Your New Puppy Is Coming Home.
Let’s Get You Ready.
Bringing home a puppy is exciting, but there’s a lot to remember.
What should you buy? Where should your puppy sleep? How often should they go outside? When should training start? And what do you actually need during those first few weeks?
The free Everything You Need for Your Puppy’s First Weeks at Home Checklist helps you get organized without making things complicated.
✓ Essential supplies to have ready
✓ Feeding and daily routine basics
✓ Potty training reminders
✓ Sleep and crate setup
✓ Puppy-proofing your home
✓ Training and socialization essentials
✓ Vet, grooming and health reminders
Make Your Puppy’s First Weeks a Little Easier
A new puppy has a lot to learn.
They’re adjusting to a new home, new people, new routines and possibly life without their mother and littermates for the first time.
You’re learning too.
The good news is that you don’t need to figure everything out at once.
Puppy Starter Plan is here to help you focus on the things that matter most during those early weeks, with straightforward information about preparing your home, establishing routines, potty training, puppy behaviour and training.
Start With the Puppy Basics
Your Puppy’s First Weeks at Home
From getting your home ready to establishing feeding, sleeping and bathroom routines, a little preparation can make the transition easier for everyone.
Our first-weeks guide walks you through what to prepare, what to expect and what to focus on after your puppy arrives.
Potty Training Your Puppy
Accidents are going to happen, but a consistent routine can help your puppy learn where they’re supposed to go.
Learn when to take your puppy outside, how to reward successful potty trips, what to do about accidents and how supervision can make training easier.
Read the Puppy Potty-Training Guide
Puppy Biting and Chewing
Does it seem like your puppy wants to bite everything?
Mouthing and chewing are normal puppy behaviours, but you can start teaching your puppy what’s appropriate to chew and how to interact with people.
Learn About Puppy Biting and Chewing
Start Training From the Beginning
You don’t need to wait until your puppy is older to begin training.
Short, positive training sessions can help your puppy learn their name, basic cues, household rules and the behaviours you want to encourage.
It’s also easy to accidentally reinforce habits you don’t want.
See 10 Common Puppy Training Mistakes
A Simple Plan Is Better Than Trying to Do Everything
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the advice available to new puppy owners.
One source tells you to do one thing. Another recommends something completely different. Before long, you have dozens of things you’re supposed to be doing every day.
Your puppy doesn’t need a perfect owner or a perfect schedule.
Focus on a few fundamentals:
- Provide a safe environment
- Establish predictable routines
- Give your puppy frequent bathroom opportunities
- Reward the behaviours you want
- Provide appropriate play and mental stimulation
- Make sure your puppy gets plenty of rest
- Introduce new experiences gradually
- Ask your veterinarian about your puppy’s individual health needs
Then build from there as your puppy grows.
Puppy Training Help
Training isn’t just about teaching your puppy to sit.
You’re also teaching them how to live in your home, interact with people and make better choices.
If you’d like a more structured approach, we’ve selected a puppy training program for owners who want additional step-by-step guidance.
See the Training Program We Recommend
Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you purchase through certain links, at no additional cost to you.
Don’t Forget About Your Puppy’s Brain
Puppies need more than physical activity.
Training, sniffing, exploring and simple problem-solving games can provide valuable mental stimulation while giving your puppy productive ways to use their energy.
We’re putting together more puppy brain-game ideas for Puppy Starter Plan.
In the meantime, if you’d like a structured collection of mental-stimulation activities, you can see the brain-training program we recommend.
See the Brain-Training Program
Disclosure: I may earn a commission if you purchase through certain links, at no additional cost to you.
Before Your Puppy Comes Home…
There’s no need to rely on memory.
Download the Everything You Need for Your Puppy’s First Weeks at Home Checklist and work through the essentials before and after your puppy arrives.
About Puppy Starter Plan
Puppy Starter Plan provides practical information and resources to help new puppy owners navigate those exciting, sometimes messy and occasionally exhausting first weeks at home.
From preparing for your puppy’s arrival to potty training, biting, routines, training and enrichment, the goal is simple: help you feel more prepared for life with your new puppy.
Jake Morrison
Puppy Starter Plan