Puppy guide for the first few weeks
So your puppy has arrived and is super cute, what can you expect from this little ball of energy ?
8-16 weeks
Your puppy has made a huge adjustment in leaving the litter and finding his feet in his new surroundings. Toilet breaks should be roughly every hour in the beginning and expect a few accidents while this is reinforced, taking your puppy outside and providing paper or puppy pads as near to the outside door as possible will help. Keep a watchful eye on your puppy and you will learn the signs that he is needing a toilet break. By 16 weeks your puppy should be toilet trained and letting you know when he needs to go.
Teething
It is around this time that your puppy will be teething, he may start mouthing or biting down and chewing anything he can find. Keeping your belongings out of reach avoids any upset, as this is a natural phase for a puppy. Providing chew toys (never leave a puppy alone with anything that can be chewed apart) and distracting with a hard chew toy or a cold piece of carrot can help.
Sleeping
Although it may be tempting to snuggle & cuddle your puppy when he has gone to sleep, to avoid dependence place your puppy in his bed when it is nap time. Your new puppy will sleep much better in a quiet place, this will promote independence and make life easier all round when you start leaving him alone for short periods of time. By 16 weeks your puppy should be sleeping through the night.
Play and Socialisation
Whilst playing and attention from lots of different people is an excellent way to socialise your puppy ( you will no doubt receive lots of visitors as everyone will want to meet your new addition) Time out from over handling can be crucial to reduce hyperactivity, you will, over time learn to notice the signs that your puppy is uncomfortable or over stimulated and needs to be removed from certain situations. Your puppy will also learn a lot from other dogs once vaccinations are completed and socialisation with dogs is very important. Your puppy will learn boundries as an older dog will ignore bad behaviour or tell your puppy off.
