| |
| Preparing your home for a new Puppy | |
Preparing your home
When you bring a new puppy into your home, he needs a private place of his own, a warm bed, and maybe
even a kennel outside. Read this section to find out more.
A new puppy is a new member of the family. Therefore, you need to think about the changes this new arrival
will make to your life. Please bear in mind that for the puppy, the change in his life - leaving his natural family
and moving to a completely new world, with new faces and sounds - will be both exciting and stressful. Here are some
early steps you can take to ensure the transition is smooth.
Introducing your puppy to members of the family
Children will naturally want to play with the new puppy, pick him up and pet him. Do this carefully at first. Give the pup a place
his own where no one will bother him and where he can relax. As he grows and gets used to his surroundings, he will naturally get
more active in seeking out contact with you or the children in your home.
A suitable room
Find a warm place, away from draughts, perhaps in the kitchen or living room. Puppies will chew everything, so
you should remember that the material you use to make a bed for your puppy should not be harmful for him. In the
short term, you could use a cardboard box with the front removed. Line the bottom with newspaper or an easily
washed blanket.
But as your dog grows, it is recommended that you buy a special, hard-vinyl dog bed. Alternatively baskets made
from any material can be used for older dogs that have outgrown the chewing stage.
Outside Kenneling
If you live outside the city, a dog house may be a good idea. If you do want to kennel your dog, you should
set it up in spring or summer so that the puppy will gradually get used to his environment before winter arrives.
The kennel should be about double the width of the adult, fully grown dog. It is very important that it is
dry and raised from the ground. Therefore, we recommend setting it on a stand. Ideally the roof or one of
the sides should also be hinged to allow easy cleaning. Dogs in kennels need a good, warm bedding.
Please check to see if your municipality has laws in effect that regulate the dimensions of a dog kennel.
|
|
