Puppy first week checklist
The first week sets the tone for everything after it. Work down the list, tick things off, and do not try to do all of it on day one.
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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 Toilet training Vet and health 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 they are 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
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.
Puppy starter kit
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The nine things worth having in the house before the puppy walks in. Links go to search results for your selected country, so you can compare rather than take one pick.
Crate
A crate sized so the puppy can stand, turn around and lie flat. It becomes the bed and the safe spot for house training.
Bed
Something washable. Puppies have accidents and chew bedding, so cheap and replaceable beats plush.
Food and water bowls
Steel or ceramic if your puppy chews, since chewed plastic gets sharp and scratches hold bacteria. No material is proven to stay cleaner, so wash bowls daily and replace any that chip.
Harness and lead
A flat harness spreads pressure across the chest instead of the throat while the puppy learns not to pull.
Chew toys
Teething runs from roughly 3 to 6 months. Give the puppy something legal to chew or the furniture becomes the toy.
Puppy pads
Useful for apartments, overnight and the weeks before the vaccination course finishes.
Enzyme cleaner
Enzyme cleaners break down the odour that tells a puppy to go in the same spot again. Ordinary household cleaner does not.
Grooming brush
Start brushing in week one, before the coat needs it, so handling becomes normal rather than a fight.
ID tag
An engraved tag with your phone number. Microchipping is separate and is a legal requirement in many places.
This is general guidance, your vet sets the actual schedule. This checklist covers the general case. If anything about your puppy seems off, lethargy, not eating, vomiting, diarrhoea, a swollen belly or laboured breathing, that is a same day vet call, not a checklist item.
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