July 10, 2025 • 9 mins
Bringing home a new puppy or dog is exciting—but it can also feel overwhelming. In this episode, we’re diving into the essential steps you can take to help your new furry family member settle into their new environment and feel truly safe.
From creating a calm first impression to building a routine, setting up a cozy space, and using low-pressure bonding techniques, you’ll learn practical, kind, and effective ways to build trust from day one. Whether you’re welcoming a tiny puppy or giving a rescue dog a fresh start, this episode will help you lay the foundation for a happy, confident, and connected life together.
Perfect for first-time dog parents or anyone looking to build a better bond with their pup.
🎧 Tune in and embark on your new journey with patience, understanding, and a heart full of kindness.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
When we first bring a new dog into our home, it can
be a nerve-wracking experiencefor them New places, new people,
new smells.
What are a few things that wecan do to help our dogs feel
safe and comfortable in theirnew space with us faster?
Stay tuned.
Today we're talking all aboutit.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
(00:22):
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter Bella, the online puppy
school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
(00:43):
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hey you guys, I hope you arehaving a great week.
It is July and in the US thatmeans there are lots of
fireworks.
So just a reminder that not alldogs love loud sounds and it's
okay to leave your puppy home ina quiet space with some music
(01:06):
playing or give them theirfavorite chews and let them be
comfortable in their own space.
They don't need to go to all ofour holiday celebrations with
us, and some don't mind it, it'strue, but it's good to be aware
that some really don't like theloud booms and it can be scary
for them.
In fact, it can disorient themand if our dogs are out loose
running around which hopefullythey're not they could take off
(01:27):
and disappear, and we don't wantthat.
So hopefully you and your pupsare happy and safe this holiday
season and are enjoying yoursummer.
Oh, I love warm weather.
It feels so good.
I live in Utah, so we getextremes.
We get really hot in thesummers and we get really cold
in the winters, and I am justenjoying the fact that I can
wear flip-flops.
So I hope you're having a goodsummer.
(01:48):
Today I want to just talk abouta few things that we can do to
create a nice safe feeling forour puppies or dogs when we
bring them home for the firsttime, because it is a
transitional time and it can bestressful for them.
So are there just some concretethings that we could all do to
make that transition a littleeasier.
So let's start with the veryfirst day.
(02:09):
I know it's super exciting,maybe even somewhat emotional,
but we want to try to keepthings calm and low pressure for
our new dog.
Think about it from theirperspective.
They've just been taken fromeverything.
They know Everything smells,sounds and looks differently
than what they're used to.
That can be a little scary guys.
So instead of inviting friendsover or letting the kids run
(02:30):
wild, try to create a quiet,cozy welcome.
We want to let our dogs sniffaround on their own time.
Avoid overwhelming them withtoo much attention right away,
especially if they seem unsure.
We want to have a nice safespace ready for them, like a
comfy bed or a quiet place inpart of the house where they
have a crate set up.
I like to put the crate insideof an exercise pen and I have
(02:53):
some toys and a water bowl andmy puppy's food, and that's what
we call their zen den.
This is where they'll spendmost of their time, for the
first few weeks is in this area.
It's their bedroom.
They get familiar with thisspace first.
Is it okay to let them sniffthe rest of your house?
Absolutely, I would let themexplore the more that they can
kind of just sniff around.
That will relax them and theyget to experience your space.
(03:18):
But as for their space and whatthey're going to be comfortable
in, we're going to shrink ourhouse down to a smaller size.
They'll get more comfortablemore quickly.
We want to show them from thestart that this is a safe,
predictable environment.
Next, we want to make sure thatdogs, especially puppies, have a
routine.
So they thrive on routine.
(03:39):
They love knowing what toexpect.
So from day one, we gentlyintroduce them to the rhythm of
our house.
That means feeding them at thesame times each day and taking
them out for potty breaksregularly, keeping walks or
playtime consistent.
Now we don't have to spendevery second with them.
They're going to sleep a lot ofthe day, especially if they're
a new puppy.
If they're an older dog, thenthey might be awake for more of
(04:02):
the day.
But in general, expect a lot ofnaps, and it doesn't have to be
a military schedule, butpredictable routines help reduce
anxiety and they build trust.
Your dog will start to learn.
This is when I go outside, thisis when I eat, this is when we
nap.
And remember puppies need a lotof naps.
If your puppy is gettingextremely bitey or irrational,
(04:24):
they won't listen or redirect orfocus.
They're tired and that's yoursignal that they need a break.
So remember your puppy's alittle growing machine.
Give them plenty of quiet timeand try not to overstimulate
them with too much training orplay all at once.
We want to break that outthroughout the day into little
short segments.
