Puppies who are up for adoption are often rescues from dangerous places. Their previous environment and past experiences influence how well they adjust to their new environment and new caretakers. This tutorial provides guidance on how to help them adapt to their new home.

Newly adopted puppies may exhibit anxious behaviors when brought home. This includes howling or uneasy behavior towards their new environment or caretakers. You can counter these behaviours;

Ensure the puppy is introduced to the environment calmly. Let them smell and familiarize themselves with their surroundings. Over the course of a week or so, and they will begin to settle down and treat the environment as their own. 

It is vital that the puppy gets the attention they need when they arrive, as most feel lonely and sad after being separated from their mother and siblings. Ensure their sleeping area is near you. Give them a lot of love and talk to them as this will sooth them. Above all else, make sure to be patient. They will grow out of the mewling/howling stage as long as they know you are there with them and they are safe. 

Train the puppy to not chew on certain items. As puppies are often in the teething stage, getting them chew toys would help keep their focus off furniture and other materials. 

If they are kept outdoors, it's important to train them to not go inside the house. If they are kept indoors, make sure they are taken to a designated spot outside to litter during the first week or so. Keep in mind that rescued pups may not be aware of where and where not to litter, so be very patient with them. 

Keep a fixed time for meals. This will let the puppy know when their meal times are and they won’t constantly ask for food. The most common practice is two meals a day within 8-12 hour intervals. Make sure the food is enough to satiate their hunger.

Keeping a dog in a restricted area will lead to laziness and health problems down the line. The garden must be spacious so that they can get the exercise they need. Or else, it is vital to find a safe place to walk them at least once per day. 

Ensure the environment is safe and free of any hazards. Keep staircases blocked to avoid falls & keep any harmful materials out of their reach. Make sure that the gates are always closed to avoid lone ventures which could lead to them getting lost or hurt. As such, make sure there are no gaps that the puppy can sneak out from.

It is very important to note that caging or chaining an animal will lead to aggression. Only do so when absolutely necessary. If the puppy needs to be kept in a separate space when guests are over, make sure it is a wide enough and comfortable area for them to walk around and litter in. It is best to section off a part of the garden and barricade it, ensuring it is secure and has shade, rather than caging a dog for long periods of time.

Often, they may get territorial of their items, like toys or food. This is as they may have come from a competitive environment, and is called ‘resource guarding’. Show them that their resources are available in abundance and that they will not be taken away. Sooth them instead of scolding them. Most importantly, do not mess with their food while they eat. 

When introducing the new puppy to other pets, the dogs must be able to meet under a calm environment with the help of a family member to keep an eye on each pet. Allow the pets to interact while on a leash. How they do so will be up to them. It is expected for them to display dominance, which is normal. There is no need to interfere unless it gets rough. Make sure to keep an eye on them on and off to ensure they continue to get along.

Go on a small walk after the meet. This can be a repetitive process till they get familiar with each other, so that they can get used to being in the same space together. Ensure to feed the other pets first and the new puppy afterwards, and keep their belongings in separate areas. Make sure to maintain separate bowls for food and water as well. This is as possessions and schedule disruption are common causes of infighting. Consult a trainer if the pets do not get along well after this process. 

Photo by Lucas Andrade from Pexels.