Puppy first week checklist

Before the puppy arrives

• Puppy proof one room: cables tied up, cleaning products locked away, small chewables off the floor
• Check the garden or balcony for gaps a small dog can get through
• Remove toxic plants and foods within reach. Chocolate, grapes, raisins, onion, garlic, macadamia nuts and xylitol sweetener are all toxic to dogs
• Set the crate up somewhere quiet but not isolated, with bedding in it
• Buy the same food the breeder or shelter is feeding, so you can change it slowly later
• Book a vet appointment for the first few days
• Find out what vaccinations and worming the puppy has already had, in writing
• Save the nearest emergency vet number in your phone

Day one

• Carry the puppy straight to the toilet spot before going inside
• Keep the first day quiet. No visitors, no party, no long car trips
• Show the puppy where water, bed and the toilet spot are, then let it explore at its own pace
• Feed the same food and the same number of meals it was already having
• Expect a broken first night. Put the crate next to your bed for the first few nights
• Fit the collar or harness and the ID tag

Toilet training

• Take the puppy out after waking, after eating, after play, and every hour or two in between
• Go to the same spot every time and wait, do not play until it has gone
• Reward within two seconds of finishing, outside, not once you are back indoors
• Clean accidents with an enzyme cleaner, never with ammonia based products
• Do not punish accidents. It teaches the puppy to hide where it goes, not to hold on

Vet and health

• First vet check within the first few days, bring the paperwork from the breeder or shelter
• Confirm the vaccination plan and book the next dose before you leave
• Confirm the worming plan and what the puppy has already had
• Start flea, tick and, where relevant, heartworm prevention on the vet's advice
• Check the microchip is registered to you, not to the breeder
• Ask about pet insurance before anything is diagnosed, since pre existing conditions are excluded
• Weigh the puppy and write it down, then weigh weekly

Socialisation, weeks one to twelve

• The main socialisation window closes around 12 to 16 weeks. Use it
• Carry the puppy out to see traffic, trains, crowds and umbrellas before it is fully vaccinated
• Introduce handling: paws, ears, mouth, tail, a few seconds at a time with food
• Meet calm, fully vaccinated adult dogs. Avoid dog parks until the course is complete
• Get the puppy used to the car with short, boring trips that do not end at the vet
• Book a puppy class that requires proof of vaccination
• Practise being alone for a few minutes at a time, every day, from week one

Routine to settle into

• Meals at the same times each day, four a day under 3 months
• Short training sessions, two or three minutes, several times a day
• Puppies need a lot of sleep, around 18 to 20 hours a day. Enforce naps
• Keep exercise short and low impact while the growth plates are open
• Brush, and touch the feet and nails, every day even when it does not need it

What to take to the first vet visit

• The vaccination and worming record from the breeder or shelter, on paper.
• The microchip number and the paperwork to transfer it into your name.
• A fresh stool sample if the vet asked for one, in a sealed bag.
• Your dated vaccination schedule, printed, so you can agree the plan there and then.
• The food the puppy is currently on, or a photo of the bag.
• A list of your questions, written down. You will forget them otherwise.

Next

• Vaccination schedule
• Worming schedule
• Feeding calculator