When you bring your new dog home, remember that initially he will be a bit disoriented. The dog doesn’t know you, your family or your home. It’s similar to when you start a new job. This adjustment period rarely lasts for more than two weeks. Here are a few things you’ll need to know to welcome the latest addition to your family.
Be patient
Please be patient with your dog. Most of us have an idea of some ideal dog in our mind and when reality doesn’t match the dream, we can lose our patience. Just like building on the talent that a child has in sports, your dog needs to have a good coach in order to become that ideal dog.
Take your dog to the vet immediately
Take him to the vet right away to check that he’s healthy and to microchip him. The microchip is inserted with a needle in the back of his neck and is no big deal. This can be a lifesaver by helping you locate your dog in case he gets lost.
Be consistent when training
Make sure that as his coach, you give him clear and consistent messages. Determine the dog rules and make sure that ALL family members are consistent with enforcing them — such as what rooms are okay for him to use, if he’s allowed on the furniture and where he’s allowed to sleep. The key is that any time you catch your dog in behavior you don’t like, use a disapproving tone of voice and then show him what you would like him to do instead. Do not hit or use physical abuse to correct your dog. This can cause him to become nervous aggressive, which means he could bite to defend himself.
Keep to a schedule
Dogs like routine. Have a schedule that he can get used to — when he gets fed, bathroom breaks, walks — and then stick to it.
Consider crating
A puppy crate is a great way to house-train your dog, and what most breeders and Veterinarians recommend. The puppy crate should be a size that allows him to stand up, turn around and lay down, but no bigger. Because you’re teaching him to hold it, you don’t want it big enough for him to pee on one side and then lay down on the other. If you’re completely adverse to using a puppy crate, consider a puppy play pen. We've actually had customers even used a small shower as the dog’s room — it was very easy to clean! To clean accidents in the puppy crate or wherever your puppy has an accident, use paper towels to thoroughly absorb the liquid, then spray with a neutralizing cleanser.
Have the basic puppy supply to start off with:
Collar and leash
You’ll need a collar and leash before you bring your dog home. Puppies are constantly growing, so don’t invest in an expensive collar until they’re fully grown. Instead, as part of your puppy supply investment, purchase a simple, flat nylon collar that you can adjust or replace as he grows out of it. Periodically check to see if the collar is too small — you should be able to fit two fingers under the collar at all times. Very small breeds should wear a harness when walking. Attaching the leash to a collar can put undo pressure on the neck and result in a collapsed trachea. If your new puppy is too small for even the smallest dog collar or harness, get one designed for a cat.
Get a four- or six-foot leash for walking. DO NOT use a retractable one, as this will teach him that the more he pulls on the leash, the more he is able to pull, simply reinforcing your dog’s pulling behavior when you walk.
We are against using a choke chain or prong collar when starting a new relationship with your dog. Our personal opinion is that using this equipment causes pain that will not strengthen the loving relationship and may actually do just the opposite.
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