Are you wondering how long it takes for a puppy to adjust to a new home?
You might if you’ve just brought one home and the little one is hiding and whining.
Well, the first few days/nights are always the hardest because the cute fellow you’ve adopted is suspicious and afraid.
So, today we’re going to talk about how quickly puppies adapt and what you can do to help them.
How long does it take for a puppy to adjust to a new home?
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Speaking in general terms, puppies take from a few days to a few weeks to get used to their new homes.
It depends on the puppy’s character, how old it is, and your family’s efforts.
To help you along, here are five amazing tips.
#1 Choose the right time to adopt
As I already mentioned, the adjustment period depends on the puppy’s age. In most cases, young dogs adapt faster than old ones. However, the puppy shouldn’t be too young.
- The right age for adoption is preferably around the 3rd month, but not all owners will wait that long before they start giving away the puppies.
- So, at the very least, puppies must stay with their mother at until they are 8-weeks old.
- If you adopt a pooch younger than that, he will have a hard time adjusting to the loss of his mother and the security she brings.
- Not to mention that Prince might have future behavior problems because he was separated too early.
The other important thing here is that everybody at home should agree with your decision. As people say, it takes a village to raise a child, and the same goes for puppies.
You will find it a hard task to do on your own.
What’s more, it’s unfair to the puppy to bring it to a home where not everybody will love it.
#2 Create a safe “heaven”
At first, Prince will be afraid of the smells, the unfamiliar people, and the big, scary house.
That’s completely normal because he is away from his mother and siblings for the first time.
While some would recommend that you leave the puppy to explore the whole house, I would say that it will overwhelm the little one and cause additional stress.
Instead, make sure that you’ve puppy-proofed a room or an area where the puppy can safely explore his surroundings. Make sure that there are no:
- Cleaning products that could be easily reached
- Plants
- Electrical cords
- Food toxic to dogs
- Valuable objects
Leave Prince to get comfortable with his new living quarters and introduce him to his food and water bowls and sleeping place.
If he wants to follow you around or hide under the furniture, let him be.
In time, his curiosity will get the better of him, and you’ll see that Prince will start snuffing things and exploring your home bit by bit.
However, do not leave the puppy without supervision because you don’t know what he might do.
Instead, start crate training so that your puppy will have a safe den to hide and you a place to keep him out of troubles.
#3 Take things slowly
By now, you’re probably bursting with enthusiasm to show the new puppy to all your friends and relatives.
However, too many people at once will be an extremely bad idea and might even traumatize Prince.
Take things slowly and make the introductions one at a time. Ensure that Prince has a place, for example, his crate
#4 Be with the puppy
If you want the puppy to adjust quickly to a new home, you have to spend as much time as possible with him.
Speak to Prince, gently pet him, scratch him behind the ear, and show him that you care.
If you’re acting distantly, the puppy will never completely trust you even though he might get used to your presence.
The rest of the family should also try to interact with the puppy as long as Prince is comfortable around them.
If Prince is acting shy, let him be for the moment. Puppies are affectionate animals, and Prince will show you when he is ready to play with the other members of his pack.
#5 Deal properly with crying
It’s normal for puppies to cry at night during the first few weeks. They’ve just lost their mother and sibling, and they are not used to being alone.
So, when you go to bed and leave the little one alone, Prince will start whining. He is crying because he is both afraid and lonely.
Your first instinct in this situation would be to comfort the puppy. However, I would advise against it, no matter how inhumane it sounds to leave an animal crying alone.
- For one, if you run to your puppy’s side every time he whines, you won’t get any sleep.
- Second, you’re establishing a bad pattern.
- Prince will learn that whimpering gets him more attention or even treats from you, and he will continue to do it when he doesn’t really feel scared or alone.
And if you want to know it, that’s a valid strategy for dealing with crying babies.
To solve that problem, here are tips for dealing with crying puppy:
- Get a comfortable, fluffy dog bed so that your puppy won’t feel cold.
- Put a stuffed toy inside the bed so that Prince will have something to snuggle.
- Turn the crate into a place of comfort and security and never use it for punishment.
- Start training the puppy to feel safe without your presence during the day so that you won’t have him crying at night.
The excellent thing about puppies is that they tend to adjust fast to new surroundings and people. As long as you treat your new puppy right, he will adapt to your new home in the blink of an eye.
