The New Year is always busy with puppies arriving in their new homes. Over the past 10 years or so research has discovered that raising puppies is similar in some ways to how we raise children. Unfortunately, bad advice still does the rounds and as yet the updated advice hasn't become the norm.

I want to dispel a popular myth around settling your puppy at home. Settling in is a very important part of puppy's development and their first experiences in your home are crucial to them feeling confident, secure and happy.

Let's look at the first few nights. OLD MYTH: new puppy owners are often told to let puppy be alone at night and to let them cry it out.

I'm going to be blunt – this is unkind.

Puppy has come from a litter where for the past eight weeks they have slept cuddled up with either mum or their siblings. Suddenly they are on their own in a strange house, which smells unfamiliar and with people they don't know. Of course they are going to be unsettled.

Puppy is unlikely to be able to go through the night without needing the toilet – especially the first few nights when their digestion maybe upset due to a change in diet and natural anxiety. Puppies have small bladders and little sphincter control at this age so expecting them to hold their toilet for eight or more hours isn't realistic.

Puppies need to be with us during the night so we can attend to their needs. You can either have your puppy in your room in a crate (this doesn't mean forever – just until they are sleeping through the night) or you can sleep downstairs with them. If they whimper you can immediately get them out to the toilet and if it's not that then they may just need gentle reassurance. I used to gently tap the crate and say 'sshhhhh' in a calm quiet voice.

Other things you can do to help your puppy feel comfortable at night:

• Provide something warm to snuggle with. I recommend a snugglesafe microwaveable heat pad wrapped in a fleecy blanket;

• Ask the breeder to let puppy's mum sleep with a blanket you have provided for a few nights and bring that blanket home with you for puppy to sleep on;

• A ticking clock can also help puppy to settle;

• Reassurance from you.

Puppies have similar emotional needs to newborns so let's move with the times and give our pup a good start in their new homes.

Liz Cox is the founder and head trainer of Dawlish-based dog training business The Dog Nose.

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