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We tend to worry if a pet is right for our family. What if the breed we choose is not suitable for our children, or what if our lifestyle just isn’t set up to walk a larger dog for ninety minutes each day?

But while these questions are of course appropriate, it’s also important to ask – is your family right for your pet? Remember, while your dog is just a small part of your life, you are almost everything to your dog. You determine their schedule, living conditions, food, socialization, training, treats, family connection, satisfaction, even where and when they get to “go potty.”

For this reason, taking some time to acclimate your new puppy to your household (especially if you have pets) is a wise, and even kind thing to do. But how might you go about such an effort? Consider this:

Give Them A Space To Feel At Home In

Every puppy needs a safe haven, which serves as a a place they can go to when the world feels a bit overwhelming (and trust us, for a puppy, that happens quite often). This space could be a crate you can easily see into, a large bed in the corner of a room, or even just an area the like to relax in. Make it cozy with some soft blankets and a toy or two. This will help them start building trust in your space.

Introduce Them To The House Slowly

Imagine being dropped into a weird giant’s house (no offense), but everything is new, huge, and potentially scary and totally uncomfortable to you. That’s basically what your puppy is experiencing, and not only that, they may not be in the presence of a creature like them, only five to six foot highly intelligent and attentive people. It’s a bit much. So, take it slow. Start by limiting their access to just one or two rooms. As they become more comfortable and learn the house rules (like where it’s okay to play and where it’s not), gradually introduce them to new areas and show them that this is their house too, within reason. It will help them feel more secure.

Let Them Get Each Family Member’s Scent (Including Pet)

Dogs experience the world most strongly through their nose, something that is fortunately not the case for humans. So, to help your new puppy feel like part of the family, let them get familiar with everyone’s scent, by reaching out the bag of your hand gently or letting them sniff you. This doesn’t mean having a family sniff-fest (though that might be a fun story to tell). But allowing your dog to explore during a family gathering can be a good way to help them feel comfortable in this environment.

Implement A Reliable Routine

Some people enjoy giving their dog CBD calming chews for dogs when they need to relax or are becoming more fractious, but for many pets, you may find that implementing a routine can be a good place to start. That means making sure you wake up as close to the same time as you can each day, allowing them to have a toilet break at the same times, and feeding at the same time too. If your dog can rely on the routine, they don’t have to feel as worried about a new place, because they can relax into predictability.

With this advice, we hope you can acclimate your new puppy to your household, and welcome your new family member with comfort.