Now let's talk about bonding.
One of the best ways to helpyour new dog settle is to build
(04:47):
a connection based on trust, notjust affection.
Sit with them while they chewon a toy or take them for calm
walks where they can sniff andexplore.
If you have a young puppythat's not fully vaccinated,
this can be done inside of yourhouse or in your private
backyard.
We can offer food rewards whenthey come to you.
You can use a soft voiceinstead of a loud voice.
We want to let them set thepace.
(05:08):
Now, if your dog happens to bea little more on the shy or
nervous side, we don't want toforce contact, so let them come
to you.
One of the things I tellfamilies is when you first bring
that puppy home, everybody siton the floor, keep your arms in
your lap, your hands in your lap, and let that puppy go to each
person and sniff and smellwithout people reaching or
(05:29):
grabbing or picking up.
This can help your puppy buildtrust and respect for you and
your family members, especiallychildren.
If you want to be the favoritechild, listen to this one, right
?
Don't pick your puppy up.
So trust is what creates thatdeep bond that we're all looking
for.
And we can start to build thatright away by keeping ourselves
calm and helping our puppy stayrelaxed.
(05:49):
So short, gentle trainingsessions can also build
confidence.
Uh, both yours and theirs.
Start simple like rewardingthem for responding to their
name.
If you say their name and theylook at you, pay them a little
food reward.
Or sitting calmly near youAnytime your puppy sits yes, and
feed them a food reward.
They come to you, they sit, yes, food reward.
Uh, they just start to pick upon these little patterns and
(06:11):
they learn oh, when I sit, I getfood reward.
Or she says yes, and then aprice comes out.
Right, and remember it's okayIf progress is slow.
You're laying the foundationthis week.
That's all you're doing.
You're just laying a foundationfor a lifelong relationship.
Training will come.
It'll all start to come in time.
We don't need to rush into it.
(06:32):
One of the kindest things youcan do is to manage your puppy's
environment.
This will help them feel safe.
That might mean using babygates to keep them in the main
living area instead of lettingthem roam the whole house right
away.
Your whole house can be veryoverwhelming to a new puppy.
That's a lot of space.
Even if you live in a onebedroom studio apartment, that's
a lot of space to them.
So limit access to places thatmight be overwhelming or full of
(06:54):
tempting things to chew on.
If you're limiting the troublethey can get into, you're not
correcting them and, again,that's helpful because we want
to have this positiverelationship with them.
If you're constantly having toredirect them or tell them no,
that's not a great start to getoff to.
So instead, manage.
Set up baby gates, set upexercise pens, keep them on a
(07:14):
leash with you.
We want to manage theirbehavior so that we're not
constantly telling them no andwe want to say a lot of yeses
and then they learn oh, it'sgreat to be with this person.
I love to be with this person.
She's so fun and rewarding.
So, again, limiting access toplaces that might be
overwhelming or full of temptingthings to chew can be helpful.
Keep kids and other petssupervised around the new dog
(07:36):
you might need to separate.
If you have other animals inthe house, you might need to
create spaces and rotate yourhousehold, meaning the cat can
be out in this room right nowand the puppy's taking a nap in
the crate and then they canswitch right.
Or if you have multiple dogs,we can feed them in separate
spaces so that there's not anyof that tension built up around
who gets the food fastest right.
(07:57):
Or first, and don't forget thepower of scent Sending home a
blanket or toy from the breederor shelter or foster home
wherever you picked up your dogfrom can provide some comfort,
something familiar.
If you can bring somethingfamiliar to your puppy into your
space, that can help with thetransition.
You're not being over thetransition, you're not being
overprotective.
You are creating the conditionswhere your dog can relax and
(08:18):
learn, and that's important.
It makes a big difference.
Finally, I think the biggestgift you can give your new dog
is patience.
Every dog is different.
They're all unique.
Some will settle in within aday or two.
Others might need weeks or evena month to feel totally safe.
There will be mistakes.
Accidents are going to happen.
Right, they might pee on yourcarpet, or maybe they bark at a
(08:38):
shadow, maybe even a littlefurniture chewing, which we're
going to interrupt and redirectas soon as we catch that right.
Or we're watching them and ifthey look at the sofa, we could
redirect them before the chewing, that would be even better.
But take a deep breath.
These aren't signs of failure.
They're part of the learningprocess.
Your calm presence, yourconsistency and being a gentle
leader will help your dog feelat home in ways that words never
(09:01):
could.
So be kind to them and don'tforget to be kind to yourself.
That's it for today.
Thanks for listening, you guys,and have a wonderful rest of
your week.
Happy training.
