First nights with new rescue - what would you do?

[neepsandtatties]

Picking up pup on Saturday. He's 7-months old and has been in foster for last 4 months. As he's always lived with dogs, I'm anticipating that he might find it strange being by himself at nighttime. He sleeps in the kitchen (but with other dogs) at his foster home and is fully housetrained so doesn't go out in the night. We ultimately want him to sleep in the kitchen. Would you put him there from day 1, and completely ignore any crying/barking (fortunately we are detached in the middle of nowhere so neighbours won't be an issue) or would you go down/sleep downstairs if he cried? Thanks in advance for any replies!

With any luck, he should come with a bed/crate/blanket from his foster home with familiar smells on it to help sooth him. I would ignore any initial whining, but perhaps stick your head around the door to shush him if he sounds really distressed. Overnight can seem like a long time for a young dog!

I always have at least two dogs so this isn't an issue, but I wouldn't leave a rescue or young dog on his own in a strange house. Sorry, I know most won't agree, but I think it is pretty heartless thing to do. Can you have a dog bed in your bedroom for him?

My rescue was absolutely fine in the kitchen first night in a crate with familiar bedding...she barked twice, i told her shush it's bed-time and she has been fine ever since.

I can't see how putting the dog in the bedroom first night would make it easier to put him/her in the kitchen later on.

however you could make it a "short night". With a previous anxious lurcher I slept in the sitting room with him on his "day bed" for the first part of the night then crated him for an hour and gradually increased the night time until he was happy...but he did have separation anxiety to start with which I was prepared for.

I am sure the foster person will have advice on your particular puppy

I'd put him in the kitchen, ideally with a blanket he's familiar with if this is possible and then go down briefly if he really gets upset. Putting him in the bedroom will only delay the inevitable and make it all the harder to settle him in the kitchen if that's where you want him to sleep.

we got ours at between 7-9 months (not sure exactly as he was a stray). Keep everything low key, not too many new things for him to cope with. We got ours used to crate during the day (fed him in there). He was unsettled the first few nights so I slept in front room with him in the kitchen. Our boy was not housetrained so he needed to go several times at night for the first week. Yours should be much easier. If he does whine, go to him, keep fuss down to a minimum and just let him out, then back into crate.

Start as you mean to go on - if you want him to sleep in kitchen, put his bed there.
Good luck and look forward to the photos