The arrival of a tiny Chihuahua puppy to a new home is an exciting event for both the baby and his new owners. The puppy's further adaptation depends on how the puppy spends the first day in the new house, whether the apartment is ready for the arrival of a new four-legged tenant, and how the family and other animals will greet him.
Moving to a new home and meeting a new family is stressful for a Chihuahua puppy. He was torn away from his mother, who always cared and protected, from the brothers and sisters with whom he played, and brought to an unfamiliar and sometimes frightening apartment with strangers and sometimes not very friendly animals. For the successful adaptation of a Chihuahua in a new home, it is recommended to follow a number of rules.
1. Preparing the apartment for the arrival of the puppy
The first thing to start with preparation is to inspect the apartment for potential hazards to the puppy. Wires lying on the floor or in the puppy's access area, household chemicals, waste wallpaper, linoleum or other building materials can be dangerous. Out of boredom, a puppy can begin to gnaw all this, which later can become his bad habit, which will be very difficult to get rid of.
It is worth explaining to the pets that with the appearance of the puppy, things, toys, and various small objects should not be scattered or left in an accessible place for him. Puppies are very curious, and they often learn the world with the help of their teeth. Therefore, the Chihuahua can spoil the necessary thing or swallow a solid object, which can lead to negative consequences for his health.
Before the puppy arrives, it is necessary to decide where he will have a sleeping place. Even if in the future the owners want to teach the Chihuahua to sleep with them, the dog should still have its place. It should be safe, warm, away from the entrance. The puppy should always have access to water. At the same time, it is not recommended to place the bed next to the battery, as this can badly affect the dog's coat.
At first, the puppy will go to the toilet on a diaper, so it is important to arrange everything in such a way that when the puppy wakes up, he can quickly get to it. This is due to the fact that puppies are just learning to endure, and if the diaper is located very far from the bed, he may not run.
2. Buying essential items
On the Internet, you can find a huge list of things that you need to buy for the arrival of your puppy. When I took a Chihuahua puppy, of course, I used this list. And I had to get rid of half, as it turned out to be unnecessary.
For the first time you will need:
- A lounger (or a house, pillow, bedding, etc.);
- Two separate bowls (one for water, one for food);
- Disposable diapers;
- Food (at first it is better to give the puppy the same food that he ate from the breeder);
- A couple of toys (ropes, soft rubber balls are great);
- Nail clipper (as it is recommended to teach the puppy to trim the nails as early as possible);
- Soft towel.
Then, if the need arises, you can buy everything else. For example, at the end of quarantine, when the puppy can start walking outside, you can go with him to the pet store and buy a collar, leash and, if it's cold outside, warm clothes. It is also recommended to collect a first aid kit for a puppy:
- thermometer;
- petrolatum;
- potassium permanganate;
- Activated carbon;
- chlorhexidine;
- pipette or syringe.
You can find out in advance the addresses and phone numbers of good veterinary clinics in the city, write them down on a piece of paper, and put it in the medicine cabinet.
3. The first day of the puppy in the new home
It is recommended to pick up the puppy on a weekend, in the morning, to spend the whole day with him. During the day he will get used to his new owner a little, and then he will not be so scared and lonely to be alone.
Having released him in the room where his bed is located, you need to give the puppy an opportunity to look around. If there are children in the house, then you need to warn them in advance so that they do not immediately grab the puppy and do not climb up to him with hugs: let him come up to them and first sniff them, and after that you can stroke him and play with him.
If there are other animals in the house, then you should not immediately introduce them and force them to be friends. Let them themselves show interest in each other and "sniff".
At night, the puppy may start to howl. In such a situation, you can try to calm down with your voice or pet the puppy. Taking a Chihuahua puppy to the bed is not recommended due to its tiny size: at night it can jump off and injure its paws. Therefore, it is better to wait for the moment when he himself learns to jump onto the bed.
In the first week, it is advisable to avoid too noisy parties in the house, as a crowd of people can scare him, which will have a bad effect on further socialization.
In the first days of a puppy's life in a new home, new owners may have a lot of questions about its maintenance and upbringing. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a good breeder before buying and establish a good relationship with him so that in case of questions you can contact him and get advice.
