As a seasoned canine proprietor, I’ve had the privilege of welcoming two Dachshund puppies into my life – Summit and now, the most recent addition, Otter.
The primary week with a brand new furry member of the family could be each exhilarating and difficult, however with the precise strategy, it may also be an extremely rewarding expertise.
I’m sharing my private journey with my most up-to-date pet Otter, the teachings I’ve discovered, and the ideas I’ve gathered in hopes of constructing your personal Dachshund pet’s transition a easy one.
Observe: This weblog put up was edited from this video transcript, but it surely gives extra data and gildings.
Navigating the Airport and Flight with a Pet
Bringing Otter house from Kansas Metropolis to our house in Washington state concerned a flight, which gave me slightly anxiousness.
He was sufficiently small to journey in an authorised airline canine service below the seat, however I wasn’t positive how his newly-formed ears would deal with it and if he would bark and howl.
Otter proved to be a real champ all through the journey although.
Regardless of a one-hour flight delay, which posed a possible potty coaching problem, Otter managed to carry his bladder and bowels the complete time, not making a single mess in his crate.
I used to be impressed by his calm demeanor, as he solely fussed slightly through the touchdown, seemingly because of the air strain adjustments.
I’ve flown with two of my different canines earlier than and discovered that my fears have been unfounded – they actually impressed me – however, nonetheless, I get a bit nervous each time I fly with a brand new canine.
Using these tips for flying with a dog actually helped.
Introducing My Pet to My Pack
One of many largest worries folks appear to have is introducing their pet to the established pets in the home.
In my case, since I dogsit and my Dachshunds are used to accepting a rotating solid of characters, I took a extra relaxed strategy.
If a canine has been an solely canine for years and is used to being the focal point, introductions could be extra delicate.
In each circumstances, in my expertise, I feel it’s finest to simply convey the pet into the home with no massive fuss.
The distinction can be how carefully it’s essential supervise the older canine and the pet, in addition to how lengthy it could take your established pets to simply accept her or him.
As a substitute of the standard impartial territory introduction, I merely introduced Otter into our house and let the canines sniff and get acquainted at their very own tempo.
Brodie, one of many canine sitting shoppers who was with us and was going to be for one more few weeks, took on the position of Otter’s playful companion.
Brodie’s mild nature and Otter’s eagerness to discover resulted in a budding friendship that warmed my coronary heart.
Nevertheless, not all the pack members have been as welcoming. Gretel, my 14-year-old senior Dachshund, maintained a impartial stance, tolerating Otter’s occasional makes an attempt at cuddling however gently correcting him when he was too pushy.
Summit, my five-year-old, moody Dachshund was a bit more difficult.
There have been just a few resource-guarding incidents the place she snapped at Otter over meals.
That is an space we’re actively engaged on, as I attempt to make sure a harmonious and secure setting for all my furry members of the family.
Observe: Otter has been with us for five months now and all the canines know their place and get alongside nicely.
Potty Coaching and Early Coaching Efforts
Potty coaching is all the time a high precedence for me when welcoming a brand new pet, and Otter has been doing remarkably nicely.
As a work-from-home canine mother, I used to be in a position to take him out steadily, and strictly observe my proven potty training protocol.
He rapidly discovered to go potty outdoors.
The one hiccup we encountered was a single incident the place Otter refused to go outdoors after which instantly relieved himself indoors.
It simply served as a reminder for me that consistency and endurance are key in the case of potty coaching.
I didn’t get mad at him, simply calmly cleaned up the mess with a paper towel (no cleaner at first), and positioned it outdoors so he might odor himself the following time we went out.
5 Ideas for a Clean Pet Transition
Primarily based on my experiences with two puppies – Summit and now Otter – I’ve compiled 5 important suggestions to assist make the primary week with a brand new Dachshund pet a hit:
1) Take into account Your Pet’s Sleeping Preparations
The choice of whether or not to permit your Dachshund pet to sleep in your mattress from the beginning or to crate prepare them can have a major impression on their attachment and separation anxiousness.
Whereas I selected to have each puppies to sleep with me from day one, that might not be the very best strategy for everybody.
Should you suppose it’s your decision your pet to ultimately sleep in a crate, it’s essential to begin crate training early to keep away from difficulties down the road.
In reality, Otter’s breeder instructed me to have Otter sleep in his crate at night time for the primary 6 months.
