Bringing Home Baby Pug
Introducing a new pug puppy to your home is a very big and exciting step! First things first, there are a few things that you will need to buy for your new pug puppy. You will need:
- collar with ID tag
- leash
- dish for food and water
- comfy bed
- food
- potty training pads
Most breeders or shelters will send you home with some of the dog food that your puppy is accustomed to. Be sure to stick with this food for a week or so, at least, so as to not cause any stomach issues. If you want to change your puppy's diet, do it slowly. You can read more about pug diets here.
There are different ways you should let your pug puppy acclimate to its surroundings. A lot of it depends on if you already have a dog at home or not. If you do not already have a dog at home, let your pug puppy walk around and check things out. This is the time to start setting boundaries. If you do not plan on letting her in your bedroom or on your furniture, then make those things clear right now. She has a lot to take in and a lot to discover, so just give her time before you bombard her with toys, food, water, excitement. You want to make a very calm environment for her.
If you already have a dog at home, the first thing will be to introduce your old dog(s) to your new puppy. They will need to check each other out, do a lot of sniffing and try and figure out what they think of each other. Here is a cute video of how our first pug reacted to our new puppy.
Don't be afraid to let your old dog and new puppy interact. If you think they are being too rough, separate them, but give it time. Eventually they will be cuddling and chasing each other in circles.
Next, you need to show her where her bed/sleeping area is. I would highly suggest getting a metal kennel and putting a soft pillow or bed in it. This clearly defines what is "her space." Ideally she will eventually see this as a refuge and a security and will feel safe in there.
Next, show your pug puppy where the food and water dish are located. As you may already know, pugs LOVE food, so they will be happy to learn where they will enjoy many happy meals in the future.
Next, show her the area where you have the potty training pad. At first she may not know what this is, but some breeders and shelters use them, so she may be familiar with it. Potty training is a very important thing to teach your pug early on. The more consistent you are now, the sooner you will stop having to clean up messes in the house. To learn more about potty training, read this article.
Now that your pug puppy has had the tour of the house and the tour of her belongings, get down on the floor with her and start bonding! This won't be hard because pug puppies are absolutely precious and hard to resist playing with. Be gentle and don't tire her out. More than likely your little one is exhausted from all of the changes in it's life. Have a time of playing and bonding and then it will probably be nap time! Just like human babies, puppy babies also need a lot of sleep when they are young.
The last thing I want to talk about is your first night with your new pug puppy. Some people like to have their dogs sleep with them. I prefer for our dogs to sleep in their own space. After your puppy has gone to the bathroom, take her to the kennel and shut the door. Make sure that the room is dark and comfortable. She may whimper a bit or let out a few barks, but don't worry, she's just testing the water. After awhile, she will calm down and go to sleep because she has had a big day! This may take some discipline on your part, but I promise that eventually your pug puppy will happily go into her kennel and you can both get a good night's rest.
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