Bringing home a new puppy is an exciting time! However, one of the first questions many new pet owners have is whether it’s okay to sleep with their puppy on the very first night. There are pros and cons to sleeping with a new puppy right away, so it’s important to weigh the options carefully. In this article, we’ll go over the key considerations to help you decide if sleeping with your new puppy from day one is the right choice.
The Pros of Sleeping with a New Puppy
There are some benefits to having your new puppy sleep with you on the first night. Here are some of the main advantages:
- Helps the puppy bond with you: Sleeping together right away can help facilitate bonding between you and the puppy. This closeness will strengthen your relationship.
- Reduces crying and whining: Puppy crying and whining can be common during the first few nights in a new home. Allowing them to sleep in your bed might help reduce separation anxiety.
- Reassures the puppy: Your new puppy is likely feeling unsure and anxious about their new surroundings. Sleeping with you provides comfort and reassurance.
- Lets you monitor the puppy: Having the puppy right next to you allows you to easily monitor their behavior at night. You can respond right away if any issues arise.
- Allows you to take the puppy out to potty: Since the puppy is next to you, you can quickly take them outside if they need to relieve themselves during the night.
For many pet owners, the enhanced bonding, reduced anxiety for the pup, and increased ability to monitor the puppy’s needs are big advantages of sleeping together on the first night.
The Cons of Sleeping with a New Puppy
On the other hand, there are also some drawbacks to consider when it comes to having a new puppy sleep in your bed right away:
- Potty training challenges: Sleeping together might undermine house-training efforts, since the puppy might urinate or defecate in the bed.
- Puppy biting and chewing: Puppies are inclined to chew and bite things at night, including you or your pajamas, sheets, pillows etc.
- Destructive behavior if unsupervised: You’ll need to supervise the puppy well at all times to ensure they don’t chew on any household items while left unattended in the bedroom.
- Disrupted sleep: Puppies can be quite restless at night. This could mean disrupted sleep for you.
- Difficulty transitioning later: If you start with the puppy in your bed, it might be harder down the road to transition them to their own sleeping space.
These potential drawbacks highlight why some pet owners prefer to have the puppy sleep in their own designated sleeping area from night one.
Setting Up the Right Sleeping Area for a New Puppy
If you opt to not sleep with your puppy right away, it’s important to set up an appropriate sleeping space for your new furry friend. Here are some tips:
- Get a comfortable crate or puppy pen – This enclosed sleeping space should be cozy, but big enough for the puppy to stand up and turn around.
- Include nice bedding – Cushion the crate or pen area with blankets, towels or a soft puppy bed.
- Choose the right location – Place the sleeping area in your bedroom at first, for easy access and monitoring.
- Make it den-like – Puppies feel comforted in dark, enclosed spaces. Cover part of the crate to help the puppy feel relaxed and secure.
- Use calming aids – You can try white noise, a ticking clock, heart-beat toy, or Adaptil diffuser to further soothe the pup.
- Practice crate training – Use treats to reward the puppy for calmly settling in their sleeping space in preparation for the first night.
With a cozy crate or pen set up and proper crate training, you can help your new puppy adjust to sleeping alone in their own dedicated sleeping space from the start.
Tips for the First Night with a New Puppy
Below are some additional tips to help ensure your puppy’s first night in your home goes smoothly, whether they sleep in your bed or in their own space:
- Wear out the puppy – Make sure they get plenty of playtime and exercise during the day so they are tired out for bedtime.
- Do last potty trips – Take the puppy outside right before bed to reduce accidents overnight.
- Remove food and water – Pick up food and water at least a couple hours before bed to help minimize overnight potty needs.
- Keep it quiet and calm – Try to avoid excessive excitement and stimulating play right before bedtime.
- Use comforting scents – Rub a blanket on mom and littermates to transfer comforting smells.
- Respond to crying – If the puppy cries, take them out to potty or offer brief, calm reassurance before putting them back to bed.
- Set an alarm – Wake up once or twice during the night to take the puppy outside to potty.
Implementing these tips can help get your puppy’s first night off to the right start, whether they are sleeping snuggled up with you or snoozing in their own cozy crate.
The Verdict: Is Sleeping with Your Puppy the First Night OK?
At the end of the day, there is no universally right or wrong answer to whether it’s fine to sleep with your new puppy on the very first night.
Here are some key factors to consider when making this decision:
| Consideration | Favors Sleeping Together | Favors Separate Sleeping Space |
|---|---|---|
| Bonding | Strengthens initial bond | Separate space encourages independence |
| Housetraining | Can take puppy out to potty | Helps establish good potty habits |
| Sleep disruption | More alert to puppy’s cues | Less disturbed sleep for owner |
| Supervision | Puppy monitored closely | Puppy can get into mischief if unwatched |
| Future transitions | Potentially harder to move pup later | Starts off routine of separate sleep space |
There are reasonable advantages on both sides. It’s a personal decision based on your preferences, lifestyle and commitment to monitor and properly train the puppy.
In the end, here are some good guidelines on whether sleeping with a new puppy is OK:
- Sleeping together is fine for one or two initial nights to help the puppy transition and bond with you. But it’s best not to make it an indefinite routine.
- If you want the puppy to sleep in their own space from the start, be sure to set up an appropriate crate or pen and practice crate training first.
- Be prepared to lose sleep! Especially in the first few nights, expect frequent wake-ups to take the puppy out to potty.
- Always monitor and supervise the puppy well, even at night, to prevent destructive behavior or accidents.
- Each puppy and owner’s situation is different. Take lifestyle factors, scheduling, household layout etc. into account when deciding where your puppy should sleep.
Conclusion
Welcoming a new puppy into your home is thrilling but challenging. Deciding where your puppy should snooze on the very first night is one of your important early decisions as a pet owner. There are pros and cons to both having the puppy sleep in your bed immediately or setting up their own designated sleeping space from day one. Factors like bonding, potty training, sleep habits, supervision, and future transitions should all weigh into your choice. While having a new furry friend snuggle up in bed with you might seem appealing at first, in the long run it’s often best to have the puppy sleep in their own comfortable, enclosed sleeping area right from the start. This sets up good habits and structure from the outset. Regardless of where the puppy sleeps, be sure to take them out frequently overnight and monitor them closely during the initial adjustment period. With smart preparation, understanding of your puppy’s needs, and commitment to potty training and supervision, your new puppy’s first night and beyond can get off to a great start.