If you’ve decided to purchase a puppy, take your time in choosing the right one. If there is only one litter available in your neighbourhood, your choice will be much easier, if there are a variety of dogs for sale, you will have to do some research. Be sure you know the adult size and temperament of the breed you are looking at, so you can be sure the dog will be a good fit for your family in the long term.
Place your puppy in a secure carrier for the trip home. Avoid putting it in a cardboard box, as it may escape while you are driving. Cardboard boxes also aren’t well ventilated. Ideally use a carrier that has a seatbelt strap, so the carrier will stay secure even if the car hits a hard bump.
When you first arrive home, give your puppy time to adjust to its surroundings. Have its bed, and food and water set up before you arrive. Take the puppy there and show it its new things. The puppy may want to play with you, and this is fine, but don’t exhaust it. Moving to a new home is stressful for a puppy, and too much stress might make it vulnerable to disease.
If the puppy has just been weaned from its mother, expect some whining and crying the first few nights in the new home. The puppy doesn’t understand where its mother is, and why it’s not in the place it has always regarded as home. Placing a hot water bottle under a blanket for the puppy to cuddle up to, and placing a ticking clock nearby might help. This will simulate the warmth and heart beat of the mother dog.
If you don’t want your puppy to sleep in your room, do not give in and move it there just because it is whining the first few nights.
Depending on the breeder, when they advertised the puppies for sale, they may have also advertised that the puppies were started on housetraining, or had their first vaccinations. You likely also asked about this when you went to view the puppies. Even if the puppy was well housetrained, expect a few accidents early on because the puppy may forget its training when it experiences the major life change of moving.
Finding a puppy for sale can be a fun endeavour, and ensuring that the puppy is gently transitioned to its new home will ensure it starts off its new life on the right foot. By keeping your puppy’s move as stress free as possible, your puppy will be able to start to view you as the leader of its pack. You will be responsible for the puppy’s every need, such as food and water, so it will learn to trust you. It should also be well socialized with other family members and friends as it grows into a wonderful dog.
