Your puppy arrives home, and everything is new for both of you. Some guidance on routines, spaces and expectations during the first few weeks.
The first few days are a time of adjustment, not a test
Your puppy leaves behind their siblings and the familiar scents and sounds they knew. During the first few days, they may sleep a great deal, eat less than usual or constantly seek contact: these are normal responses to a significant change. The family's role is not to correct them, but to provide a predictable environment.
Routines and spaces
It helps to establish straight away where your puppy sleeps, where they eat and where they can retreat without being disturbed. Regular times for meals and outings give your puppy clear points of reference and make house training easier.
Visits from family and friends can wait a few days. A few experiences at a time, introduced calmly, are better than a week of constant novelty.
What to expect, and what not to expect
Your puppy may cry during the first few nights. They may nibble hands and furniture while teething. They may seem to have forgotten in a day what they appeared to understand the day before. These are ordinary stages of growing up: they call for patience and consistency, not strictness.
We remain available during this stage. A question asked at the right time can spare weeks of uncertainty, and for us, the relationship with the family continues well beyond the day the puppy goes home.
