Yay, your puppy is moving in!
When your puppy first sets its clumsy paws in its new home, it's a very special moment. From now on, a shared life full of play, fun, and cuddles awaits you. However, there are surely a few questions swirling in your mind about this exciting start. What do I need to consider on the first day with my puppy? What about vaccinations? We now give you an overview of all the questions related to starting with a puppy.
The first days in the new home
The move
The day of the move is a very exciting event - especially for your little furball: within a day, it not only leaves its mom and siblings behind but also encounters many everyday things for the first time.
Before you pick up your little darling, some precautions should be taken in your apartment or house. Make sure to place toxic houseplants out of puppy reach. This applies to all items that should not fall victim to your puppy's sharp teeth or could potentially be dangerous. Cables and electrical devices also fall into this category.
If you live on more than one floor, a gate is advisable to install at the stairs. Puppies are initially very insecure when climbing stairs. You should also make a balcony fall-proof or inaccessible.
For optimal care of your puppy, suitable →puppy nutrition and accessories are essential. Discover our selection of food and practical accessories that are perfectly tailored to the needs of puppies.
Day of pickup
On the way to the new home, your puppy may urinate and defecate, and might even vomit. Therefore, you should cover the back seat of the car with absorbent materials, e.g., a few towels and a cozy blanket. It's completely normal for your puppy to have diarrhea or vomit during the ride, as it's a sign of nervousness and dizziness in the car - after all, this is likely a first for them. Make sure to take plenty of breaks during the drive.
Be sure to talk once more with the breeder or the caregivers at the shelter. The previous feeding plan and food are important - so make sure to get detailed information about that. Regarding vaccinations, you should definitely ask for your puppy's vaccination record.
Once home, the little four-legged friend will need to relieve itself. Look for a green area near your home where your puppy can sniff around, pee, and make a little pile. Then it will be ready for its new home. For the rest of the day, it's important that your puppy gets a lot of rest. Let it explore everything on its own as much as possible - of course, you can cuddle it when it comes to you.
The first night in the new home
For the first night in the new home, the rule is: Your puppy needs to feel your presence. You should place a large, enclosed crate as close to your bed as possible. In the first nights, it can also be helpful if you sleep on the floor next to your furball. We advise against letting your puppy sleep in the bed, even though it may be allowed to sleep there later.
In bed, your puppy may not be able to signal you as well and will likely relieve itself there if it needs to. Next to the bed in its crate, your puppy will make noise so that you wake up and can react immediately, which is why we recommend using a crate. You can line it with a cozy blanket to make it comfortable for your little furball.
Vaccinations, deworming & co
The vaccination issue
Most new dog parents learn from the breeder or at the shelter whether a puppy has been vaccinated, and in most cases, puppies have already received their first vaccination on the day of adoption. But what exactly does this first vaccination include? And does your puppy soon need another one? Among vaccinations, there are so-called mandatory and optional vaccinations. The mandatory vaccinations that your puppy may have already received in part before the move include those against diseases such as
- hepatitis (inflammation of the liver),
- distemper,
- parvovirus,
- rabies (dangerous viral diseases), and
- leptospirosis (bacterial infectious disease).
At 8 weeks, your puppy is usually vaccinated for the first time. To achieve basic immunization, additional vaccinations are needed, usually at 12 and 16 weeks of age. A suitable vaccination schedule for your furball can be discussed with the veterinarian.
Deworming in puppy age
If your puppy is still living with its mom, it will be dewormed every two weeks. Worms can be transmitted to the puppies through breast milk, which is no longer the case when transitioning to solid food. Once your little darling is living with you, you don't need to deworm it every two weeks, and a three-month interval is completely sufficient.
You may also be wondering whether these deworming agents, which can kill living beings, pose a health threat to your puppy. Here, we can reassure you: From a veterinary perspective, there is no danger to your puppy from the chemical agents, as the deworming treatments specifically target the body structure of worms, leaving your little four-legged friend unharmed.
If you want to reduce the chemical load of the deworming treatment, you can also go directly to the veterinarian and have the feces examined for worms.
The chip
Even if your puppy is more of a couch lover than an adventurer, you will take it into nature, onto the streets, and everywhere it could escape from you. A note on the collar with your number can be helpful.
In addition to the now outdated tattoo with a code, the microchip, or simply chip, is almost exclusively used nowadays. With a syringe, the rice grain-sized chip is injected into the neck by the veterinarian. From there, it only moves a few centimeters until it fuses with the shoulder muscle.
Important: After your puppy has been chipped, you must register it online with its personal chip number and your contact details. Otherwise, your furball cannot be assigned to you.
If your little furball runs away, the chip can be scanned with a scanner, retrieving the associated code. This code is fifteen digits long and contains not only the country code but also the manufacturer number of the chip producer as well as the personal identification of your dog. Based on this information, it can be determined that your little treasure belongs to you.
