New cat
Setting up your home ready for your new cat to help them settle in quickly
Cats, Adopters, Cat behaviour
The first night it might be the first time they are away from mum or their littermates, or simply a big change, albeit it a nice one, in their routine. The latest research has discovered that leaving puppies to ‘cry it out’ can have a very damaging effect on their abilities to cope with being left at other times and can increase the chances of developing separation anxiety. So, follow our steps…
It is best to start them in your bedroom, in a covered crate (pop a blanket over to make it den like). Your puppy will know you are there which will be very comforting, but they will also learn that this is quiet time that involves sleeping as opposed to play. If puppy cries in the night, it may be time for the toilet, try to make this a calm and quiet process as opposed to a time for games or fuss, as we don’t want puppy to start crying for attention.
That’s completely fine, if you have a house with a landing, you can move your puppy’s crate a few inches each night till they reach the end of the landing. If you decide you’d like them to eventually sleep downstairs, the transition from end of landing to bottom of stairs can then occur. Once they can hold their toileting in overnight and are not going to potentially hurt themselves on something in the night when unsupervised you can decide whether to continue with the crate, or not. Many dogs love their crates and see them as their own little safe space!
» Read our article: Puppy essentials: Crates and playpens