Your Puppy's First Week Home

Short answer

The first week isn't about training milestones. It's about helping your puppy feel safe, getting toilet trips and rest into a simple rhythm, and preventing problems before they start. In order of importance:

• Toilet first: straight to the same outdoor spot as soon as you arrive, and after every sleep, meal and play.
• Keep it calm and small: one safe area to start, family introduced one at a time, visitors in a few days.
• Protect sleep: most of a young puppy's day is sleep, and an overtired puppy gets bitey and wild.
• Keep things the same: the food and meal times your puppy already knows.
• Stay close at night: a crate or pen beside your bed for the first nights.
• Book a vet check for the first few days, and ask what's safe outside before vaccinations are complete.

Everything else, from the full daily schedule to leash walking, can build from there.

Before you bring your puppy home

• Set up one safe area: a crate or pen, or a small gated room, with a bed, water and a couple of chews. The Essential Setup lesson is a checklist.
• Puppy-proof it: cables, shoes, cleaning products, medicines and anything small or chewable out of reach.
• Get the same food your puppy has been eating, and ask the breeder or rescue when and how much they feed (RSPCA).
• Ask for records: vaccinations, worming and flea treatment, and microchip details.
• Bring something that smells of home, like a blanket from the litter, if the breeder or rescue can spare one (PDSA).
• Choose the toilet spot and agree simple house rules with everyone at home: which rooms, which furniture, who does night trips.
• Register with a vet so you can book the first check straight away.

The first hour at home

If your puppy was sick or drooled a lot in the car, that's common on a first journey. See puppy car sickness if it keeps happening.

The rest of day one

• Short play, long rests. Young puppies tire quickly, and PDSA notes some sleep 18 to 20 hours a day (PDSA). Put your puppy in their safe area for naps rather than waiting for them to crash.
• Toilet trips after every sleep, meal, drink and play, always to the same spot. The potty schedule has how often by age.
• Meals at the usual times, with the same food. A change of home is enough change for now (RSPCA).
• No visitors yet. Friends and neighbours can meet your puppy in a few days, once they've settled (PDSA, AKC).
• No public walks yet. Until your vet says otherwise, keep to your home and a secure garden. You can still carry your puppy out to watch the world (see day 4 to 7).
• Supervise or confine. When you can't watch your puppy, they're in their safe area. It prevents accidents and chewing before habits form.

The first night

Most welfare charities and trainers suggest keeping your puppy close for the first nights, usually in a crate or pen beside your bed, so you can reassure them and take them out when they need to go (PDSA). Make the last toilet trip right before bed and expect at least one trip in the night; keep it quiet and boring, then straight back to bed.

Some crying on the first nights is normal, and it's fine to comfort your puppy. Should your puppy sleep in your bedroom? covers the setup, and puppy crying in the crate at night covers what to do if the crying goes on.

Days 2 and 3: build a simple rhythm

• One loop, all day: wake, toilet, food or play, toilet, a short game, nap. The puppy daily schedule shows it hour by hour for your puppy's age.
• Same toilet spot, same word, and a treat the moment they finish.
• Tiny games only: a minute of name practice (Name lesson), a few touches of paws and ears with treats (Handling Practice).
• Make the crate or pen pleasant with the door open: treats, a chew, meals inside. The crate training guide covers the steps.
• Short moments apart: a minute or two behind a gate while you're in the next room, so being alone isn't brand new later (Royal Kennel Club).

Days 4 to 7: widen the world, gently

• Vet check: if it isn't done yet, make it this week (AKC). Ask about the vaccination schedule, worming and flea treatment, and what's safe outside.
• Start socialising, safely. Veterinary behaviourists advise starting socialisation before the vaccination course is finished, while avoiding places where unknown dogs go (AVSAB). Carry your puppy to watch traffic and people, sit in the garden, and invite one calm visitor at a time. How to socialize a puppy has the plan, and New Sounds and Sights the gentle version for noises.
• Open up the house slowly, one more room at a time, with gates for the rest.
• Try the harness or collar indoors for a few minutes with treats; walks come later.
• Keep the rhythm going on busy days. Visitors and outings are extra, not a reason to skip naps.

What to start now, and what can wait

Start this week:

• Toilet routine and the same spot.
• Naps in a safe area.
• Short, calm alone moments.
• Gentle handling and name games.
• Crate or pen as a nice place.
• Safe socialising from home and in your arms.

It can wait:

• Walks in public places, until your vet says it's safe.
• Puppy parties, busy places and long outings.
• Formal obedience and long training sessions.
• Long periods alone.
• Decisions like your bed or the sofa; start with the setup you want long term.

Problem right now? Where to start

What's normal, and when to call the vet

Normal in the first week: sleeping most of the day, some crying the first nights, accidents, a smaller appetite on day one, hiding or clinging for a while, and being wild in short bursts before a nap.

Week-one checklist

• Toilet spot chosen and used after every sleep, meal and play.
• Safe area set up and puppy-proofed.
• Same food and meal times as before.
• Crate or pen beside your bed for the first nights.
• Vet check booked, and vaccination plan agreed.
• Naps built into the day.
• One calm visitor at a time, from about day four.
• A few minutes a day of name, handling and short alone moments.
• Safe socialising from home, the garden and your arms.

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