’s how to bring one into a welcoming environment.

Puppies

1. Pet proof your home. Being filled with seemingly limitless energy and curiosity, a new puppy will want to explore its new environment. So you’ll want to make sure that your home is free of dangerous chemicals, objects, and scenarios (such as holes or large cracks). See our article about dog proofing your home for direct specifics.
2. Buy a crate for “down time.” When you puppy is ready to nap, place him into a crate so he will designate this area as his ‘safe place,’ and you can go on to do other things around the house without worrying about where he disappeared to. Make sure the crate contains a soft fuzzy blanket and toy that resembles the hair texture of his mother. You can even place a ticking clock or warm water bottle in the crate as well since the heat and ticking will emulate that of the close family that he left behind. This is of course, all in an effort to make its new residence a little less frightening.
3. Put the crate into your bedroom for the first few weeks. The close proximity between you and your new puppy makes comforting a crying and fearful puppy a lot easier than if you were to keep it on the first floor or in the living room. You should expect to here a few whimpers several times throughout the night. The whimpers may signal the puppy’s need to relieve itself, or may it just wants a little reassuring loving from you. Take the puppy outside just in case, reward it for doing its business outside of the house, and then put it back into the crate.

Adult Dogs

An adult dog already has set behaviors that may or may not be conducive to your lifestyle. The only way to really tell is to bring the dog home, make it as comfortable as you can, and watch what happens. Known as the “honeymoon period,” the time that it takes for an adult dog to get used to your home and lifestyle can be a smooth run or hectic. It really depends on how the dog was treated and trained in the past. Here’s how to safely welcome such an unknown and unpredictable situation into your home.

1. Let it roam the house, but give an adult dog his own space. By space, we don’t necessarily mean “time alone.” We mean instead, its own section of the house. You can provide this space with a crate, a large pillow, or behind a pen.
2. Take the dog outside and let him roam around – free to sniff everything and then mark his territory.
3. Show him where his food and water bowl is (filled with something tasty of course), and be careful not to move it. The dog will easily remember where the grub is if it stays in one place.
4. Never let the dog outside of the yard without a leash. A new adult dog is prone to run away, undoubtedly in an attempt to return to where it came from.