Your puppy's first week home

The first week with a new puppy is a blur of short naps, small accidents and a lot of staring at a very small dog. It's also the week you'll most want to remember later. Here's how to get through it and keep the moments.

Before they arrive

A crate or a small, safe area with a soft bed.
Food your breeder, shelter or rescue recommends, so their stomach doesn't change all at once.
A collar with an ID tag, and a leash.
Puppy-proofing: cords, shoes and anything at nose height.
A vet appointment booked for the first few days.

Day one

Keep it quiet. Let them explore one room at a time. Take a photo the moment they arrive, and another of them asleep. Write down the date, the time and who was there.

A page from My Puppy's First Year about the puppy's mornings.

The first night

Many puppies cry the first night. It's normal. Write down what helped, whether it was a ticking clock, a shirt that smells like you or a hand near the crate. Next year it will be a funny story.

Moments to capture this week

Their first photo at home.
Their weight at the first vet visit.
Their paw print. A pad of nontoxic ink or a little paint on paper works.
Their first toy and whether they liked it.
The name you chose, and the ones you didn't.
Who in the house they picked as their person.
The first time they came when called.

Keep it simple

You won't have time for long entries this week, and that's fine. Jot a line, add a photo, and come back later. What matters is getting the date and the moment down before they blur together.

The first two sections of My Puppy's First Year, Welcome and Beginnings and Coming Home, are made for this week. The digital edition is available now if you want to start tonight.