Where should a puppy sleep on the first night?
If youve just adopted a puppy or youre thinking about it, theres no doubt that the first night is very important for both of you. The exact age of your puppy will imply certain needs. Some families decide to adopt an 8-10 week old puppy. Others opt for a 4-month old puppy. This will depend on your preference, however, you must keep in mind that puppies are very dependant and cannot be left alone.
When it comes to sleeping at night, your puppy will have some difficulties. This may be due to the new environment and new people. They may feel unprotected and disoriented. For this reason, its normal to hear them cry as they may be calling their mother for guidance and company. Now that youve adopted this puppy, this is your job as their human companion. When they call out, try to be there for them as they are scared and lonely. Be understanding as your puppy learns to adapt to their new home.
As a puppy is very dependent and on their first night they will feel scared and disoriented, its best they sleep near you on their first night. Remember that puppies tend to sleep with their siblings and their mother. Being alone in a new place for the first time will be difficult for them.
The best option for your new puppy is to sleep in their own bed inside your room, near you. So that if they feel scared or lost and cry, you can let them know that you are there with them. Once they feel more oriented and safe in their new home, you can move their bed to another location where they can sleep.
To learn more, we encourage you to read our article on how to help your puppy adjust to their new home fast.
Some people prefer their dog sleep outside in a doghouse with a cosy bed and water inside. This is possible for adult dogs in certain temperatures. However, for a puppy, this is a terrible idea. Your puppy has just been taken from their mother and siblings. They are feeling frightened and alone in a new area. The last thing you want to do is leave them alone to cry outside at night. This will traumatize them and make them develop fear of abandonment, an issue that will bring greater behavioral problems once they are adults.
Allow your dog to sleep inside, close to you when they are puppies. Once they get used to their new home, you can begin to train them to sleep outside in their doghouse. Once they are adults and you wish to train them to sleep outside, we recommend to make sure all of their needs are met. Make sure they have a clean and secure dog house, comfortable dog bed, a bowl with clean water, some blankets as it gets colder at night, etc. Speak to your veterinarian for further advice.
If youre interested in training your dog to sleep outside, we also recommend our article on choosing a doghouse.
When You First Get Your Puppy Home
QUICK ACCESS: If you’re having puppy training problems then you should join our Puppy Training Tips email list and get instant access to our New Puppy Owner Checklist PDF. To get started CLICK HERE.
First things first…we are informed that up to this point your puppy has been with his mother and his littermates in a sterile environment.
It’s advised that your puppy’s first week at home should be a quiet one. The puppy should be allowed to explore and meet his new family.
You should now start teaching your puppy his name (amazing because now Stetson knows his name like the back of his paw).
When you first arrive home give your puppy a chance to relieve himself in an area you have designated for that purpose (Stetson’s designated spot was in the gravel area on my patio).
In case you need to brush up here’s a tutorial we wrote up on the basics of potty training your puppy.
Take your puppy out on a leash (without his bib on) — (GDA puppy’s in training are never allowed to “Get Busy” with their bib/jacket on) — and repeat “Get Busy” (Remember this may be the first time your puppy has heard these words).
Allow your puppy 10-15 minutes, if he hasn’t relieved, take him inside. Try again in 10 minutes.
If the puppy does relieve himself in the proper area, give him lots of praise. Then let him explore the house (remember to supervise – don’t let him out of your sight).
Afterward, you may take him inside, but remember to supervise the puppy; do not let him out of your sight. Talk to your puppy when it explores to make him feel more at home.
QUICK RECOMMENDATION: We recently started training our puppies to alert us when they have to go potty by using a potty training doorbell called the Smart Bell. It requires a little bit of training, but it’s a good alternative to your dog scratching up the backdoor.
FAQs – Puppy’s First Night Home
New puppy owners often ask me where should a puppy sleep on the first night?
ANSWER: All of our puppies sleep in the crate on the first night. Why? Starting on day one we want our puppies to get used to sleeping in their crate. If we allow them to sleep elsewhere like our beds then we are reinforcing the behavior of sleeping on the bed. Therefore, trying to start them in the crate will be more difficult on day 2.
Also, I want them to get used to sleeping in their crate until they are potty trained and learn the appropriate rules in our house i.e. they won’t chew my socks, shoes, bed posts, baseboards, drywall, doors, etc…yes, my past puppies have all chewed all of these and more!