New puppy checklist: before and after you bring it home

Get the essentials and the house ready before your puppy arrives, then use the first week to keep things calm and build a routine. The PDSA's advice for the first days comes down to a few things: have all the supplies ready, give your puppy a quiet place of its own, agree house rules in advance, keep visitors away for a few days and stick to the feeding routine your puppy already knows. Use the checklists below.

Before your puppy comes home

Supplies

• Bed for a quiet corner, with soft bedding.
• Food and water bowls, placed where your puppy can always reach water (PDSA suggests near the bed).
• The same food your puppy eats now. Ask the breeder or rescue what, when and how much.
• Collar or harness, ID tag and a lead.
• Chew toys and a couple of soft toys.
• Poo bags, kitchen roll and an enzyme cleaner for accidents.
• Baby gates to block stairs and rooms you want off-limits.
• A blanket or toy that smells of the litter. The PDSA recommends something with the mother's scent for the first nights.

The house

• Choose the sleeping spot and keep it. The PDSA says moving the bed later can upset your puppy.
• Puppy-proof: lift cables, shoes, medicines, cleaning products and houseplants out of reach.
• Pick an outdoor toilet spot you can get to fast.
• Agree house rules with everyone at home: sofa or not, which rooms, who feeds. The PDSA puts it simply: consistency is key.
• Check local crate rules. In Sweden, for example, a dog may not be shut in a crate indoors (SKK).

Paperwork and people

• Register with a vet and ask when they want to see your puppy.
• Ask the breeder or rescue for records: vaccinations so far, worming and any ID or microchip details.
• Plan the first days at home. Avoid bringing a puppy home right before a busy week.

The first day

1. Toilet first. The PDSA says to take your puppy to its toilet spot as soon as you arrive, especially after a long journey, and praise it when it goes.
2. Show it the basics. Bed, water and food first, then other rooms slowly (PDSA).
3. Keep it quiet. Short play sessions, long naps. The PDSA notes puppies can sleep 18–20 hours a day.
4. Stick to normal feeding times from the breeder's routine.

Our first night guide covers bedtime, crying and night-time toilet trips.

The first week

• Toilet trips on waking, within about fifteen minutes of each meal, after play and regularly in between (Royal Kennel Club). See the 8-week-old puppy schedule for a full sample day.
• A set bedtime. The AKC says a consistent bedtime makes adjustment and house training easier.
• Short play, several times a day rather than one long session (AKC).
• No visitors for a few days while your puppy settles (PDSA).
• First vet visit and a vaccination plan. Under the WSAVA guidelines, core puppy vaccines start at 6–8 weeks and repeat every 2–4 weeks until at least 16 weeks; your vet sets the exact plan. Read more in the vaccination guide.
• Stay away from places unvaccinated dogs use until your vet says it's safe. The PDSA suggests a secure garden for supervised play meanwhile.

Keep a simple log from day one

The first weeks are a blur of naps, pees and meals. Writing them down helps more than you'd think: you spot the accident that always happens 20 minutes after lunch, you know whether last night was better than the night before, and you have real answers when the vet asks how often your puppy eats or poos. DogsLife does this with one tap per event and shows the whole day on a timeline. Sleep, walks and potty logging are free.