Your puppy’s first weeks at home: routine, vet visits and socialising
Short answer: buy directly from a breeder you have visited or adopt from a rescue, and set up a calm den before collection day. Register with a vet in the first few days to plan vaccinations and parasite control. Use the weeks before your puppy can walk on public ground to carry it out and introduce new sights and sounds gently, start short reward-based training sessions, and always supervise children and puppies together.
Bringing a puppy home is exciting and tiring in equal measure. Puppies need a lot of sleep, a predictable day and patient teaching. What happens in these early weeks has a lasting effect on how confident and settled your dog will be as an adult. This guide covers choosing a puppy, the first days at home, vet visits, socialising and early training.
Choosing a puppy responsibly
In England, Lucy’s Law means puppies and kittens under six months can only be bought directly from the breeder or adopted from a rescue centre. Always see the puppy with its mother where it was raised, and be wary of anyone who offers to meet you somewhere else. By law the breeder must have the puppy microchipped before it goes home, and you must update the database with your details as its new keeper. Ask about health tests for the breed, first vaccinations and worming so far.
A calm den and a predictable day
Young puppies sleep for most of the day, and over-tired puppies tend to become nippy. A crate from our dog crates range, with the door left open at first and a blanket draped over the top, gives a sense of a safe den. Put a comfortable bed from our dog beds range inside, and never use the crate as a punishment. Keep the first few days quiet, with short periods of play followed by naps. A regular pattern of meals, garden trips, play and rest helps your puppy settle quickly.
Many puppies cry for the first few nights. Sleeping near your puppy at first, then moving away gradually, is often kinder than leaving it alone in another room. Before your puppy goes anywhere public, fit a collar with a tag from our dog ID tags range showing your name and address, which the law requires for dogs in public places.
First vet visits
Register with a vet within the first few days. Your puppy will usually have a health check and continue or start its vaccinations, and your vet will plan a parasite-control routine based on its age and weight. Ask about insurance, when to neuter, and when your puppy can safely walk on public ground. Handle your puppy’s paws, ears and mouth gently every day, with a reward each time, so that vet checks and grooming feel normal later.
Socialising safely
Puppies are most open to new experiences in roughly their first three to four months. During this period, aim for lots of short, positive encounters: different people, gentle vaccinated adult dogs, traffic sounds, the vacuum cleaner, car journeys and the doorbell. Before your vet gives the all-clear, carry your puppy or use a sling so it can watch the world without touching public ground. Always let your puppy retreat if it seems worried, and keep each experience brief and upbeat. Quality matters more than quantity.
Early training with rewards
Training at this age is about building a habit of listening and a bond with you. Keep sessions to a few minutes, several times a day, and reward the behaviour you want with small pieces of food carried in one of our dog treat pouches. Start with responding to their name, sitting, coming when called indoors and settling on a mat. A clicker from our dog whistles and clickers range can help mark the exact moment your puppy gets it right. Puppy classes run by qualified, reward-based trainers are well worth joining once your vet agrees.
Children and puppies
Teach children to let a sleeping or eating puppy be, to stroke gently rather than hug, and to stay calm instead of running and squealing. An adult should supervise every interaction, and the puppy should always have a child-free place to go. Many bites to children involve a dog the child already knows, at home, so these rules are worth setting from the very first day.
When to call the vet
Puppies can become poorly fast. Contact your vet the same day for vomiting or diarrhoea, especially with blood, refusal to eat, lethargy, a swollen tummy, coughing or anything that suggests your puppy has swallowed something it should not.
Quick checklist
- See the puppy with its mother, or adopt from a rescue.
- Update the microchip database with your details.
- Set up a crate or den with a comfortable bed before collection.
- Register with a vet in the first few days.
- Plan short daily socialising trips, carrying your puppy until the vet gives the all-clear.
- Train in short, reward-based sessions and supervise children closely.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a young puppy sleep?
A great deal. Young puppies typically sleep for most of the day in several long naps. If your puppy becomes over-excited or nippy, it is often over-tired, so guide it to a quiet den for a rest.
Can I take my puppy out before its vaccinations are complete?
Yes, in your arms or a sling, so it can watch traffic, people and other animals from a safe height. Keep its paws off pavements, parks and verges where unknown dogs have been until your vet gives the go-ahead.
How long should training sessions be?
Keep them short, just a few minutes at a time, and end while your puppy is still keen. Several brief sessions spread across the day work far better than one long session.
Does my puppy need a tag if it is microchipped?
Yes. The law in Great Britain expects any dog out in public to have its keeper’s name and address on a collar tag, regardless of whether it is chipped. Adding a phone number is sensible too.
Where to go next
Our guide to pet vaccinations explains the puppy course in more detail, and dog kit by life stage covers the kit that helps as your puppy grows. Explore the full dog department, or visit shop by pet for other animals in the household.
