What to Expect Your Puppy's First Night

Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting day, for both you and the puppy. Soft, playful and cuddly, a puppy delights the whole family, adding joy and fun to your life. Although puppies have a wide range of temperaments, knowledge of how puppies act in a new home will help you prepare to make his first night as comfortable as possible

  1. Crying

    • The first night in a new home will be stressful for any new puppy. Dogs are pack animals, and a puppy will miss his mother and litter mates. He might wander around looking for other pets. The puppy will probably cry on and off most of the night. Crying is a dog's way to vocalize to the mother where to find him.The puppy might feel better if he were close to a human. He bonded with the family a little when he first came home, and seeing people might make him feel more comfortable. When the puppy cries, you reinforce the attention seeking behavior if you coddle or reward with food.

    Nervousness

    • Depending on the puppy's training, a puppy may not sleep the first night and get into the trash or closet while you want to sleep. The best place to put a puppy during the night is in a crate, next to your bed. The puppy can see, smell and hear you, so he knows you are close. Place a soft blanket and a shirt that has not been washed since it was worn so he can smell your scent. A ticking clock placed close will remind the puppy of the mother's heartbeat.

    Accidents

    • Even if it's in a crate, puppies still have accidents. The puppy may soil its bedding. The pup may cry hard or yelp very early in the morning, asking to go out. He may also bark during the night to ask to go out. If pup was quiet all night, then starts crying, take him out and see if he has to go.

    Appetite

    • A new puppy may not have much appetite his first day in a new home. Don't expect the pup to eat or drink much. A very nervous dog may even have diarrhea. This doesn't indicate illness, it is probably a symptom of nervousness. Don't offer a puppy anything to eat or drink for two hours before bedtime to reduce the possibility of an accident.