Now, that the first day with your new puppy is drawing to a close it is time to start your next adventure together, the pup's first night away from his mother and siblings. This first night in his new home is a very important one for you and your new puppy. This night will set the tone for all nights to come. You will need to decide on a location for you puppy to sleep during the night. This can be in your room with you or another small room, kitchen, laundry room, etc. Ideally, if his is not going to sleep in your room then you should put him in the location where you plan to keep him during the day when you are gone.
You should remove all food and water bowls a few hours before you plan to go to bed or otherwise you may be making frequent trips outside all night long. Make sure you play with him for a while to tire him out before putting him to bed. Try not to allow him to nap any right before bedtime. You want him to be tired enough to sleep soundly all night long. Then you should make sure you allow your puppy ample time to do his duty before putting him to bed.
After he is finished put him into his crate or bed for the night. It has been recommended by some breeders to place a piece of bedding from his former home or if not possible a piece of your clothing, maybe a sock or a small blanket or towel with your scent on it in his bed to comfort him throughout the night. Others recommend placing a hot water bottle in bed with him to give him something soft and warm to cuddle with. This would take the place of him cuddling with his mother and littermates during the night. This is not recommended for heavy chewers or you may have a flood to cleanup in the morning.
It is inevitable that your puppy will whine for a little while. This is normal as your puppy is used to having his mother and littermates to snuggle with during the night. You can put your hand on the bars of his crate so he can sniff your fingers and that should console him enough to eliminate the whining. Be strong and he will eventually fall asleep.
If he has slept for a few hours and wakes up crying it is likely that he has to go potty and that is his way of telling you. If this occurs you should take him out immediately. He has let you know he needs to go potty and that is a great start when it comes to potty-training. If he goes potty, give him lots of praise so he will know that he has done something good and will continue to let you know when he needs to go potty. You should then place him back into his crate for the rest of the night. If he whines again repeat the procedure. It is likely for the first few weeks that he may need to go out a couple of time during the night.
In the morning, take your puppy out immediately. You should carry him to the place where he is supposed to relieve himself. Puppies have to go potty immediately upon waking up and this is a great time to work on potty-training. Once he goes give him praise to reinforce this habit.
Now, that your puppy has been through his first night in his new home, it should be easier in the following nights. It is important to stand your ground and let your puppy learn the bedtime routine. It may seem cruel at first, but you and your family including your new puppy will thank you in the long run for lots of sleep filled nights.
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