I questioned this and she or he mentioned I might do what I needed, however she suggests this so {that a} canine first learns to sleep alone in a crate in case you ever want them to do it once more after permitting them into your mattress.
For sure, I didn’t hear. However trying again, it most likely was a very good tip.
Summit will go sleep in her crate on her personal typically, and I admit it’s good to have a canine that’s okay sleeping away from me.
I can really feel extra comfy if she must be in a crate if she suffers a again damage and has to undergo a crate rest period.
2) Begin Educating Your Pet to Be Alone Proper Away
Puppies are tremendous cute. They’re infants that rely upon us and could be very unsettled as a result of they’ve simply left their mother and the one phrase that they knew.
Nevertheless, there’s a stability between offering consolation and stability and coddling to the purpose your pet develops hyper-attachment.
I instantly began educating Otter that he wouldn’t die if I wasn’t proper there.
I primarily did this by placing him in his pen/crate with a natural chew, lick mat, or meals shelling out toy to maintain him busy whereas I took a bathe or washed some dishes.
I attempted to return again earlier than he was completed and began to fuss.
In the course of the first week, that didn’t give me a lot time away, however I plan to increase that period of time as he feels safer.
3) Don’t Try for Perfection
Elevating a pet is a studying expertise, and it’s essential to be variety to your self. Resist the urge to try to do all the pieces completely from the beginning.
In the course of the first week (and even the primary 3 months), I made a decision to give attention to the necessities like educating Otter his identify, potty coaching, socialization and confidence building, and bonding with him.
A canine can study obedience and tips at any age, however in case you miss the important socialization and bonding window, you’ll have to work no less than twice as arduous to realize it later…. And you could by no means get to the place you would have been in case you had began from day 1.
When it’s time to begin engaged on obedience, the primary issues I’ll educate him are sit, in your mat (place), go away it, and are available to me after I name.
4) Set up a Routine
You’re most likely heard this recommendation time and again for a Dachshund pet – you could set up a routine immediately as a result of canines like predictability.
Whereas I’ve usually agreed with this perception, one thing about it didn’t sit fairly proper with me. Particularly as a result of our life is something however routine, but my canines have been thriving.
In reality, I feel my Dachshunds are calmer and deal with change higher exactly as a result of I don’t observe a routine.
However then it hit me – I feel it’s attainable to have routine even in a life that’s chaotic and all the time altering.
To me, I like to consider routine as a free schedule. Some degree of predictability is important. And boy, there are particular issues my Dachshunds positive gained’t let me neglect!
Two issues that I take into account a predictable routine are:
- The weenies eat twice a day, usually round 7:30 am and 4:30 pm.
- The canines all the time sleep with me (or an individual), it doesn’t matter what time that’s or the place we occur to be.
I additionally take into account “routine” to be a trigger and impact conduct… after I do A, I need my canines to do B.
I earn a living from home, so an instance of this is able to be that after I sit at my desk, it doesn’t matter what time of day that it’s, I need the canines to settle and maybe fall asleep.
To me, establishing a routine is extra about setting expectations and making an attempt to remain as according to these as attainable, relatively than having a structured time schedule for all the pieces (though if that’s your jam, that’s okay too).
5) Train Your Pet to Settle
As soon as, after I was lamenting that I couldn’t get any work carried out with my pet Summit in the home, a canine coach in my mastermind group supplied this recommendation:
“Probably the most essential jobs as a pet proprietor is to show your canine the routine of the home. Most significantly, it’s essential educate them when it’s time to play and be lively, and when it’s time to settle or entertain themselves (with one thing secure).”
A lightbulb went off in my head. What?? I really do this? This idea was an absolute game-changer for me.
Educating my puppies to settle has allowed me to take care of my very own productiveness whereas nonetheless offering him with the eye and care he wants.
My older canines already knew this routine, however Otter was having a tough time catching on, even when Summit snarked at him for disrupting her magnificence sleep.
I put Otter’s crate close to my desk and closed him inside with a pure chew after I sat in my chair and he began to catch on fairly rapidly.
Ultimate Ideas
Welcoming a brand new Dachshund pet into your life is a very particular expertise, but it surely’s additionally a major endeavor.
By studying from my very own journey and implementing the following pointers, I’m assured which you can navigate the primary week together with your new furry buddy with higher ease and confidence.
Keep in mind, each pet is exclusive, and the secret is to be adaptable, affected person, and prepared to study alongside your new companion.
Get pleasure from this particular time, and take a look at different articles on my weblog for extra suggestions.
