What to Do in the First Week With a New Puppy

Quick answer: In the first week with a new puppy, keep life calm and predictable. Set a simple daily routine, take your puppy out to the toilet very often, give them a safe place to sleep, book a vet check, and keep training short and kind. You do not need to do everything at once, and a little progress each day is enough.

The first week with a puppy is a lovely, tiring blur of cuddles, accidents and broken sleep. It is also when your puppy learns what their new home feels like. This plan gives you a clear order of things so nothing important gets missed. You can print the Puppy First Week Checklist and tick things off as you go.

Before your puppy comes home

A few minutes of preparation makes day one much easier.

• Choose a quiet puppy zone with a bed or crate, water and a few toys.
• Put away anything chewable or dangerous. Our puppy-proofing guide shows how.
• Get the basics: food, bowls, collar or harness with ID, lead, poop bags and cleaning supplies. The Puppy Shopping List covers it.
• Ask the breeder or shelter what food your puppy eats now, and when they last ate.

Day 1: Arrival

Keep it quiet. Take your puppy straight to the toilet spot first, then let them sniff around one room. Offer water and a small meal. Resist the urge to invite lots of visitors. Everything is new, and your puppy needs time to settle.

Plan for a toilet trip every hour or two, and after every sleep, meal and play. Praise and give a small treat the moment your puppy goes in the right place.

The first night

The first night is often the hardest part. Put the crate or bed close to your bed, so your puppy can hear and smell you. Some puppies cry, and that is normal. A warm (not hot) blanket, a safe chew and a final toilet trip before bed help. Expect to get up once or twice at first. Our First Night Checklist has a simple routine.

Day 2 to 3: Settle into a routine

Puppies feel safe when the day is predictable. Try to feed, play, toilet and sleep at similar times each day. Many young puppies sleep a lot, often 18 hours or more across the day, so short bursts of play followed by naps is normal.

A sample day might look like this:

• Wake up: straight out to the toilet spot, then breakfast.
• After meals: another toilet trip, then a little play or gentle training.
• Mid-morning, afternoon: naps in the puppy zone, toilet breaks after each one.
• Evening: dinner, quiet play, a last toilet trip.
• Bedtime: toilet one more time, then settle in the crate or bed.

The Potty Break Calculator can give you a rough guide for how often your puppy might need to go.

Day 3 to 4: Vet visit and feeding

Book a health check with your vet in the first few days. Take any papers from the breeder or shelter, and ask about vaccines, worming, flea and tick prevention, and microchipping. Use our First Vet Visit Checklist and the Vaccination Schedule Checklist to prepare your questions. Vaccine timing differs by country and by puppy, so your vet's plan comes first.

Keep your puppy on the same food they ate before. If you want to change it, do it slowly over about a week, mixing a little more of the new food each day. Young puppies usually eat several small meals a day. The Puppy Feeding Calculator gives a starting point, and your vet can confirm the right amount.

Day 4 to 5: Gentle training and socialising

Start with tiny, friendly sessions of a few minutes:

• Say your puppy's name and reward when they look at you.
• Teach sit with a treat held just above the nose.
• Let them rest in the crate with the door open, with a treat inside, so it feels like a nice place. See our Crate Training Checklist.

Mouthing and nipping are normal for puppies. Offer a chew toy instead, and calmly end play if the biting gets rough. Introduce new sounds, surfaces and people slowly and gently. Ask your vet when it is safe for your puppy to meet other dogs and walk in public places. The Socialization Checklist helps you plan.

Day 6 to 7: Look back and adjust

By the end of the week, you will see a pattern. Maybe your puppy needs the toilet every 90 minutes, or always wakes at 6 am. Adjust your routine to fit. Take a photo, write down what worked, and set a date for the next vaccine or vet visit. The Puppy Milestone Tracker turns your puppy's birthday into a simple schedule you can print.

Toilet training basics

• Take your puppy out often: after waking, eating, playing and every hour or two at first.
• Use the same spot and a calm word, and reward right after they finish.
• If there is an accident, clean it with an enzyme cleaner and say nothing. Do not scold. Your puppy is still learning.

Follow our Potty Training Checklist for a full step-by-step plan.

Common worries in the first week

• Crying at night. Very common. Keep them close, stay calm, and avoid long play at night.
• Accidents inside. Normal. Go out more often and reward success.
• Not eating much on day one. Stress can reduce appetite. If your puppy refuses food for a day, seems unusually sleepy, vomits or has diarrhoea, call your vet. Small and toy breeds can become unwell quickly.
• Feeling overwhelmed yourself. You are not alone. Take it one day at a time.

Your first week checklist

Print the Puppy First Week Checklist, tick items off, and add your own. You can also start with the New Puppy Checklist if you are still preparing.

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Every puppy is different, so please follow your own vet's advice.