Thanks for tuning in to thepuppy training podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency, you
(09:22):
can create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
When we first bring a new dog into our home, it can
be a nerve-wracking experiencefor them New places, new people,
new smells.
What are a few things that wecan do to help our dogs feel
safe and comfortable in theirnew space with us faster?
Stay tuned.
Today we're talking all aboutit.
Welcome to the Puppy TrainingPodcast.
(00:22):
I'm Amy Jensen, founder ofBaxter Bella, the online puppy
school.
Here we are all about helpingyou create the best possible
experience raising a puppy, fromtraining tips to practical
tricks, all aimed at fostering ahappy, well-behaved dog who
truly feels like part of thefamily.
So if you are ready to enjoythe journey and strengthen the
(00:43):
bond with your dog, let's getstarted.
Hey you guys, I hope you arehaving a great week.
It is July and in the US thatmeans there are lots of
fireworks.
So just a reminder that not alldogs love loud sounds and it's
okay to leave your puppy home ina quiet space with some music
(01:06):
playing or give them theirfavorite chews and let them be
comfortable in their own space.
They don't need to go to all ofour holiday celebrations with
us, and some don't mind it, it'strue, but it's good to be aware
that some really don't like theloud booms and it can be scary
for them.
In fact, it can disorient themand if our dogs are out loose
running around which hopefullythey're not they could take off
(01:27):
and disappear, and we don't wantthat.
So hopefully you and your pupsare happy and safe this holiday
season and are enjoying yoursummer.
Oh, I love warm weather.
It feels so good.
I live in Utah, so we getextremes.
We get really hot in thesummers and we get really cold
in the winters, and I am justenjoying the fact that I can
wear flip-flops.
So I hope you're having a goodsummer.
(01:48):
Today I want to just talk abouta few things that we can do to
create a nice safe feeling forour puppies or dogs when we
bring them home for the firsttime, because it is a
transitional time and it can bestressful for them.
So are there just some concretethings that we could all do to
make that transition a littleeasier.
So let's start with the veryfirst day.
(02:09):
I know it's super exciting,maybe even somewhat emotional,
but we want to try to keepthings calm and low pressure for
our new dog.
Think about it from theirperspective.
They've just been taken fromeverything.
They know Everything smells,sounds and looks differently
than what they're used to.
That can be a little scary guys.
So instead of inviting friendsover or letting the kids run
(02:30):
wild, try to create a quiet,cozy welcome.
We want to let our dogs sniffaround on their own time.
Avoid overwhelming them withtoo much attention right away,
especially if they seem unsure.
We want to have a nice safespace ready for them, like a
comfy bed or a quiet place inpart of the house where they
have a crate set up.
I like to put the crate insideof an exercise pen and I have
(02:53):
some toys and a water bowl andmy puppy's food, and that's what
we call their zen den.
This is where they'll spendmost of their time, for the
first few weeks is in this area.
It's their bedroom.
They get familiar with thisspace first.
Is it okay to let them sniffthe rest of your house?
Absolutely, I would let themexplore the more that they can
kind of just sniff around.
That will relax them and theyget to experience your space.
(03:18):
But as for their space and whatthey're going to be comfortable
in, we're going to shrink ourhouse down to a smaller size.
They'll get more comfortablemore quickly.
We want to show them from thestart that this is a safe,
predictable environment.
Next, we want to make sure thatdogs, especially puppies, have a
routine.
So they thrive on routine.
(03:39):
They love knowing what toexpect.
So from day one, we gentlyintroduce them to the rhythm of
our house.
That means feeding them at thesame times each day and taking
them out for potty breaksregularly, keeping walks or
playtime consistent.
Now we don't have to spendevery second with them.
They're going to sleep a lot ofthe day, especially if they're
a new puppy.
If they're an older dog, thenthey might be awake for more of
(04:02):
the day.
But in general, expect a lot ofnaps, and it doesn't have to be
a military schedule, butpredictable routines help reduce
anxiety and they build trust.
Your dog will start to learn.
This is when I go outside, thisis when I eat, this is when we
nap.
And remember puppies need a lotof naps.
If your puppy is gettingextremely bitey or irrational,
(04:24):
they won't listen or redirect orfocus.
They're tired and that's yoursignal that they need a break.
So remember your puppy's alittle growing machine.
Give them plenty of quiet timeand try not to overstimulate
them with too much training orplay all at once.
We want to break that outthroughout the day into little
short segments.
Now let's talk about bonding.
One of the best ways to helpyour new dog settle is to build
(04:47):
a connection based on trust, notjust affection.
Sit with them while they chewon a toy or take them for calm
walks where they can sniff andexplore.
If you have a young puppythat's not fully vaccinated,
this can be done inside of yourhouse or in your private
backyard.
