As always happens in human life, even with puppies there is always a first time: the first trip, the first bath, the first vaccine and yes, even the first night with a puppy dog. It doesn’t matter the breed, the size or the difference in months: this first time is a real baptism of fire… Not so much for the puppy, but for the owner.
The risk of staying awake and not touching the pillow for eight straight hours is high, but to avoid it it is possible to prepare yourself, in advance and during the night itself, so as not to stay up late and get through the first night unscathed. So let’s see together some ideas to understand how to deal with the first night of puppies.
First night with a puppy dog: how to behave?
We have said that the possibility of not sleeping all night is very high. The reason is easily explained: the puppy, used to sleeping in the breeding where he was born, or in the kennel with his little brothers, or in any other place if he is a foundling, now has to deal with a completely new environment: that of the House.
The thrill of discovery, mixed with a certain sense of bewilderment, will therefore ensure that the puppies that cross the threshold of the house they can’t stand still for a momentespecially during the night when the light changes, the noises are more distinguishable in the silence of the house and the owners would rather go to bed than stay awake.
Therefore, it is important, throughout the day, to familiarize the little ones with the home environment: showing them the various rooms, accompanying them to a possible garden, showing them the kennel (which, for the first time, is better to keep at home) and the their play corner, let them sniff the toilet area (even if it is unlikely that it will be used on the first night).
The evening hours: what to do and what not to do
We have therefore arrived at the hours preceding sleep: also in this case it is good to implement some strategies that make sure that the puppy calms down and can spend the night without agitation. Because of this it is good to serve him a proper dinnernot too heavy, but not too light either: in this case, in fact, the risk that he will get up and start crying for hunger is high.
Of course, a large meal will increase the chances that the puppies will do their business at home during the night: also in this case it is good to be patient, it is still the first night.
Furthermore, it is possible that the puppy is more inclined to rest if just before going to the kennel he is not over-stimulated by excessively lively games: however, games must be a well-present element around his kennel, as well as a cloth that can being impregnated with the smell of the mother or the little brothers.
Overnight
And in the blink of an eye it’s night. The puppy enters her kennel and, almost certainly, as soon as he sees his owners disappear to go to bed, he will start crying.
The mistake that is made more and more often is that of remove the puppies from the kennel and take them to their own bed: well, behavior of this type is not only wrong but also harmful: in this way, in fact, a precedent will be created which will be difficult to eliminate.
The best solution, therefore, is to bring the puppies’ kennel closer to their bed, without however allowing the little ones to sleep in the same bed as the owners. It is in fact a solution that allows the puppies and the owners to feel a mutually reassuring presence throughout the night on the condition that, the next day, the kennel is moved again to the place in the house assigned to welcome it so that the puppies dog do not get used to entering the bedroom to go to sleep.