How do I make my home pet-ready?

The change in a puppy’s life - leaving his natural family and moving to a completely new world - will be both exciting and stressful. Here is how you can ensure a smooth transition:

• Introduce family members one at a time. Do not scare your new pet.
• Children will naturally want to play with the new puppy, pick him up and pet him. Do this carefully at first.
• He will get used to the surroundings and seek out contact as he grows.

• The right puppy accessories are very important! A puppy needs a private place of his own. It could be a warm bed in a cosy corner - away from draughts, perhaps in the kitchen or living room. 
• Puppies chew everything, so the material you use to make a bed for your puppy should not be harmful for him. You could use a cardboard carton with the front removed, as a short-term measure. Line the bottom with newspaper or a washable blanket.
• As your dog grows, it is recommended that you buy a special, hard-vinyl dog bed. 

• If you do want to use a dog kennel, set it up in the spring or summer so that the puppy will gradually get used to his environment before winter.
• The kennel should be about double the width of the adult, fully grown dog.
• Keep the kennel dry and raised from the ground. Ideally, the roof or one of the sides should also be hinged to allow easy cleaning.
• Use good, warm bedding within.