Bringing a puppy home: what you really need in the first days

Reading time: about 9 min

Bringing your first puppy home is exciting and a little intimidating at the same time. A food bowl, a sleeping place, crying at night, puddles on the floor and a hundred questions you want answered immediately. People may say, “Just ask the breeder,” but real life isn’t always that simple. A puppy may not come from a breeder at all, and not every breeder is available or supportive. Even experienced dog owners do things differently.

Irene and I have raised several dogs between us, which is why I like to talk not only about what you supposedly “must” do, but also why one approach works for one puppy and not another. Faddu used to sleep on a large soft rug, while Irene’s Fenton became accustomed to a crate. The goal was the same: a safe place where the puppy could rest undisturbed. During the first week, you don’t have to become a perfect dog trainer. You simply need to make the new home understandable and safe enough.

What should be ready before the puppy arrives?

I would start with a sleeping area, suitable food, a water bowl and a few simple, safe toys. The puppy’s bed might be a soft mat, a small secure area or a crate introduced appropriately. Don’t place it in the busiest part of the house. A puppy needs plenty of sleep and peace, not an audience stopping by every few minutes.

If the breeder or previous home provides some of the puppy’s current food, continue with it at first. If no food comes along, ask what the puppy has been eating and obtain a small amount of the same product. Moving house is already a significant change. Unless a veterinarian recommends otherwise for health reasons, I see no need to add an abrupt food change on the very first day.

For bowls, I personally prefer easy-to-clean stainless steel. An undamaged ceramic bowl can also work if the puppy won’t overturn or break it. Plastic bowls should be checked carefully and replaced if scratched or damaged.

You needn’t buy many toys, but a little variety helps: something soft, something suitable for chewing and something for playing together. Make sure parts cannot detach and the puppy cannot swallow large pieces. I wouldn’t buy ten harnesses and leads before meeting the puppy. Size, body shape and the way equipment fits are best assessed together with the dog. A soft, well-fitting harness can be a sensible choice, but no single model automatically fits everyone.

How do you get through the first night?

The puppy has just left familiar smells, its mother and littermates. It is completely understandable if it cries during the first night. This is not an attempt to manipulate you. It needs time and reassurance. If possible, ask the previous home for a little blanket or cloth carrying a familiar smell. I used to suggest leaving a piece of clothing with the litter during an earlier visit so that it could come home with the puppy later. I still think that’s a sweet and practical idea.

If you don’t want the dog sleeping in your bed in the future, you don’t have to bring it into bed on the first night. You can sleep nearby temporarily, put the puppy’s bed next to yours or stay quietly close until it falls asleep. A puppy in real panic should not simply be left alone to “cry it out” for an extended period. Equally, not every little sound requires a big response; sometimes calm company and, if needed, a toilet break outside are enough.

Introduce a crate gradually: leave the door open, use treats and meals, encourage relaxed resting, and only later try short periods with the door closed. The RSPCA advises that distress or panic may mean the exercise is too difficult and you should step back. A crate can be a temporary safety aid, not a place where a puppy must learn to endure limitless isolation or hold its bladder indefinitely.

What and how often should a puppy eat?

A growing puppy’s food must be appropriate for its life stage. With large-breed puppies in particular, energy intake and mineral balance, including calcium and phosphorus, deserve attention. A diet shouldn’t be judged only by the first ingredient, marketing claims or a single percentage on the label.

If you decide to change food, a gradual transition is usually reasonable. One practical approach is to begin with about a quarter of the new food, then move to half and later three quarters over the following days. This isn’t a mandatory timetable for every puppy. Some tolerate faster changes; others develop softer stools and may need a slower transition. If diarrhoea is severe or accompanied by lethargy, don’t assume that a rushed transition is the only possible cause.

Young puppies often eat several meals per day. Our puppies initially had four meals daily, moved to three at around four months and later to two. That’s our experience, not a universal age-based requirement. The best frequency depends on growth, breed, energy needs, health and how comfortably the puppy can eat. Very small puppies may need more frequent meals, while larger puppies can usually adjust gradually.

You can combine complete wet food with dry food. But if the daily wet-food allowance is 200 grams and you feed only 100 grams, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should reduce the dry food by 50% of its weight. Wet and dry food can differ severalfold in energy density. Substitutions should be calculated by calories, while watching body condition and growth. Homemade additions, kefir, yoghurt, meat and treats also count.

I have given my dogs fresh additions and understand their appeal. However, I wouldn’t recommend adding large amounts of raw mince and liver to a growing puppy’s diet every day in the hope that “natural” automatically covers nutritional needs. Particularly during growth, mineral and energy balance matter. A small tasty addition is one thing; a substantial homemade share calls for a carefully formulated ration.

Is salt bad?

In the past, I’ve suggested paying attention to the salt content of dog food. Sodium is an essential nutrient, but that doesn’t mean added salt is always used solely to meet nutritional needs. Salt may also enhance palatability, and flavour-enhancing substances may be applied to the surface of dry kibble after extrusion.

For me, the question isn’t just whether a dog food contains salt. It is also why it was added, in what quantity and what quality of raw ingredients were used. If the ingredient list simply says “salt”, an owner cannot determine the amount added or its exact specification.

Price also raises questions. If 15 kilograms of dry dog food costs only 20 euros, I consider it reasonable to ask which raw materials and production decisions made that price possible. A very low price deserves scrutiny, especially when the label does not reveal many important details.

