Welcoming an Irish Wolfhound puppy
The first night
PLAN A CALM PICK UP POINT
Collect your puppy on a day when you have a few quiet days at home afterwards. Bring a helper if you can, and travel with a secure crate or car safety restrainer - bear in mind how quickly a Wolfhound puppy grows, so choose a crate you won't need to replace within weeks.
Some car sickness is common on the first journey, so come prepared: bring water, poo bags, towels or kitchen roll, hand sanitiser, wipes, a dog bowl, and a toy.
If your journey is over an hour, which is likely then plan regular stops so your puppy can toilet and have a drink. It's best not to feed your puppy during travel unless the journey is longer than four hours. Your breeder will advise on feeding, but avoid treats for now — they're often rich and can upset a puppy's stomach very easily.
FIRST INTRODUCTION TO HOME
Take them outside for a toilet break before going indoors.
Allow them to explore one room at a time at their own pace.
Keep voices calm and soothing.
Introduce resident pets slowly and under supervision ideally away from the close confines of the home ie the garden or a safe area outside keeping your puppy close by or on a lead (if content) and ensure the resident dog is calm and under control.
Do not allow the puppy to jump all over the resident dog and ensure all dogs within the household have their own space.
Your puppy will seem quite excitable at first but the slower you take this integration into your home the more successful it is likely to be. Remember the puppy has been removed from the only environment with familiar smells and noises to somewhere very new and different. Their ability to retreat and decompress and sleep is vital for Irish Wolfhound puppies. This quiet space will be a haven for them (and you) for many months to come.
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Let the puppy sleep for as long as it needs to.
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Do not allow friends and family to pop in, pick up and play with the puppy, they need time to acclimatise and get used to their new surroundings and family.
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FIRST NIGHT TIPS
The first night can be unsettling. Some puppies settle quickly, others may cry and or whine.
Place them in their safe space, ideally not upstairs (avoiding the use of stairs is important) so make them a safe space in a downstairs room that has easy access outside. A lot of owners on those first few nights tend to sleep nearby so that if the puppy needs to toilet, they're able to wake you. This can be phased out over a few days but it's best to ensure that they're comfortable and not worried during the long nights.
When heading out to be clean (go to the toilet), you may have a preferred area you wish them to use. Start to take them to that area immediately and use a key word to encourage them to go to the toilet and a treat and comforting encouraging words.
Patience and consistency are key – you are laying the groundwork for a confident secure hound.