Adaptation of a puppy and an adult dog in a new home

Pets for loving owners become full-fledged family members. But at the moment of getting to know a new home, puppies and adult dogs may have some problems. After all, a change of environment takes time to adapt, and the owner must treat this with understanding. And to help the animal settle down in a new place, read the advice and recommendations of experts on this topic.

Dogs behave differently after moving to a new place of residence. Here, like a person, everything is very individual. An important role in the process of adaptation to unfamiliar conditions is played by the age of the animal and the peculiarities of its nervous system. And also the habitat and environment in which the dog lived before moving to your house is of great importance.

Puppies, having still very little life experience, and possessing curiosity, often get used to a new home rather quickly. But this does not mean at all that you do not need to adapt the puppy at all. In any case, for the first few days, the new owner should be close to his pet so that he soon calms down and does not feel anxiety due to loneliness. Of course, the baby will yearn for his familiar surroundings, familiar smells and mom. Therefore, you should play and talk affectionately with the puppy.

And at this stage, very undesirable habits can form: damage to furniture, gnawing on slippers and other objects.

Trying to call their mother, puppies often arrange hours-long "concerts", whining and howling loudly. Of course, this does not entertain the baby, but is only an indicator of his restless anxiety state. In addition, in an apartment building, this is unlikely to please numerous neighbors.

If you are taking an adult dog into the house, you should be prepared for the fact that the adaptation process may be delayed. A mature, and even more so an elderly dog, has already formed habits for a certain environment. Longing for the previous owner and home can greatly affect his psychological state.

But, as in the case of the puppy, everything is fixable. You may need to spend a little more time and patience. The advantage will be that the dog has already been trained in the rules of behavior in the apartment and will not give you any trouble with unnecessary mischief.

Often, an adult dog is taken into the house from the street. This is a very noble and kind deed. Street dogs, as a rule, are very outgoing, because they are used to feeding from people. In addition, the harsh conditions of life on the street endow such animals with ingenuity and a rather calm character.

Once in good conditions and being well fed, they become very loyal friends for their master.

Separately, it is worth talking about dogs and puppies, which, due to any negative circumstances, have mental and behavioral disorders. We are talking about shy, anxious, aggressive, or even wild individuals. Perhaps these are the most difficult options for adaptation in an apartment. The process can take a long time, and you will have to work on restoring a stable neuropsychic state of your pet.

Such dogs are prone to escapes, as it is difficult to get used to new conditions and do not associate them with their home for quite a long time. In such cases, in addition to the recommended measures for adapting the dog in the house, which will be discussed later in the article, it is worth considering the option of seeking help from specialists: cynologists or dog psychology consultants.

Under the best conditions, it can take as little as 3-5 days to get used to it.

So, a new family member has appeared in your home. How can you help him quickly get used to it? An important condition for the easiest and quickest adaptation of the dog is your presence next to it. You should not leave the animal alone in an empty apartment in a stressful situation for him. So make sure you take a little vacation for a few days in advance.

It is worth remembering that the new pet will have to interact not only with you, but also with all the inhabitants of your house. Of course, it is advisable to coordinate the appearance of the dog with all members of your family. After all, an unfriendly attitude from your relatives will greatly oppress the animal.

To help your loved ones be ready to adopt a new family member, try to introduce them to your puppy or dog ahead of time. And also settle all household moments so that the pet causes a minimum of embarrassment and inconvenience to the family.

Assess the character of your pets, because you know what to expect from them. Meet the dog only under your personal supervision. Do not leave your dog alone with your pets in the early days.

Often, pets' jealousy causes a clear neglect of them in favor of a beginner. Therefore, try not to change the usual attitude towards pets.Caress them and play with them as before.

To prevent food aggression, feed the new dog in a separate place from other animals in the first weeks.

However, young children often do not yet have an understanding of how to treat their younger brothers properly. The kid may not calculate his strength, gently hugging a fluffy ball, and cause tangible pain to the animal. And by all means wanting to play with the dog right now, the child may be too intrusive, thereby tiring her or even frightening.

In this case, in stress, puppies cram under furniture or in other secluded places, afraid to show their nose from there before the arrival of an adult owner.

If there were no animals in your house before, then be sure to tell your kid about dogs. Explain clearly that this is not a toy, but a living creature that can also be afraid, feels pain and rudeness.

Observe how your child behaves with the animals of your friends or relatives. Thus, you will be able to assess how the child is ready to interact with pets in his home.

After you have brought the dog to its new home, give it a couple of hours. to get comfortable on your own.

• In a new environment, animals behave differently. Some very actively move around the apartment, sniffing furniture, floors and objects. Others show stiffness and seem not to be interested in new conditions. In the first case, do not stop the animal, let it satisfy its curiosity, try new smells and inspect the situation. In the second case, do not be persistent, do not drag the dog around the apartment by force.

• Show your pet its place. It must be equipped in advance. Place familiar toys or old bedding there for the first time. Feeling familiar smells, the animal will associate this corner with calmness and security.

• In the apartment, set aside a place where a bowl of water will stand. Feeding should also take place there. Show this place to the animal in the first hours of your stay in the house. At first, small puppies may not remember where the water is. Therefore, periodically lure them to the bowls yourself with the help of treats.

• At night, leave at least dim lighting in the room where the puppy lives. This will help him navigate the situation if he needs to move around the apartment.

• Small puppies should have a toilet space. It should be a quiet, secluded corner where the dog can calmly do his business. Most likely, the puppy will not be able to immediately understand the purpose of this place. Therefore, you will need to monitor his behavior throughout the day and transfer him to a tray or diaper as soon as you notice signs of readiness to relieve himself. Thus, you will be able to teach your baby to go to the toilet not just anywhere, but strictly in a designated place.

To keep your pet from getting bored and developing, provide it with toys. Make sure they are made from safe materials. Attributes for games are needed not only for puppies, but also for adult dogs. If possible, ask for a couple of favorite animal toys from your previous residence.

Playing with your dog together will help you bond faster and earn his trust. To do this, you can purchase or make your own constriction ropes, balls on a rope.

Treat your puppy with positive incentives such as praise or treats for doing the right thing.

If your dog does something wrong, say “no,” “ugh,” or “no,” in a firm voice, and then turn his attention to other activities.

Having started to get used to the environment of the apartment, the puppy will try to interact with the surrounding objects. Therefore, it is worth removing some things from household items in areas inaccessible to him.

• Do not leave important documents and papers on the tables. At best, you'll find them on the floor in complete disarray. But, most likely, the dog will try them on the tooth.
• Any shoe is very attractive for both puppies and adult dogs. Over time, the pet will get used to her and cease to be interested in her. But at first, slippers, boots, shoes and boots should be put away in closed cabinets or cabinets.
• Fragile objects, such as vases, wine glasses, figurines and the like, should also be removed away, they risk ending up on the floor and losing their integrity forever.
• For your dog's safety, keep all live wires out of reach. A lot of accidents with animals are due to the fact that dogs received electric shocks while trying to chew on the wiring.

How the puppy's first night in the new home should go, see below.