Following are a few tips to ensure that you give your new Basset puppy all the help it needs in learning to adjust to its new home:

Don't have unrealistic expectations.

Don’t expect your puppy to "know" what to do once you get it home. Remember, your puppy will be lonely the first few days and nights that it is separated from its litter mates and familiar routine. Like children, puppies need to be taught what is expected of them.

Decide ahead of time who will be responsible for caring for your puppy.

If you have children it is best to divide the duties among them.

Crate training should begin as soon as you bring your new puppy home.

It is important to understand that crating a puppy is not cruel since all dogs have a nesting instinct and the desire to find a protected spot of their own. The crate becomes your puppy’s special "room" where he can feel protected and sleep or relax.

Crating will help your puppy adjust to its new home, keep it safe when you are away for short periods and help in the housebreaking process, since dogs, by nature, do not like to eliminate in their dens.

Teach your puppy to sleep in its crate the first night you bring him home. As hard as it may be, don’t give in to his crying or barking. It may take him a couple of days to stop missing his littermates.

Feeding your puppy in his crate and crating him in the car (the safest form of travel for your pet) will also help him adjust to his new quarters. By outfitting a crate with clean, soft, comfortable bedding and some special toys, all puppies soon learn to appreciate their special "room."

Set up a "dog area."

Young puppies and even older dogs need their own space where they can get away from children and the hub-bub of a busy family. In addition to crate training your puppy, you may also designate an area such as a laundry room or other room preferably with a tiled floor which can be sectioned off with a baby gate.

Puppies that are 2 to 4 months old need plenty of sleep. Your puppy may play for 30 minutes and then need to sleep for an hour or two.

Don’t stress a new puppy if it shows signs of needing to rest. Put him in his crate or dog area so he can sleep undisturbed.