Bringing home a new puppy is one of the most exciting moments for any pet parent. To prepare for this, there are tons of things that need to be done. Getting food, toys, grooming tools, and establish good habits and behavior when they grow up. If you’re a new pet parent, here are some tips to guide you on where your puppy should sleep and how to prepare for it.
Prepare For An Adjustment Period
Welcoming a new puppy in the house is similar in some ways to welcoming a baby or a new person to stay in the house. Most humans need some time to acclimate to their new surroundings, the same thing goes for puppies.
For puppies that have just been weaned, it’s probably the first time that they’ll be apart from their mother and siblings. Expect your puppy to be sad and cry especially during the first few nights. In the past, it was acceptable behavior to leave your puppy to cry themselves to sleep. But this could lead to attachment and separation issues when they get older.
So when your puppy is crying at night, the best way to address this is to make them feel safe and secure. And that could mean getting out of bed to pet and soothe them or making sure they’re comfortable in their bed or crate.
This adjustment period may take just a few days or a couple of weeks. Either way, it’s best to prepare yourself to be disrupted from your sleep or routine until your puppy starts feeling safe and comfortable in its new home.
Use A Doggy Bed or A Crate
It’s always adorable to let your new puppy sleep in your bed with you. And who wouldn’t find that cute? Puppies are one of the cutest things on earth but letting them sleep in your bed is something you might regret.
The most pressing concern is their potty training. It’s near impossible to potty train your puppy if they’ll be sleeping on the bed. They’ll make a mess on the bed and you’ll need to keep changing the sheets. Once they establish the bed as theirs, you might have a hard time getting them out of it once they’re older.
Using a dog bed or a crate does two things: first, it creates a safe and private space for your puppy; second, it aids in potty training. To help your puppy get comfortable with their crate, you can place it in your bedroom or in a place inside the house where you can keep an eye on them. Knowing that you’re nearby also helps them feel more at ease knowing they’re not alone even if they’re in their own space.
If using a crate, put blankets or anything that will make it comfortable for them to lie on. Make it cozy but don’t give them too much space. For potty training, too big of a space will make them pee or poop inside, defeating the purpose of potty training.
Giving them their own bed or crate early on establishes a safe space for them to sleep in or go to when they want to feel safe during anxious or stressful moments.
Here are MDWT’s best dog beds and crates for your new puppy.
Use Familiar Objects
One way to make them comfortable in their own bed or crate is to put familiar objects in it. Things like their favorite toy or anything from their previous home can help ease any anxiety they feel being in a new environment.
But when leaving toys with them, make sure it’s the kind that’s completely safe and not a choking hazard for puppies. Eventually, the scent on the objects from their old home will fade and will be replaced with the familiar scents of your new home. These new associations will make it easier for them to be comfortable and start enjoying their new environment.
If anxiety becomes too much of a problem, you can feed them dog calming treats appropriate for their age. Dog calming collars are also an option to be considered, specifically the pheromone-based options. These collars give off pheromones similar to a mother dog, providing calm and reassurance to help them relax and sleep better.
Play Soothing Music
Music has been proven to be influential to a dog’s mood and behavior. Classical music, reggae, and some types of soft rock music can help put dogs to sleep. For puppies, playing these calming sound can drown out unfamiliar noises or sounds that can cause anxiety or distraction from their sleep.
In fact, you can find numerous dog calming music playlists online, with some professionals even curating their own mix. Whatever music or playlist you choose, the right tempo is 50-60 beats per minute. At that rate, your puppy should feel relaxed and calm enough to be able to sleep.
Create A Bedtime Routine
A puppy needs a routine not just during the day but for nighttime as well. This provides a structure for them to follow which is especially critical for a new puppy. And one of the things you need to establish is the potty schedule.
Because puppies have a smaller bladder, they can hold their pee for a limited number of hours only. If you want to avoid midnight accidents or whining because they need to pee, take them out for a potty session before bedtime. But while you’re still training them, it’s best to leave training pads in case they need to do their business in the middle of the night.
Here are MDWT’s best training pads for your puppy.
Another routine to establish is exercise. When you take them out for a potty break, you can use this time for exercise or playtime as well. If your puppy still has energy that they weren’t able to burn during the day, chances are, they’ll be up all night.
To avoid this, establish their exercise routine during the day and even before bedtime. This makes them too exhausted to even whine or cry during the night. They’ll be fast asleep for longer.
Where your puppy sleeps has a big impact on their behavior especially in the future. It may be challenging to establish their sleeping habits and boundaries, but it’s a great experience that will only make your bond with your puppy even stronger.