Most newly acquired puppies are not housebroken. When the animal is first brought into the home it should therefore be taken to a room such as the kitchen where it can do the least amount of damage. Several thicknesses of newspaper should be spread on the floor, and the animal should be left to its own resources for a while.

The pup will make a thorough inspection of its new surroundings. At this time the animal is quite scared and uncertain of its new situation. Therefore it is better not to feed it anything for a couple of hours, because eating at this stage might lead to an upset stomach. Speak to the animal in a soothing voice and pet it occasionally to reassure it. Do not permit any excessive fondling at this time, especially by children, and do not try to put a collar, harness, or leash on the animal. Nor should any efforts at grooming or bathing be made at this early stage.

If, at the end of the two-hour waiting period, it is plain that the animal has acquired a certain amount of ease in its new surroundings, a small dish of milk or dog food may be offered. A short time after this feeding, the animal will probably get drowsy and want to sleep. The animal may be bedded down in a carton box of comfortable size, into which some newspaper has been shredded.

Often an animal may whine or cry for a couple of nights, but this will stop after it gets over its lonesomeness. A good device, especially in the cooler seasons of the year, is to place a hot-water bag wrapped in a towel into the box with the pet. A heating pad will serve the same purpose.

The warmth from either one of these implements will be comforting to the animal, and seems to be reminiscent of its mother’s body. The heat will also tend to make the animal drowsy. This procedure will often discourage the dog’s whining even on the very first night. If it is repeated on successive nights, the animal will associate comfort with the box and will go into it as a matter of routine when bedtime comes. This is very helpful in the early stages of training a puppy. In warm climates or warm seasons, the heating pad or hot-water bag will be of only questionable benefit because it may make the animal uncomfortable. In such cases it would probably be better to feed the animal a tidbit every time it is placed in the bed. In this way the animal will quickly learn to associate pleasantness with its bed.

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