The first week at home with your new puppy.

The First Week at Home With Your New Puppy

Bringing your puppy home is such an exciting moment — but it can also feel overwhelming. The key to a smooth transition? Preparation.

Before your puppy even steps paw through the door, take time as a family to agree on your boundaries. Consistency is everything, so be united in your expectations and stick to them from day one.

Start by asking yourselves:

• Why did we get a puppy? Will they be a show dog, a lap dog, an agility star, or simply a wonderful companion?

• Who do they need to bond with? Children? Other pets? Extended family?

• Will they need to settle in at the local pub or school run chaos?

• Where will they sleep?

• What rooms are they allowed in?

• Can they go on the sofa?

• Do you mind them jumping up?

Having a clear plan in place will help your puppy adjust quickly — and reduce confusion or mixed messages. Your home, your rules.

🐶 Day One: Keep It Calm

Your first day together should be quiet and low key. It’s tempting to invite everyone over to meet your new arrival, but it’s much better to minimise contact and stimulation. This isn’t the time for visitors, pass-the-puppy, or a full house.

Instead:

• Stick to the people who live in the home

• Keep the environment predictable

• Let your puppy explore slowly and safely

• Let them sleep — a lot!

  
  

🚪 Visitors: Set the Tone Early

As hard as it is — ask visitors to ignore the puppy when they first arrive. No squealing, fussing, or reaching down. It feels counterintuitive, but teaching your puppy that visitors are boring and off-limits helps avoid overexcitement, jumping up, or boundary-pushing later on.

Your puppy should learn to observe calmly when the doorbell rings — not rush the door or see people as playmates. You can reward calm behaviour and build confidence around new people in a way that’s controlled and positive.

🧠 In Summary

The first week is about:

• Structure

• Calmness

• Teaching your puppy what life in your home looks like

• Bonding in a gentle, low-pressure way

You’re laying the foundations not just for the next few months — but for the next 10–15 years.

🚽 Toilet Training: The Easiest First Lesson

Toilet training might feel daunting, but it’s actually one of the easiest things to teach — and believe me, your puppy wants to get it right. Puppies are naturally clean animals and prefer to go to the toilet outside. With consistency and patience, they’ll pick it up quickly.

The moment you bring your puppy home, take them straight to the designated toilet area. Use the command we’ve already introduced —

“Wee wee” —and wait quietly until they go. When they do, celebrate it! Offer gentle praise and a small treat to reinforce the behaviour.

🕑 When to Take Your Puppy Out:

Expect to take your puppy outside frequently, especially at these times:

• After eating

• After drinking

• After sleeping

• After playing

• Every hour (at minimum) in between

Don’t wait for signs — just go.

🦮 Lead = Structure

Using a lead when taking your puppy out to toilet helps them learn the difference between a quick toilet break and playtime in the garden. It also gives you control, reinforces routine, and helps your puppy focus on the job instead of being distracted by leaves, sticks, or siblings!

Over time, they’ll associate that short, purposeful trip with the command and the outcome — and you’ll have far fewer accidents in the house.

🚨 A Note on Accidents

Even the most well-raised puppies will have accidents — that’s totally normal. The key is consistency, patience, and avoiding punishment. If they miss the mark, just clean up, reset, and try again next time.