This is an old post but it bears repeating with all the puppies going home soon!

Puppy training is an ongoing process. And though we try to give the puppies a good start, it’s ultimately up to the new “paw-rents” to finish socializing and training their new puppy. And since we have lots of puppies going home on the next two weeks I thought I’d share some thoughts.

Be prepared for noise. Your new puppy has just left its mom, littermates and the only home its know. It’s a transition and some puppies make the adjustment easily and other take a few more days to settle in.

The main thing is to give your puppy consistency, boundaries and routine. Many people make the mistake of giving their puppy way too much free rein in the house too soon. And then wonder why potty training isn’t going well.

If someone is not actively watching the puppy then it should be in its containment area. The containment area (we like to use the taller Iris pen) is something you should have set up for your puppy before they come home. (We also include a small crate, a small litter box, water dish and toys inside the pen). This is your puppy’s “bedroom” for all intents and purposes. The containment area is a safe place for your puppy to be when you are busy or away from home.

But your puppy will not like being alone in his containment area or crate during crate training time (meals, naps, bedtime, etc). They want to be with their people! And they will tell you all about their displeasure! Some will vocalize a constant whine, some with loud barking, some with varied sounds to get your attention.

And the hardest thing to do (especially if you have kiddos in the home) is to ignore the cries and fussing. We all want to comfort and cuddle a crying puppy. But all you do is reenforce the behavior when you reward it. The puppy has just trained you!

The key thing to remember is to ignore the behaviors that you don’t want to see repeated and reward the behaviors that you want to reenforce. For instance, if my puppy is in the pen (my puppy training pen is usually set up in the dining area) and I’m working at the kitchen table and it sees me and starts fussing and whining, I’m might just put my headphones on and keep working ignoring that fuss but keeping an eye on the puppy. As soon as I see the puppy settle and quiet down (even if it’s just for a few seconds), I’m going to get up, scoop up the puppy and give it some attention.

I have some things I use and suggestions for you that might make the transition and training periods a bit easier.

If I’m crate training a puppy or getting them used to their puppy pen, sometimes just putting a blanket over the crate or the front of the pen will help calm them. They can still hear you moving about, but can’t see you.

Sometimes keeping a radio or music on low near the puppy will help.

If you use essential oils at all, I would suggest a diffuser with lavender. I like Young Living oils and they have one blend in their animal line called T-away that can be helpful. Both of these are safe around dogs. Please make sure you’re using a quality oil from a reputable company and not just a cheap one from Walmart (which make contain additives or other ingredients).

I’m a big fan of a family company called Rowe Casa Organics. I use many of their products on myself (no, I don’t get a bonus for giving them a shout-out) I just love their products. They actually have one specifically for dogs called “Doggie Calming Spray”. This is another thing that might be helpful for your puppy during the transition time.

And lastly, if you live in an apartment where you’re sharing a wall with a neighbor, you might let them know you have a new puppy coming and gift them a little something for their patience and understanding. (I don’t drink, but I know some people have given a bottle of wine. Or you might like a bunch of flowers, maybe a little gift basket or gift certificate to a local eatery).

Anyways the important thing to remember as I mentioned is consistency, routine and boundaries, also patience and knowing that this stage will pass if you stick with the routine and training.

And one last warning….do not, I repeat do not scoop that crying puppy up the first night and put it in bed with you! You’ll regret it and will have ruined everything that the puppy has been taught. And then it’s back to square one all over again!

You can do this! 😀