Your New Puppy–What you Must do on the First Day at Home

When you first bring your new puppy home, you want to be sure to introduce him to the house. I suggest giving him a thorough tour of your residence on a loose leash. This will not only be an introduction to the space and territory, it will also introduce him to limitations that you want to establish.

Keep in mind that this first tour is not the right time to introduce the “no” command. For one reason, you don’t want the puppy to think that his name is “no.” When you bring the puppy to items that you intend to make off-limits, first let the puppy sniff the item, then give a tug on the leash and growl. The growl will be a sound the puppy understands. In this manner, you can let him know which of your possessions to avoid. Once you have his attention, you can continue talking to the dog in a happy tone of voice.

This first tour begins to familiarize your dog with the way your house is laid out, and what is looks and smells like. Perhaps more importantly, he is learning that you are leader, the alpha member of the household. This is very important because if you don’t establish yourself as dominant, then the puppy will begin to assume that role. If that happens, then you have opened the door to many behavior problems down the road.

After you have shown your puppy the house (or apartment or dorm room), show him his water and food bowl so that he know where to find it. Take him outside and show him the general area where you expect him to pee and poop. If you live in a busy urban zone, you may not want to walk him outside at this time. Better to wait until all shots and immunizations have been given.

For more expert training advice, be sure to visit the Sit Stay Fetch community.

Related posts:

1. What the New Owner of the Puppy Should Know?
2. 5 Tips to Understanding Your Dog’s Growl
3. Introducing Your New Puppy To Your Other Dogs–6 Key Steps
4. Dogs Must Have Water–What You Must Know
5. Bringing a New Dog Home For the First Time