Predictable challenges of the first days in a new home are potty training regression, crate training regression, and GI upset. 

All of these are normal responses to stress, and we can see why: when you’re super confused or scared, you probably aren’t intellectually at your best and you probably don’t feel your best physically! Please be patient with your puppy in these moments and help them develop the impression that your home is a safe place to be, even if they make mistakes.

As each day unfolds, you will begin to see more and more of your puppy’s personality. Sometimes there are pockets of difficult behavior in the first few weeks – these are from the puppy processing leftover stress hormones. They will pass! If you have questions or concerns about how your puppy is settling in, you can contact the care team for help.

Your puppy will sleep up to 18 hours a day. This is completely normal. They will breathe heavily and seem dead to the world. This is absolutely fine. Puppies will play hard for 30 to 45 minutes and then sleep for 2 to 3 hours. They are growing at a rapid rate and need to sleep. It is not necessary to be quiet while they sleep. Unlike babies, they can fall asleep anywhere, anytime and sleep through any kind of commotion. 

POTTY TRAINING REGRESSION

If you are a training client, during your puppy pickup appointment our lead trainer will discuss how to respond to potty accidents, whining in the crate, and any other questions along these lines that you may have. You will also have access to our training team to answer any questions on an ongoing basis.

CRATE TRAINING REGRESSION

We suggest that you spend the first evening with your puppy quietly, with an effort to help your puppy get acclimated to their new surroundings and caretakers. There will be plenty of time to show them off to visitors in the weeks ahead – wait for that until they seem more settled in.

When it’s bedtime, put your puppy in their crate and sleep nearby. The chances of a puppy needing to use the bathroom on their first night are high (even if they are already fully potty trained) so it’s best to sleep close.

GI UPSET

When your pup first comes home with you, they will be adjusting to your cleaning agents, your water, and your environment. On The Bluff has a well and your pup hasn’t had water that has been chemically treated. They will need time to adjust to it. After a week or so, you can begin to integrate your water with the bottled water.

Just like when introducing a new food or changing their food, you want to introduce your water slowly to your puppy.

Do not worry if they vomit. Vomiting is normal for puppies and dogs. It is not the same as when a human vomits. Humans vomit when they are sick and/or are trying to get something out of their body. Dogs and pups usually vomit in order to redigest their food. After they vomit, let them eat it. This is completely normal. If they walk away from it, then they do not want it back in their bodies.

You can clean it up at that point but first give them the chance to eat it and redigest it. Once pups are weaned, mothers will often vomit up their own food for the pups to eat. As long as your puppy is drinking, eating, playing and has good energy, they are completely fine!

If your puppy is having digestive issues (diarrhea or constipation), a couple of tablespoons of organic canned pumpkin added to their food will usually remedy the situation. If it goes on for a few days adding a teaspoon of Kaopectate once a day, in their food will almost always do the trick.