Never adopt a puppy at less than 8 weeks old.  Although it will typically be weaned at 6 weeks, it will not be ready to leave its mother and littermates (pack) until it is approximately 8 weeks old.

Check your puppy for any signs of sickness or abnormalities.  Your puppy should have clear eyes, a lively temperament, a normal size tail for its size and age, no odour in the ears or bad breath.

The Journey Home

This will be a completely new experience for the puppy.  It will also probably be the first time it will be separated from its mother and littermates, which is a big step and can be frightening.  Avoid making detours on the way home to pick up groceries or to stop off to visit friends.  If possible ask the breeder/animal sanctuary to avoid feeding the puppy for 3 – 4 hours prior to collecting it.  The puppy will be less likely to be car sick on an empty stomach.  Also, feeding it when you have settled it in your home is an excellent bonding opportunity.

Entering your home for the first time

If your puppy/dog has received all its vaccinations (depending on its age) and you have consulted with your vet, then it is a good idea to introduce your puppy/dog to its territory before entering into your home.  Take the dog on a short walk toward your home allowing it to become familiar with its new environment through scent.  If the puppy is unable for long walks, simply walk it up the driveway (but only if fully vaccinated against Parvovirus and other canine diseases as they can be fatal).

If the puppy tries to pass you out on the walk, discourage it straight away with gentle nudging into position, so it understands it needs to follow you, not dominate the walk and therefore you!

It is important that you establish yourself as pack leader right from the start, by entering your home first, and allowing your puppy/dog to follow you.  Do not force it, if the puppy is reluctant, once you are inside the doorway, crouch down and let it become curious and follow you in – be patient!

Once inside the home, continue the walk.  Do not carry it around the house or it will not understand how it got from room to room.  You and your household members should have previously decided on the areas that you will allow your puppy access to.  Take a tour of these areas one by one, always entering the zone first as pack leader and then encouraging your puppy to follow.

Lastly, you should show your puppy/dog where it will be sleeping.  I highly recommend using a crate (bed).  This can also be useful to use to transport your puppy home safely in the car, but the main advantage of using a crate is that it is an excellent tool for house-training. 

Puppies feel secure in small, enclosed places so this will become its ‘sanctuary’ and place of rest and relaxation.  It should always be the place where it receives treats and meals (in the beginning) so the puppy associates it with positive feelings. 

A crate can be a safe place to put your puppy when un-supervised if you need to leave the room for periods of up to 30 mins max during the day. 

NEVER leave your puppy for long periods of the day in the crate as it will interpret this as punishment. 

I'm Lonely! Don't leave me on my own for too long!

A crate is not a replacement for creating a ‘safe zone’ (with the aid of baby gates), in your home!

In order to get off to a good start using the crate for house-training, it might be a good idea to have the crate in your bedroom.  This way you will be able to better tell when your puppy needs to go outside to ‘get busy’ (relieve itself).

House (toilet) Training

When you bring a new puppy into your home you will find that lots of friends and family members may want to give you advice on how best to house (toilet) train it.  Chopping and changing to different methods will be very confusing, ineffective and frustrating for you and your dog.  Therefore I strongly advise you to pick one method and stick to it. 

Here’s what I recommend - House Training with a Crate

The First Night

Last thing at night, before you head to bed yourself, you should bring your puppy outside to the designated area to ‘get busy’.  You should then bring your puppy to its crate by coaxing it in with a treat and a verbal command (e.g. into bed).  As this is the first night without its mother or littermates, you might want to leave a warm hot water bottle in the crate (be sure not to put boiling water in, in case the puppy chews through and punctures it) and also a softly ticking clock can replicate the sound of the mother’s heartbeat and provide a calming effect.

Then when you are ready, turn off the lights.  If it is restless, leave it alone.  If it cries, do not let it out of the crate (if you’re sure it doesn’t need to relieve itself) – reassure it with your voice.  If you do let it out of the crate, it will know that crying works and it will continue to do this every time.  Be patient.  Remember the hard work you are investing now will bring you 14 – 20 years, with a happy balanced dog that is a pleasure to be around.

Tip! As a responsible dog owner it is advisable to purchase pet insurance from a reputable supplier to ensure you have peace of mind in case of an accident or if your puppy/dog goes missing.

That’s it – you’re off to a great start.