Bedding Notes
I don't believe puppies miss their mum when they go to new homes, as I let mum wean naturally and this usually 2 weeks prior to their new homes, mum has been a distant memory. But its the warmth from their siblings that they may miss the first few nights, as they are used to sleeping in a puppy pile that keeps them warm and provide company. So with my own puppy, I will be making sure she has plenty of bedding to snuggle into, a snack before bedtime and plenty of time to toilet before she goes to bed ... then I just cross my fingers lol I ignore any winging unless it becomes obvious that my puppy is distressed, just take the tough love practical approach right from the start and your puppy will be settling happily into bed each night within a few days.
A hot bottle filled with hot tap water is a great substitute for sibling warmth the first few nights, If you puppy has arrived in a crate, you can use this as it’s inside bed. It’s a great tool for house training as well, when you’re teaching toileting habits or house manners.
Their bed needs to be somewhere warm and secure.
I suggest everyone crate train their babies as this teaches them to settled down and sleep on their own and helps speed up toilet training. I put a folded newspaper at the end of the crate so if they can't hold on - they have somewhere to go toilet.
No dogs likes to pee in its bed, so they'll hold on as long as possible, just like children some toilet train quicker than others - but if you set up a good routine it won't take long at all.
If you're going to crate your puppy at night, I put an old sleeping bag over the top of the crate, so that the puppy knows its sleep time and is protected from drafts.
The 2nd hand shops like Salvation Army usually have cheap mattress protectors or old sleeping bag and these make an excellent bedding options in the early stages, during the teething stage when things get chewed and played with.
Some ideas that work for me:
Your puppy will come with a piece of blankets with familiar litter mate smells on it.
Decide now where your puppy is going to sleep, as once you have them on the bed, that’s where they will stay.
If your puppy is to sleep outside you’ll need a good warm kennel. The plastic ones are good because they are draft free and easily cleaned and moved into any position. I urge you to invest in a product called “dry bed” this is what the puppies are sleeping on at the moment.it is expensive but will probably last the life time of your cocker. Its unique construction allows moisture to seep through and thus keep your dog warm and dry. A real blessing on cold winter nights, otherwise a cold dog will howl or bark to let you know they are cold.
