Many pet owners enjoy the excitement of bringing home a new puppy, admiring the youth and vigour that it instantly brings to the household. However, that excitement generally turns to dismay when their new companion keeps them up all night with its lonely howling. To help you and your new puppy adjust to the first few long nights, here are five items to consider:
1.Provide Adequate Bedding
A puppy's sleeping quarters should provide sufficient space to include a dog bed or blankets, a water bowl (with a food bowl, if needed), and a noiseless toy or two for entertainment. A kennel, lined with newspapers, is often the best choice because it keeps the puppy safe from any outside elements.
2. Provide Comfort Items
Two of the best items to have with the puppy include a hot-water bottle and a clock. A hot-water bottle wrapped in a blanket or towel and placed within the puppy's bedding simulates the heat generated from the mother or litter-mates. A clock also kept close by further soothes the restless puppy by simulating a heartbeat.
3. Create a Stable Sleeping Environment
Where the puppy's sleeping quarters is placed will greatly influence how well it sleeps It is best to place the puppy in a quiet area, avoiding areas with a lot of appliances that may create too much noise. The area should be checked regularly, taking great care to ensure that it is dry, as well as being warm or cool as needed.
4. Engage in Physical Activities
About an hour or two before bed, allow the puppy to experience a lot of play. Use the last hour before bedtime to let the puppy calm down so that sleep comes more easily after being exhausted by play. Do not allow the puppy to sleep too much in the hours prior to putting it to bed because it will simply be restless since it has already rested plenty.
5. Provide Tough Love
Although it makes an owner feel as though they are being mean or neglectful, the best thing to do when the puppy throws its nightly tantrum is to let it wear itself out. It crying out is its way of getting the owner's attention and the owner is only reinforcing the unwanted behaviour by tending to it when it does so. This may also create separation anxiety later in life, which can become obsessive and disruptive, if the puppy is not given the opportunity to learn how to be by itself. It is best to leave the puppy be, allowing for it to adapt to the owner's sleep cycle, which it will eventually adopt as its own.
Patience is key when training a new puppy. Although the first few nights may be difficult, with this and plenty of love, the owner and puppy can begin developing a life-long bond.