That doesn’t mean every food containing added salt is automatically poor or that sodium is dangerous to dogs. But an ingredient list alone cannot tell us whether the amount of added salt is nutritionally justified or primarily enhances flavour. When sodium is medically relevant to a dog, ask the producer about total sodium content, preferably in grams per 1,000 kcal.

How can you teach toilet habits without constant scolding?

A puppy isn’t born knowing that you consider the lawn the right toilet and the hall carpet the wrong one. It has to learn. The simplest approach is frequent outdoor opportunities after waking, eating, drinking and playing, and before bedtime, followed by immediate praise or rewards when the puppy toilets in the right place. We consistently used the phrase “piss-piss” with our puppies, and it even proved useful later at the veterinary clinic: the dog understood what we wanted.

Accidents happen. If the puppy toilets indoors, it often means our timing or supervision hasn’t yet been sufficient, not that the puppy deliberately misbehaved. Clean the floor with an appropriate product and plan the next outdoor trip more thoughtfully. Restricting water is not a toilet-training method. A puppy needs access to fresh drinking water, and its physiological needs matter more than a dry floor.

You may have heard that a six-month-old puppy should be able to hold its bladder for six to eight hours. Some can, but I wouldn’t treat that as a universal standard. Bladder control and learning speed vary. Planning long periods alone or in a crate on the basis of that one statement can cause unnecessary stress. If you work away from home, you may need to arrange for someone to take the puppy out during the day.

What if the puppy is teething and chewing everything?

Chewing is natural during teething. I like offering safe items with a range of textures. One old homemade idea is a damp, chilled washcloth for the puppy to chew briefly under supervision. Avoid rock-hard frozen objects and ensure no pieces of fabric can be swallowed. Coolness may soothe the gums, but the main goal remains safe chewing.

A braided fleece toy can also be fun for tug games. Its construction must suit the puppy’s chewing style and strength, because loose strips and cords are dangerous if swallowed. I wouldn’t leave this toy with a puppy unsupervised. The same principle applies to dried ears, hides and other chewing treats. Choose a size and hardness appropriate for the puppy and watch how it chews. Natural does not automatically mean free from choking or tooth-fracture risk.

How much walking and exploring is right for a puppy?

You may have heard the rule “five minutes of exercise per month of age”. I’ve repeated it myself in the past. But the veterinary charity PDSA points out that the precise formula has no scientific evidence behind it and is unsuitable for many puppies. We cannot automatically impose a strict twenty-minute limit on a four-month-old puppy or claim that minute twenty-one damages its joints. Yet that doesn’t mean a four-month-old should spend hours racing through the forest with adult dogs.

The type of movement matters more. Calm sniffing, free play and shorter walks with opportunities to rest are not the same as forced long-distance running on hard ground, repeated jumps from heights or endless sprinting after a ball. A growing dog shouldn’t have to endure training loads its body isn’t ready for. Our puppies have accompanied older dogs to the forest from a young age. When the walk was too long, we carried them for a while. That’s a good example of why the individual puppy’s needs and opportunities for rest matter more than a single number.

At the same time, fear of infectious disease shouldn’t mean hiding the puppy from the world throughout its early development. The WSAVA 2024 vaccination guidelines and the AVSAB position statement both recognise the importance of safe early socialisation. A well-managed puppy class, calm encounters with healthy vaccinated dogs, exposure to people, sounds and different surfaces can help build confidence. Avoiding high-risk environments doesn’t mean complete isolation. Your veterinarian can help plan vaccination and assess local disease risks.

When should you call the vet about a puppy’s upset stomach?

Diarrhoea can follow a food change, stress or something the puppy picked up outside. But a small puppy can lose fluids more quickly than an adult dog, and infectious diseases also need consideration. If stools are briefly softer but the puppy is bright, eating, drinking and behaving normally, careful monitoring and veterinary advice when needed may be reasonable. If diarrhoea recurs or persists, the threshold for seeking help with a young puppy should be low.

Bloody or very watery diarrhoea, repeated vomiting, severe lethargy, refusal to eat or drink, abdominal pain or collapse require urgent veterinary assessment. Especially in an unvaccinated puppy, infections including parvovirus must be considered. Pumpkin purée or chicken and rice may provide temporary dietary support in selected mild cases, but they cannot replace examination or an appropriate complete puppy diet over time.

FendaF’s practical checklist: your puppy’s first week

Prepare a quiet sleeping area, continue the puppy’s familiar complete food and provide fresh water. Offer frequent outdoor toilet breaks and reward desired behaviour immediately rather than relying on punishment. Gradually practise gentle handling, brushing, safe short periods alone and exposure to everyday sounds. Keep veterinary contact details ready and establish a vaccination and parasite-control plan. Watch eating, drinking, stools, sleep and general mood. Don’t dismiss diarrhoea and vomiting merely because “puppies have sensitive stomachs”.

In summary

In a single evening, the internet can offer dozens of conflicting rules about bringing a puppy home. My suggestion is to start with the basics: safety, sleep, suitable food, a calm human and a consistent routine. For one puppy, the first night is difficult; for another, appetite is the main question; a third learns “piss-piss” before you even realise it. They don’t all have to progress at the same speed. What matters is noticing what actually helps your puppy and why.

Sources

• WSAVA (2024). Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats. Journal of Small Animal Practice.
• AVSAB. Position Statement on Puppy Socialization.
• PDSA. Exercising Your Puppy: why the five-minute rule has no scientific evidence.
• RSPCA. How to Crate Train a Puppy.
• FEDIAF. Nutritional Guidelines for Cats and Dogs, 2025.

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