Are You A New Dog Owner? No Worries, We Got You.

A new puppy is a lot of fun for you and your family. However, the first 48 hours will be a big adjustment, not only for the new puppy, but also for you and your family. The new puppy will certainly bring a lot of fun and laughter. But whenever there is a lot of change, it is inevitable that stress will accompany you. If you just follow a few simple steps, you will spend the first 48 hours with a new puppy gently and without stress.

Coming home with your new puppy
My family and I raise candles of gold. We always send our new puppy families a care package to help them get started. Check first with the people or place where you will be picking up your puppy. If they don’t give you these items right away, don’t forget to take them with you on the return trip.

Steps to reduce stress during the first 48 hours with your new puppy start with the return trip. An extra pair of hands can be very helpful, so take another person with you when you pick up the puppy. You may want to hold the puppy on your lap. However, the safest place for your new family member is in a pet carrier that is secured with a seat belt.

One day, a nice young man came alone from out of state in a two-seater sports car to pick up one of our puppies. We asked him if he had a pet carrier in the car with him. He said no, thinking he would sit in the seat next door on the long drive home. It was a puppy! At that age, he’s not going to sit next to you in the car. Luckily, we were able to help him. But since then, we make sure that families have at least two people and/or a crate with them when they come to pick up their puppy.

Taking a break on the way home with your new puppy
If you have a long drive home, you will want to make a bathroom stop. We include in our care packages a leash and collar for the dog. Make sure you have these items with you for the return trip.

Also make sure the collar fits your new puppy. It could be diverted if you remove the collar and take it off during the stopover to go to the bathroom. For added safety, consider a puppy harness.

Clean up on the way home with your new puppy.
You should also have cleaning products in the car for the return trip. A visit to the vet may be the only car ride your new puppy has ever taken. Expect your puppy to be nervous. This could cause him to have a stomachache or an accident in the bathroom.

Make sure you have towels, paper towels, plastic garbage bags and hand sanitizer. This is where the second person comes in. One person can hold the puppy. While the other person does the cleaning. I can’t tell you how many car trips we’ve made over the years to clean up vomit or worse in a parking lot, even with our adult dogs.

Other items needed for the puppy’s return trip.
The other items we send in our care packages are puppy food and a bowl of water/food. Families often travel long distances to get their perfect puppy, even to other states. If you were stranded somewhere in an emergency and you had food and a bowl, the only other things you would need to survive for a day or two, if necessary, would be a few bottles of water. And nowadays, almost everyone has access to a bottle of water.

A stop to visit their new puppy.
Many people want to stop on their way home to show off their new puppy. They are so cute and you are excited. But don’t do it!

You might as well take your puppy home. Don’t take your puppy to a pet store! And don’t stop in front of a group of family and friends on the way home.

Your puppy has just left the only home he’s ever known. He has just left his mother and all his littermates. Your puppy is probably a little anxious! Make life easier for your new puppy with these changes.

Taking your puppy everywhere is not the best thing to do. You have years to take your puppy everywhere to meet your family and friends. Go straight home for now.

Potty training your new puppy
Start toilet training as soon as you get home.
The first thing you should do when you get home is take your puppy to the place in your yard where you want him to pee. If you have the opportunity, you should take your puppy to this place every time he goes to the bathroom until he knows he needs to go on his own.

Playing outdoors while your new puppy trains in the bathroom
You may want to play outside with your puppy. Not right now, I don’t. The waiting time should be reserved for cleaning. Once your puppy has made his bowel movements, take him inside. Otherwise, he may get confused. I play outside, I pee outside. I play inside, I pee inside. If the puppy has pooped, play outside!

Personally, I think it’s easier to go to the bathroom in the winter than in the summer. There aren’t all the distractions with smells and things like that. Besides, they’re both cold, so who wants to stay outside too long when it’s cold?

How often should you take your puppy outside to be toilet trained?
Hopefully, your puppy will need to go outside often. At first, you should take your puppy outside every 30 minutes. Every two hours during the day is the longest time between bathroom breaks. At night, you may be able to go longer. But puppies tend to learn very quickly.

The AKC says, “A good guideline is that dogs in the months to about nine months to a year can control their bladders for the number of hours appropriate to their age. (Remember, though, that 10 to 12 hours is a long time for someone to hold him!) A 6-month-old puppy can reasonably expect to be able to hold his bladder for about 6 hours. Never forget that all puppies are individuals and the waiting time is different for each one.

Of course, you should take your puppy outside for the first time in the day after he wakes up. In addition to the other times, you should take your puppy outside after meals and before bed. Give your puppy his last meal a few hours before bedtime to avoid accidents. Don’t be surprised if you have to get up once or twice during the night to pee in the first 48 hours.

Signs that your puppy is about to go to the bathroom
As you play with your puppy or explore his new home, watch for signs that he’s learning to go to the bathroom. Squatting, even for boys at first, is often a sign that they’re about to urinate. If they start sniffing and then turn in circles, they’re usually about to poop. Never scold your new puppy, as this is toilet training. You can try clapping to get their attention. Then pick them up and take them to the potty in the yard.

When it’s too late and he has pooped and you witness it, show the puppy the poop. Then pick up the poop with paper towels and pick up the puppy. Then go out to the yard with the puppy and the poop in the potty. Leave the poop and show it to the puppy. Compliment him so he knows that pooping is a good thing.

You should clean up any accidents in the house with enzymatic pet cleaner to remove odors and keep the puppy away.