We can offer food rewards whenthey come to you.
You can use a soft voiceinstead of a loud voice.
We want to let them set thepace.
(05:08):
Now, if your dog happens to bea little more on the shy or
nervous side, we don't want toforce contact, so let them come
to you.
One of the things I tellfamilies is when you first bring
that puppy home, everybody siton the floor, keep your arms in
your lap, your hands in your lap, and let that puppy go to each
person and sniff and smellwithout people reaching or
(05:29):
grabbing or picking up.
This can help your puppy buildtrust and respect for you and
your family members, especiallychildren.
If you want to be the favoritechild, listen to this one, right
?
Don't pick your puppy up.
So trust is what creates thatdeep bond that we're all looking
for.
And we can start to build thatright away by keeping ourselves
calm and helping our puppy stayrelaxed.
(05:49):
So short, gentle trainingsessions can also build
confidence.
Uh, both yours and theirs.
Start simple like rewardingthem for responding to their
name.
If you say their name and theylook at you, pay them a little
food reward.
Or sitting calmly near youAnytime your puppy sits yes, and
feed them a food reward.
They come to you, they sit, yes, food reward.
Uh, they just start to pick upon these little patterns and
(06:11):
they learn oh, when I sit, I getfood reward.
Or she says yes, and then aprice comes out.
Right, and remember it's okayIf progress is slow.
You're laying the foundationthis week.
That's all you're doing.
You're just laying a foundationfor a lifelong relationship.
Training will come.
It'll all start to come in time.
We don't need to rush into it.
(06:32):
One of the kindest things youcan do is to manage your puppy's
environment.
This will help them feel safe.
That might mean using babygates to keep them in the main
living area instead of lettingthem roam the whole house right
away.
Your whole house can be veryoverwhelming to a new puppy.
That's a lot of space.
Even if you live in a onebedroom studio apartment, that's
a lot of space to them.
So limit access to places thatmight be overwhelming or full of
(06:54):
tempting things to chew on.
If you're limiting the troublethey can get into, you're not
correcting them and, again,that's helpful because we want
to have this positiverelationship with them.
If you're constantly having toredirect them or tell them no,
that's not a great start to getoff to.
So instead, manage.
Set up baby gates, set upexercise pens, keep them on a
(07:14):
leash with you.
We want to manage theirbehavior so that we're not
constantly telling them no andwe want to say a lot of yeses
and then they learn oh, it'sgreat to be with this person.
I love to be with this person.
She's so fun and rewarding.
So, again, limiting access toplaces that might be
overwhelming or full of temptingthings to chew can be helpful.
Keep kids and other petssupervised around the new dog
(07:36):
you might need to separate.
If you have other animals inthe house, you might need to
create spaces and rotate yourhousehold, meaning the cat can
be out in this room right nowand the puppy's taking a nap in
the crate and then they canswitch right.
Or if you have multiple dogs,we can feed them in separate
spaces so that there's not anyof that tension built up around
who gets the food fastest right.
(07:57):
Or first, and don't forget thepower of scent Sending home a
blanket or toy from the breederor shelter or foster home
wherever you picked up your dogfrom can provide some comfort,
something familiar.
If you can bring somethingfamiliar to your puppy into your
space, that can help with thetransition.
You're not being over thetransition, you're not being
overprotective.
You are creating the conditionswhere your dog can relax and
(08:18):
learn, and that's important.
It makes a big difference.
Finally, I think the biggestgift you can give your new dog
is patience.
Every dog is different.
They're all unique.
Some will settle in within aday or two.
Others might need weeks or evena month to feel totally safe.
There will be mistakes.
Accidents are going to happen.
Right, they might pee on yourcarpet, or maybe they bark at a
(08:38):
shadow, maybe even a littlefurniture chewing, which we're
going to interrupt and redirectas soon as we catch that right.
Or we're watching them and ifthey look at the sofa, we could
redirect them before the chewing, that would be even better.
But take a deep breath.
These aren't signs of failure.
They're part of the learningprocess.
Your calm presence, yourconsistency and being a gentle
leader will help your dog feelat home in ways that words never
(09:01):
could.
So be kind to them and don'tforget to be kind to yourself.
That's it for today.
Thanks for listening, you guys,and have a wonderful rest of
your week.
Happy training.
Thanks for tuning in to thepuppy training podcast.
I hope today's tips help youfeel more confident and excited
about raising your dog.
Remember, with a littlepatience and consistency, you
(09:22):
can create a loving bond and awell-behaved pup who's a joy to
have in your family.
If you found this episodehelpful, be sure to subscribe,
leave a review and share it withfellow puppy parents.
For more resources, visitBaxter and Bella online.
Until next time, happy training.
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