- This article has been reviewed by a pet health professional. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice.
The first 24 hours with your puppy can be an adventure. Some puppies are angels, likely due to the stress and exhaustion of new environments and senses. Others are more fearful, having been uprooted from all they’ve known. All these new experiences can affect a puppy’s first night at home, determining if you’re going to have a rough or silent night.
No matter how in love you are with your new furry friend, you’re going to face some challenges. Read on for a guide on how to survive the first 24 hours with your new puppy.
Preparing For Your Puppy’s First Night
The most important tip we have for bringing your puppy home for the first day is to relax and enjoy the process. Puppies are resilient and will adapt as they grow. If you don’t have everything, don’t fret—there’s plenty of time to get your supplies the next day.
But if there are two things you must get for your puppy on the first day, it should be a crate or puppy pen and a heartbeat toy. Let your puppy take as many naps as they need. Puppies need anywhere from 10 to 18 hours of sleep a day.
Then before you and your puppy go to bed, follow these actions:
- Give dinner three hours before bedtime to limit nighttime potty breaks.
- Get your puppy to potty before they go to bed.
- Choose where your puppy will sleep and stick to it.*
- Keep their bed area snuggly and warm with a heartbeat toy and a blanket that smells like you or their mom.
*It’s okay to have the crate in your room for the first few nights and then gradually move it further away if you want them to sleep in another room. Sleep training for puppies requires consistency. This means your puppy can learn to sleep anywhere—downstairs, upstairs, in another bedroom—as long as you remain firm on the location.
Boost your puppy’s comfort with these heartbeat hacks
Hide a ticking clock under their bedding. The steady tick-tock will remind them of their mama’s heartbeat. Or, get a SmartPetLove Snuggle Puppy, which mimics the sound of a beating heart and comes with a disposable heating pad for extra comfort.
Scent is also your puppy’s strongest sense, and you can help make them feel at home by placing a mama-scented t-shirt or towel in their crate.
Pro tip: Ask the breeder in advance if you can take some of the mama’s bedding home with your new pet. If there is none to spare, bring your own blanket and ask Mama to lay on it for a bit.
What to Do With Your Puppy’s First 24 Hours
Keep the first day chill and visitor-free
When you get a puppy, it’s tempting to invite all your friends over to meet her right away. Of course, you want to show off your new best friend to the world!
But remember, your puppy just went on a scary car ride and is in a brand new place with people she doesn’t know.
Make your puppy’s first day safe, quiet, and easy. There’s plenty of time for visitors later. For now, let your puppy settle into her new digs—and her new family—in peace. Besides, she’ll probably want to sleep. A lot.
Show the puppy where to pee
Potty training your puppy begins the minute you have them in your arms. As soon as you get home, take your puppy outside to a “potty spot.” When they eliminate, praise them right away with lots of positive vocalizations and a treat.
After your puppy is inside, plan on potty breaks every 15 to 20 minutes after playing, eating, or drinking water. This sounds like a lot, but puppies don’t have control of their bladders. They may not even have a desire to control it! The best thing you can do is establish a schedule right away and give them lots of praise when they pee in the right place.
Establish physical boundaries
Up until they are six months old, your puppy will constantly test boundaries. In fact, they may do this well into a year old, as they enter their adolescent phases. Setting an early foundation and clear expectations of how you want your puppy to behave will go a long way, even during their rebellious phases. You’ll want to make sure you have:
- Installed dog gates to limit their access and keep other pets away until they are more familiar with each other
- Built a puppy zone or puppy room for your dog where they can feel safe
- Set up a crate (and start your puppy’s crate training by feeding meals in the crate)
- Dog toys in their play area, especially where they will sleep
- A routine for meals, alone time, dog training, and play
Show your new puppy their home base as soon as they get home, and throw some kibble or treats in so they enter it of their own accord. The more fun you can make it, the more likely they are to settle in quietly.
Take a day or two off
Taking care of a new puppy takes lots of time and energy. If your work and life schedules allow, plan to take off at least one full day when you first bring your puppy home. In fact, work from home for a few days if you can.
Being there as much as possible in the beginning will help solidify your bond. You’ll be grateful for the time to help your puppy settle in. You’ll also appreciate the chance to recover from possible sleeplessness on your puppy’s first night. You’re both learning, after all!
Can’t take more time off work? Enlist the help of a dog sitter who can stay with your puppy for a few hours. During this time, you can have the sitter enforce your puppy’s potty training schedule.
Puppy Supplies Checklist
It’s a good idea to set up everything your puppy needs before the first 24 hours even start.
See our comprehensive guide for puppy supplies and check out a few of our recommendations below:
- Adjustable collar and lead
- Collar tags with contact info
- Food and water bowls
- High-quality puppy food
- Poop bags and holder
- Dog bed and maybe a blanket
- Toys and treats (start simple—you’ll learn your puppy’s preferences the longer they’re with you)
- Playpen and gates
- Crate
Ask for Help When You Need it
Let’s be real: the first 24 hours with your puppy can be challenging. Puppies have a lot in common with human babies. They need company, activity, and lots of interaction. Sometimes they cry and have accidents as they learn how to be in the world.
Try not to stress and fret if everything doesn’t fall into place. Puppy blues, aka feelings of anxiety and depression that come with raising a puppy, are very common. They also tend to resolve as your puppy develops a trusting bond with you and ages out of annoying behaviours like arousal biting.
And if you need a little help, consider a loving pet sitter or in-home daycare provider for worry-free care.
