Dog-Tired: Getting Through the First Night Home With Your New Puppy

Opinions vary over the best place for your dog to sleep. The best advice: start a puppy off in the room you eventually want him to sleep in.

Want to let your new puppy sleep in your bed? Lots of people do, but be warned: This will very quickly become a habit! If Fido gets to sleep with you as a new puppy, plan on having Fido in your bed for life (unless, of course, you want to retrain a grown adult dog!).

Many experts recommend that your puppy sleep in a crate. For a puppy, a crate really is the best sleeping place because it dramatically reduces house-training problems and destructive chewing until your puppy has grown into a dependable adult.

Your little guy is going to be terrified the first few nights — he’s missing his mother and siblings, and he hasn’t bonded yet with you. So, yes, he’s going to cry and whine, and there’s a good chance neither one of you will get much sleep for a few nights! One solultion is to try putting his crate next to your bed so you can put your fingers into his crate to calm and soothe him.

Another good place for your dog’s bed is the kitchen because it’s quiet at night. A basement is also a good place (if it’s not too cold), especially if your puppy is going to grow into a large dog!

Wherever you decide will be the sleeping place for your puppy, be sure it’s safe, comfortable, and warm, and that it’s not near any drafts.

Please don’t yell at your new puppy when you get tired and cranky and he’s whining in the middle of the night. Be calm, gentle, and reassuring with him as he bonds with you and adjusts to his new sleeping arrangement, and soon you’ll both be sleeping through the night. Zzzzzzzzz.

Lisa Pallardy is the owner of http://www.BarkTalk.com an interactive site for dog lovers to find articles and information on dog training and care, post photos of their pets, and talk with other dog-lovers. She is also the mother of 6 children and lover of 3 dogs. In her spare time, she makes greeting cards from children’s artwork at http://www.MyLittleRembrandt.com

For more articles like this one on dog care and dog training, or for links to resources where you can purchase dog supplies, visit http://www.BarkTalk.com