Feb 53 min read

Puppy's First Day Home

A puppy’s first day in their new home is a big day for everybody. Something to keep in mind is that while it’s exciting for you and your family, it can be stressful for the puppy leaving their mom and litter mates. It’s up to you to ensure the smoothest transition possible for you puppy.

THIS POST AT A GLANCE: -Introducing Puppy To It's New Home And Family

-Introducing Rules Right Away

-Provide Toys

-First Night

-Potty Training

-Establishing Routine

-Bonding

-The Following Weeks

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Introducing Puppy To It's New Home And Family

It can be challenging not to be all giddy and excited. But try to keep things clam & quite for your new puppy as they explore their new environment. Start with letting them check out their new yard. This gives them the opportunity to relieve themselves before going into the house. If you have a lot of family members, consider having the puppy meet them one at a time. Or at least in a quite circle, letting the puppy come to each person in their own time. Avoid passing the puppy around and overwhelming them with attention.

Introducing Rules Right Away

Some people may think it’s best to let puppy do what they want for their first day as they adjust to their surroundings. NO. It’s best to introduce rules and boundaries on day one of your puppy’s arrival. To wait until later can confuse your puppy. Keep things positive and understanding. If puppy starts chewing on something inappropriate, have a toy at the ready to swap the item with. If puppy potties inside, immediately get them outside and clean up the mess.

Provide Toys

Some puppies are chewing machines. You’ll want to show them right off the bat what toys are theirs and are appropriate to chew one. Ideally, you have a variety of toys with different textures and shapes to keep things interesting. You’ll also want to make sure the toys are age appropriate and are not too hard for a young puppies’ teeth. Be careful when it comes to rope toys as they can cause issues if the strings get ingested.

First Night

The first night can be the toughest. It’s best to put your new puppy’s crate in your room and near your bed. Ideally, if possible, you were able to get a cloth or something that smells like the puppy’s mom. This scent can be comforting to the puppy for their first night in their crate, but for some independent puppies it won’t matter. Be sure to play with them before bedtime so that they are ready to sleep. The puppy may cry throughout the night. But it’s important not to let them out of the crate other than to potty about every 2-3 hours. Some puppies are tired from the transition to a new home so the 2nd or 3rd night can be more challenging than the first.

Potty Training

Potty training is pretty simple. The aim is to get the puppy outside BEFORE they have an accident. Get your puppy outside often, about every 30-60 minutes. Frequency can depend on how much water they are drinking and how active they are. A common sign that your puppy needs to go is if they start wandering off and sniffing around. Puppies will almost always need to potty after a nap.

Establishing Routine

A routine will make things easier for everybody both for training and for your sanity. The puppy will know what to expect and when. They will figure out when it’s time to play and when it’s time to sleep. Here’s an example of the routine we established and that worked for us . . .

5-6:00 AM Wake Up

7:00 AM Breakfast

7:00 AM – 4:00 PM Play & Sleep

12:00 PM Training Session/Lunch

4:00 PM – 8:00 PM More play but only short naps to ensure tired for bedtime

6:00 PM Dinner

8:00 PM Bedtime

9-10:00 Final Potty Break

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Bonding

Keep things fun and positive and the puppy will begin to bond with you. Don’t feel bad if you don’t bond right away. It can take time to get used to the new addition. It’s can take anywhere from weeks to months. For me personally, the bond takes time and often comes after a lot of the hyper annoying puppy phase.

The Following Weeks

Keep up on the training and socializing. Be consistent and fair. And your puppy should develop into the companion you always wanted. Get to know your puppy’s personality and energy level so that if puppy gets sick, you’ll recognize early on when something is wrong.