Your New Puppy - What to Expect when You Bring Him Home
Posted: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
by Susan Koranki
MyWay LLC
Puppies often leave their canine family and go to their new homes when they're still babies. A medium to large breed puppy should be at least 8 weeks old, and a tiny/toy breed needs to be 10 - 12 weeks.
At this age, a puppy is a baby, and all the stress of leaving his momma, traveling to his new home, meeting lots of new people, and maybe even eating a new puppy food, is a lot for him to deal with.
It's natural for that confident, happy little pup you first met to be affected by the stress of these big changes in his life. Anxiety, sadness and withdrawal are not surprising, but they can be worrying and upsetting for his new parents.
What to expect during the first few days
Your new pup may seem happy and lively when you first get him home, running around and greeting everyone with that little tail wagging nineteen-to-the-dozen. However, most puppies tend to gradually become quieter and more subdued. All puppies are different, and you may only notice one of these behaviors - or all of them...
A loss of appetite
He seems 'lazy' or extra sleepy
Diarrhea
A lessening of interest in toys/treats/attention
Apparent 'depression' or sadness
General anxiety
Your puppy's little body is trying to adjust to many new things, and he may react to this by 'shutting it all out' - simply withdrawing from activity and going to sleep.
Like babies, puppies need to sleep a lot anyway, but for the first few days they may seem to be taking one marathon nap! He's feeling scared, and a bit homesick, and it's not surprising that he may not feel much like playing or eating.
As the days pass though, and he starts to feel more 'at home' with his new family and surroundings, he will start to 'perk up', his appetite will come back (often with a vengeance!and he will suddenly be the bright, active little pup you first met. When that starts to happen, you know he's settled in.
How to tell if your new puppy is just homesick.... or really is SICK
Although in most cases, the above symptoms last only a couple of days and are nothing to worry about, it's important to know that the same symptoms CAN SOMETIMES INDICATE TRUE ILLNESS.
There are many serious, contagious canine diseases that cause loss of appetite, diarrhea, lethargy (excessive sleepiness) and so on. One of the difficult things for new puppy owners is knowing when there's nothing to worry about - and when to seek veterinary help.
Although it's not possible for me to tell you how to know for sure whether your puppy is homesick or really sick, there are some tips that can help you figure it out.
Your puppy may be suffering from an illness if -
His diarrhea is frequent, and is getting worse. Or if it is watery or contains blood/mucus
He is vomiting repeatedly and is unable to keep food/water down
He seems totally exhausted - too tired to lift his head or care about toys/treats
A puppy who is just homesick may seem sleepy and sad, but can generally be enticed with a game of fetch or a tasty treat. Most times there will be short periods of happy activity during the day, even though he isn't quite 'himself'. However, if your puppy is truly sick, he will usually be unwilling/unable to run around and play - even for short periods. He will look and act as if he feels terrible.
What to do if you're worried
Young puppies are very vulnerable, and can get sick very fast. It's best not to take any chances with a young puppy. If you are worried or concerned, always err on the side of caution and take him to see your veterinarian.
Whenever you bring a new puppy home it's a good idea to have him checked over by your veterinarian within a day or two anyway. This way you can be certain that he's current on all his puppy shots, de-worming and other routine care. It also gives you a chance to make sure there are no underlying health issues that you need to be aware of.
If you're not certain whether your puppy's behavior means he's just going through the normal 'adjustment period', or whether he's not feeling well, take him to your vet just as soon as you can. That way you can put your mind at rest, and be certain that you are doing the very best you can for your new puppy.
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Author is a life long dog-lover and has many years of experience in breeding, raising and training puppies.
Read the full article 'Bringing Home A New Puppy' and get all the free tips, advice and info you need to take the very best care of your new puppy by visiting http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com Puppies are our passion!
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I was feeling rather scared about bringingthis puppy home but this article cleared alot of my worries away. Thank you very much.
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