Other home training techniques for puppies.
In toilet training, some families like to put newspapers or sanitary pads near the patio door. Others teach puppies to ring a bell to get out. For the first 48 hours, consistency is the most important thing in toilet training. Your new puppy will get used to your home’s schedule and routine before you know it.

Introduce your puppy to his new home for good.
Once you’ve taught your puppy how to relieve himself, introduce him to his new home and eventually to the new members of his family.

At first, it should be a calm and controlled environment. If you have other pets, you should set them aside for the time being. You can introduce them later.

If you have children, especially small children, they will naturally be thrilled to have a new puppy. It can be hard to dampen their enthusiasm. As a mother of four children, I know it’s not easy to keep your children calm. Explain to your children that a lot of excitement when they get home can scare off the new puppy. Try to get everyone to sit on the floor while the puppy explores his new home.

While your new puppy is getting to know his new environment, don’t let him leave your seat. Puppies are babies and can and should get involved! You need to test the puppies in your home. Hopefully you’ve done this before you bring your new puppy home.

Put all your good stuff inside. (A good reason to let the family clean the house!) Look at the objects hanging on the tables, such as lamp cords or computer cables. Puppies will find these wires. You don’t want them to chew on them or, worse yet, take something off the table and possibly injure themselves.

A good idea is to limit the puppy to only one or two pieces at first. Try using pet doors to limit access to other rooms. This can also serve as a good barrier between the new puppy and other pets until they become friends.

Get to know the new puppy with your other pets.
Once your puppy feels a little safer in his new environment, introduce him to the new members of his furry family.

Don’t expect them to get along right away, especially if your other pet is older. An energetic puppy can be a surprise for them.

Introduce them in a controlled environment
When you introduce them, make sure it is a controlled environment. Make sure you can separate them quickly if things go wrong.

Spend time with your older pets
Also make sure you spend some time alone with your older pet within 48 hours. A good time can be when the new puppy is taking a nap.

Your older dog needs to know that the new puppy doesn’t mean less attention for him. But don’t worry, they will be the new puppy’s best friend before you know it.

And new puppies can often make older dogs behave like puppies again.

Playing with your new puppy
Some puppies take some time to adapt to their new environment and may not want to play much during the first 48 hours. Other puppies adapt to their new environment with a simple jump.

We send puppy toys in our care package. Although we probably don’t need them because most families overdo it with toys for their new puppy, why not? It’s all part of the fun! We even had a woman who got a puppy from us and her friends gave her a puppy shower.

You need to wash and check the puppy’s toys frequently. Watch out for small parts that can be ripped off a toy and become a choking hazard.

Suitable puppy toys
Be sure to use appropriate toys for puppies. Giving your new puppy an old sock or shoe to play with will only cause confusion. Unless you want your new puppy to learn that all socks and shoes are suitable for biting.

Puppy Stimulation
Keep your puppy stimulated and active. You can give your new puppy puzzles in the form of treats to sharpen his mind. You can play tug-of-war and other indoor activities, not only to give him exercise but also to tire him out when he gets in his box.

You’ll often see unwanted behavior in puppies when they get bored. Keeping puppies mentally stimulated can help prevent this from happening.

Box training for your new puppy
I strongly recommend that you train your new puppy. There will be times when you will not be able to supervise your puppy. You’ll need to sleep, shower, work, and have a life. A crate is a place where your puppy is safe.

Try to put your puppy in his crate for short periods of time during the day for the first 48 hours. If you have small children or other pets, the new puppy may need some time alone to relax.

Ideally, take the first 48 hours off to bring a new puppy home. You may not be able to do this, so you should arrange for someone to come every few hours to take your puppy out of his cage to go to the bathroom and play a little.

A puppy cage should be a safe place. It should never be a place of punishment. Hopefully, by the time your new puppy gets into his cage, he’ll be tired of all the play and exploration.

You can try giving the puppy a Kong toy filled with some treats. He’ll learn to associate the box with a rewarding experience.

I do not recommend putting food and water in the box for your new puppy. This could encourage accidents in the bathroom.

What size box do you need for a new puppy?
If you are using a larger box, to begin with, try to get a dog box with dividers. Puppies don’t like to sleep where they pee and poop. If there is room to go to the bathroom on one side of the box and sleep on the other, they will. If your big box doesn’t have dividers, put something in the box to make it more spacious.

Scented items in your puppy’s box
Another thing you can put in your puppy’s box is a blanket with the scent of littermates or the puppy’s mother. This will help your new puppy be more relaxed.

When you pick up your puppy, bring a blanket and ask him to rub it over his littermates and/or mother.

Once you’ve established a bond with your puppy, put something with his scent in his cage. This can help ease separation anxiety.

Where should you put the box for your new puppy?
If your puppy is fussy about being in his cage, keep your puppy’s cage where you can see him for the first 48 hours. So yes, this may mean that the box should be in your bedroom.

To spend the first 48 hours with your new puppy, just follow a few steps.

Start by preparing for the journey home.
Then, start training at home as soon as you get home, and continue to be consistent.
Then, make sure the environment is calm and controlled when you introduce your puppy to his new home and family members (including furry dogs).
Also, give your new puppy plenty of stimulation with appropriate toys and exercise.
Finally, crate training will help ensure your puppy’s safety when you can’t be with him.
By following a few steps, you can make it easier for your new puppy to get through the first 48 hours.