Congrats on the new puppy – there’s nothing like having a furry friend roaming the corridors at home. Before you pat yourself on the back, though, there is something you should realize: the puppy might not be too happy with the new arrangement. Dogs, like humans, don’t like change and can take a lot of time to get used to their new environment. Clearly, it is important that the dog settles in as quickly as possible for their benefit as well as your own. So, as you’re getting to know one another, here are a few things you can do to speed up the process.
Give Him Some Space
It’s important that you take this advice literally because too much attention can feel suffocating. Dogs love attention, but they love it only when they are comfortable in their surroundings. When they are new to a home, they need time and space to work things out and make themselves at home. The more you pester him, the more uncomfortable he will feel. So, set up a space that is his and leave him to wander around and case the joint. He will slowly become more comfortable, and that’s when he will want more attention.
Change Your Schedule
Puppies are hard work because they need a lot of your time, especially in the beginning. When you double down with a new home, it means you are going to have to make a lot of time. As the owner, it is your prerogative to center your schedule on the dog and not the other way around. You have to wake up early in the morning to walk him or come back at lunch to make sure he is ok. In the early stages, it is essential that you understand you can’t leave the puppy alone for extended periods of time.
Train Him
Puppies don’t always stick to the script. In fact, that’s an understatement because they hardly stick to the script! That means they won’t always adjust as you need them to even if they have time and space. Sometimes, they need puppy socialization courses and training sessions to get the hint. Training sessions are the best way to teach them how to behave and how to socialize with other dogs and people. They will be far happier when they know what you expect because they will make fewer mistakes, particularly when you reinforce the ideals.
Be Realistic
At the end of the day, it is a dog, and dogs aren’t always reasonable. You can’t talk to them and explain like you can a person, and that’s important to understand. Sometimes, they will do things you don’t like, such as peeing in the house. All you can do is try to reinforce that it’s bad behavior and wait for them to change. Expecting them to do everything perfectly in a short space of time isn’t practical, and it is harmful to the relationship between you and the puppy. For any animal to be comfortable in a new home, they need a stable relationship with their owner.
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