A checklist for when you’re bringing a puppy home

The decision’s been taken and you’re expecting to bring a puppy home very soon. A little preparation now will save you a great deal of time in future.

You can find a shopping list here. Most of the items need little or no explanation. But read on so you can be sure you start off on the right paw for those important first few days and nights at home.

Where is your puppy going to spend most of their time?

Managing what your puppy does and does not have access to, will make your life so much easier. 

So, think about where your pup is going to eat, sleep, play and generally spend most of their time for the first few weeks. You want it to be somewhere that’s safe and where the puppy won’t feel isolated. 

To keep your pup in the area you’ve chosen, you may find it best to use a crate (for sleeping) as well as a pen, gates across doors or to prevent access to stairs, or a combination of these. 

Where possible, I like to set the pup up with a crate inside a large pen or penned off area of a room. The crate contains the pup’s bed. The pen area is where the pup can play, eat, drink, and, if you have to toilet train inside your home to begin with, it’s also where you can put puppy pads or similar. 

In that way, both your puppy and your house will be kept safe! And your puppy won’t get the opportunity to learn bad habits (like chewing shoes or chairs or peeing on carpets).

What to check with your pup’s breeder

I’m sure you’ll have lots of questions for the breeder before you go to pick up your puppy but in particular:

* Ask the breeder if they can give you some of the bedding being used by the puppies to take home with you. You can use this on their new bed so that it smells reassuringly familiar to the puppy. 

* Your puppy should have been microchipped and has likely had at least one vaccination before you bring them home. Make sure the breeder will be giving you all the necessary documentation.

* Find out what sort of surface the puppy is used to toileting on. Are they always inside or are they used to going out to toilet? Ideally, to start with at home, try and replicate the surface your puppy is used to (e.g. pads, grass, concrete or newspaper) as it will make house-training easier to begin with.

* What food is the breeder giving the puppy, how much, how many times a day and at what times? Often, the breeder will send you home with some of the puppy’s food for the first few days. It’s best to stick to what the puppy is used to at the start, so you don’t stress the puppy or his tummy. You can always gradually change it later.

Your home safety check

Anything of interest to a puppy – that’s likely to be ‘everything’ – will go straight in their mouth. So, before your puppy comes home, make sure you’ve puppy-proofed. Now’s the time to check any rooms the puppy is likely to be in and decide where things that currently live on the floor or at puppy height will live in future. In particular, check kids’ toys, shoes, breakable items, cleaning stuff and don’t forget all the controllers and chargers that seem to get everywhere. Try crawling around the floor for a puppy perspective!

And check the garden. Is it totally secure or are you going to create a puppy-safe area there as well? If you’ve any open water, make sure it’s covered or not accessible, even to a determined puppy. If you have a garden shed, make sure your puppy can’t get to any dangerous tools or chemicals. And check that you don’t have any plants that could be poisonous to a puppy, who will be tempted to chew anything in sight.

Puppy house rules

If it’s not just you at home, now’s also a good time to make sure everyone is on the same page when the puppy arrives. For example, decide where the puppy will sleep, will the puppy be allowed on beds or other furniture, who will be responsible for feeding, taking the puppy out to toilet, and generally training your puppy? And who’s only going to be available when it’s time for a game or a cuddle?!

Have you picked a name for your puppy? Make sure it’s one you’re all going to be comfortable calling in public!

Local services

It’s also a good idea to have found a local vet and found out what puppy training is available in your area (although, these days, there’s also plenty of help from experienced trainers online).

I don’t know how many sleeps you have before your puppy comes home – but make the most of them! Have fun with your new puppy!


For more training advice, please visit our dog coach Vicky Carne's website.