“What did we get ourselves into Mary?”  

I don’t know anyone called Mary, but it was the first name that came to mind (If someone named Mary reads this -don’t worry Mary, it’ll work out!  As someone that has fostered countless puppies and raised countless of my own, I have found that even people in the same field of work as me, struggle with understanding this particular transition.    

As I mentioned on my previous entry, Raising Large Breed Puppies – An Introduction, the human world is completely alien for dogs (and any animal for that matter). Generally speaking, humans engage the world with their eyes first, then ears, then nose. Dogs, based on physical development are nose, ears and lastly eyes. Owners grow giant question marks when dogs do not seem to grasp reality as owners are; and when we also add a few physiological facts…. the combination can get messy.  

Let me rewind a little bit though.

Once a puppy is picked up, there is a certain level of stress that they go through; new scents, temperatures, sounds and views come into play. Most owners expect their puppy to be fully engaged, but there is a cushion that should be allowed for cortisol (stress hormone) levels to even out and, for a sense of normalcy to kick in before asking for too much out of the fluff ball.   

On the first day or two, I always advice to keep things mellow – “easy does it” as some would say. I encourage puppy parents to talk their pet calmly, instead of full of excitement and with squeaky voices (baby voice). Reading a children’s book, or just talking to the pup about your day helps new sounds be taken in naturally, plus talking about your day out loud can be excellent therapy (win-win!).

During the first couple of days things are confusing, minimizing stress should be a top priority