Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time, and many things can easily be overlooked in all that excitement.
However, there's still a few last minute preparations to do before bringing your puppy home.
Our aim is to give you information to help make your puppy's separation from his mother and his littermates as comfortable as possible.
Prepare For Bringing Home A New Puppy
A couple of days prior to bringing home a new puppy, it's a good idea to leave a tee-shirt that you've worn (but not washed) with the breeder.
This will have your scent on it and can be given to your puppy to sleep on for a couple of nights before he leaves; it will help him get used to your scent.
Also, about a week before bringing a new puppy home, we'd recommend that you leave a blanket and a soft toy which can be placed in the whelping box; by the time you're ready to collect your puppy, both items will have his mother's and littermates' scent on them.
Their scent will almost certainly make your Cocker Spaniel puppy feel more comfortable and secure in a new and strange environment.
Before bringing home a new puppy, it's a good idea to line your carrier with plenty of old newspaper, as your puppy will almost certainly need to urinate, and perhaps also defecate, on your way home - particularly if you have a long drive ahead of you.
You may also want to take a roll of kitchen towel with you, and perhaps some wet wipes, just in case your puppy gets car-sick.
If you're bringing home a new puppy on a hot day, or you have a long journey ahead of you, it's a good idea to take a bottle of water and a small bowl with you so you can give him a drink if he gets thirsty.
Bringing Home A New Puppy - Collecting Him
We'd certainly recommend that you take someone with you when bringing home a new puppy. This will leave you free to concentrate on driving safely; you won't have to worry about him.
However, if you're bringing home a new puppy on your own, you'll need to take a dog crate, pet carrier, or even a cardboard box with you to make sure your puppy's not loose in the car.
If it's a warm, sunny day, it may be too hot for a young puppy.
Care needs to be taken to shade him from the sun whilst in the car.
If it's a cold, wintery day, you could wrap your puppy in his new 'scented' blanket - it will keep him warm and may make him feel a little more comfortable.
When bringing home a new puppy, please don't be tempted to stop at the side of the road to let your puppy out of the car to urinate. During our research, we read of puppies being killed in a similar situation, having darted into the middle of the road.
If your puppy needs to urinate let him do so on newspaper in the footwell of the car, or in the boot. If you let him into the boot, carry him and be very careful not to let him escape.
Our recommendation is to play safe and keep your puppy inside the car until you reach your destination.
Bringing Home A New Puppy - Arriving Home
At last - you've arrived home with your new puppy, but now what do you do?
The first things you'll need to do is check to see if he wants to do his toilet, introduce him to his new family, and then show him his new home.
After bringing home a new puppy, take him into the garden and let him wander around for a little while to see if he wants to urinate - don't leave him on his own.
After a few minutes take him inside.
Show your puppy his new sleeping area and let him explore it.
Show him his food bowl and his water bowl - he may want a drink after his journey.
If you have children, make sure they've had their pep talk (before bringing home a new puppy) about remaining calm and reasonably quiet, and no sudden moves.
Take your puppy into a room where you can sit down and relax with him. He may be quite lively if he's slept during the journey, in which case let him explore but keep a watchul eye on him.
If he's tired, let him fall asleep, and then gently place him in his new crate and leave him.
As soon as he wakes, take him outside again to see if he wants to urinate, then bring him inside and offer him some food.
Bringing home a new puppy can be quite upsetting for the puppy, so don't be surprised if he doesn't eat. He may simply need some time to adjust to his new surroundings and his new family. He may also be missing the familiar comfort of his mother and littermates.
If however he fails to eat over the next couple of days, is sick, or has prolonged diarrhoea, or seems unwell, don't hesitate to contact your vet. He won't mind if it's a false alarm - it's better to be safe than sorry with a young puppy.
Your Puppy's First Night
Like babies, puppies need a routine and, before bringing home a new puppy, we strongly recommend that you consider what his routine is going to consist of. It's advisable to A couple of hours before you plan to put your puppy to bed for the night he should be offered food and water.
Take your puppy into the garden and place him where you want him to do his toilet. Stay with him for a few minutes to give him the opportunity to empty his bladder.
Bring him back inside and put him in his crate for the night, along with the 'scented' soft toy and blanket. He may play quietly, or snuggle up to his soft toy, before falling asleep.
It's possible that your puppy will be missing his mother and littermates and may cry during the first couple of nights when left on his own. He will get over this, I promise.
Although it's heartbreaking to hear him cry, it will be better in the long run if you leave him.
If he becomes distressed, however, then you might want to bring him into your bedroom to sleep (in his crate) and move him back into his own sleeping place when he's settled down, or fallen asleep.
I've heard of puppy owners placing a ticking clock by the crate for the first few nights; the ticking sound is said to replicate the mother's heartbeat and has helped to soothe an unsettled puppy.
If your puppy continues to cry subsequent nights and you know he's not ill, or in pain, you will need to stand firm and leave him where he is, otherwise he may learn that when he cries you will always come to him.
If your puppy is not yet fully housetrained, he may mess in his crate overnight; don't scold him for it - you weren't there to let him out. Simply take him outside and let him do what he needs to. Click here for advice on toilet training puppies.
Now you have your puppy at home, our next step is to help you feel confident about caring for your new puppy.
