Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time for you and a frightening one for your puppy. You’ve been looking forward to having a new friend and he is finally home with you. Meanwhile, you puppy has been living and likely sleeping with his littermates and possibly his Mom for his entire life until the day you bring him home. All of sudden, he doesn’t know anyone – human or canine. That can be overwhelming for a young dog. You want him to be happy and settle in. Otherwise, you are in for long nights with a crying puppy that is missing his siblings. Here are seven ways to make his transition go more smoothly for both of you.

1. Try to bring him home at the beginning of a weekend or take a few days off when he first arrives. That way you will have a few days to devote more time to him so that he doesn’t feel so lonely. Having had always been surrounded by siblings, he is likely not used to being completely alone. You being there to play and interact with will give him something to focus on. You want him to realize that although he no longer has his littermates, he now has something even better – you.

2. Do not bring your new puppy home over a holiday unless you intend to have a quiet, stay-at-home holiday. Most families do a lot of visiting and travelling during the holidays. It can be a hectic time between visiting friends and relatives. You want your first few days with your new dog to be devoted to helping him settle in. That’s difficult to do when you have a lot of holiday commitments. Likewise, when you have a lot of family visiting, it can be confusing and overwhelming for the puppy.

3. Place his crate in an area with a lot of foot traffic such as the kitchen. This means that even when he is in the crate, he is not likely to be alone. He can see you doing things and hear you. You can talk to him if he is feeling lonely but do not take him out of the crate just because he is crying. That sets you up for a dog that will very quickly learn to cry to get out and make you miserable. At night, move his kennel to your bedroom so that he can see you. Most puppies like to sleep in a big pile. Sleeping alone is a big adjustment for him. Help him feel less lonely. Putting an old t-shirt that you no longer want but that smells like you in his crate can also help.

4. Set up a routine and stick to it. Structured routines make learning what is expected of him easier for your dog. It also starts internal rhythms that will ultimately have you thinking he can tell what time it is. Set times for feeding, exercise and training at a minimum. Make sure that the schedule will work when you return to work as well.

5. Make sure he spends time in the crate when you are home. He needs to realize that being in the crate does not mean you are leaving him. When you return to work, as most of you will, he will be spending periods of time alone in his crate. It is much easier for him if he already realizes that this is normal and nothing to be worried about.

6. Begin training your puppy right away. Most puppies live to please you. They pick up basic training easily and quickly. Teaching him simple things like sit, down, and stay are not only easier at this age but they also give him a sense of accomplishment.

7. If you work during the day, either arrange to come home over your lunch hour or have a dog walker come in to get your puppy out for a potty break and a quick romp in the yard. Puppies have small bladders and they cannot be expected to hold it all day long if you are away from home eight hours each day. For the first few months someone needs to get him out midway through the day. Give him lots of toys to keep him occupied while he is in the crate. Stuffed Kongs are a great way to get him focussed on something else while forgetting all about the fact he is in the crate.

Having a new puppy in the house is exciting but you want to set him up well for the next twelve or more years. Getting him well adjusted to his new home and your schedule is a good way to start your journey together.