The first week with a new puppy shapes everything that follows. Sleep, toilet habits, feeding times, and trust all start in these seven days. This free planner gives you a day by day plan for that week, covering feeding, toilet breaks, sleep, vet booking, and first training, with a printable PDF you can stick on the fridge.
Day one is about calm, not lessons. Let the puppy explore one room, show them the water bowl, the bed, and the toilet spot, and keep visitors away. A new home is full of strange sounds and smells, and a tired, overwhelmed puppy learns nothing. Short, gentle time together beats a busy first day every time.
Feeding works best on a clock. Four small meals a day suit most young puppies, spaced evenly from morning to early evening. Keep the same food the breeder or shelter used for the first week, because a sudden food change upsets small stomachs. Measure meals with a cup or scales, and remove the bowl after twenty minutes.
Toilet training starts with timing, not scolding. Take the puppy out after every meal, after sleep, after play, and every one to two hours in the day. Praise calmly the moment they go in the right spot. Accidents will happen, and they are your reminder to go out sooner, not a reason to punish a puppy that is still learning.
Sleep matters more than owners expect. Puppies need around eighteen to twenty hours of sleep a day, and a tired puppy bites, jumps, and cries more. A crate or pen near your bed, with a soft blanket and a safe chew, gives the puppy a den to rest in. Night waking is normal in week one, so plan short, boring toilet trips with no play.
Book the vet visit early in the week, even if the puppy looks healthy. The vet checks weight, teeth, and general health, confirms the vaccine plan, and answers your questions about food and flea treatment. Bring the breeder or shelter papers, and write down what the vet says, because first week advice is easy to forget.
First training in week one means name, sit, and recall in a hallway, in sessions of two to three minutes. Use tiny treats and a happy voice, and stop while the puppy still wants more. Gentle handling of ears, paws, and mouth, paired with treats, makes future grooming and vet visits far easier.
Socialisation in week one is gentle, not a parade of strangers. Let the puppy hear household sounds, see different rooms, and meet one or two calm people. Carry the puppy outside to watch the world from your arms until vaccines allow ground walks. Short, positive exposures build a confident adult dog.
By day seven, review what worked. Which toilet times succeeded, which meals suited the puppy, and what time did they settle at night? Keep the good parts, adjust the weak parts, and carry the routine into week two. Puppies love routine, and a steady week one makes week two far calmer.
This planner runs in your browser and downloads as a PDF. Print it, tick off each day, and share it with everyone in the house, so the puppy hears the same words and follows the same routine from every person. A consistent first week is the kindest start you can give a new puppy.
One more habit helps the whole family: hold a short family meeting before the puppy arrives and agree on the words, the rules, and the jobs. Everyone should use the same word for toilet, the same word for sit, and the same feeding times. Puppies learn fastest when every person in the house is consistent, and a written plan on the fridge stops well meaning family members from inventing their own rules in week one.
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