When the day comes where you can finally bring your new German Shepherd puppy home, everyone is bound to be excited. However, the first few days are going to be an adjustment period for your new pup. They won’t have litter-mates to play with, and they won’t be following the same eating or sleeping schedule as they did prior to being adopted. They will also have to get used to you as their owners, as you are now their new pack, and this realization doesn’t occur overnight.
In that regard, it’s up to you to show them how things are going to work in their new home. Here’s how to get started:
Give them a sleeping area on the first night
If you’d like your German Shepherd to sleep in a specific area each night (whether it be on a blanket or in a crate), make sure that they sleep there on their very first night. This will make it easier for them to learn where they should sleep and where they should not. However, we do suggest that you let them sleep in the same room as you. German Shepherds are pack animals, so leaving them alone all night could upset them.
Keep them on the same food they were eating prior to adoption
When you adopt a German Shepherd puppy from Vom Springer, you’ll be given a bag of Nutri Source puppy food to bring home with you. Keep your pup on this food for an extended period time, as switching them to another food too quickly can cause them to get sick. We recommend continuing to use Nutri Source throughout their lives (using puppy food for the first year to help with growth and development), but if you do want to try a different brand, then make the transition slowly.
Start a schedule immediately
Here at Vom Springer, we keep our German Shepherds on a pretty strict eating and sleeping schedule. Nevertheless, things will be much different in your home, and it’s best to get your new puppy used to their new schedule as soon as possible. Even if you are going to be home with your puppy for the first few days, you should still operate as if it was a normal workday to better help your German Shepherd adjust.
For further questions on how to care for your new German Shepherd puppy, or to inquire about our most recent litters, contact us today online or by phone at 308-289-3651.