A guide to your puppy’s first nights

• A crate or puppy pen— your puppy’s safe den
• Cosy bedding (old fleece or vetbed works well)
• Food and water bowls – car travel bowls are great for pups that tip or dig in their bowls!
• Puppy food — ideally the same brand the breeder or rescue used at first, then you can transition to your choice.
• A few toys — chew toys, a tug toy, and something soft
• Collar with ID tag — your full name and address needs to be on the tag – legally required in the UK from 8 weeks
• Walking Lead and harness (if you plan to use a harness)
• Enzymatic cleaner — essential for accidents on carpet or flooring
• A long-line (5–10m) for safe outdoor exploration later
• Puppy treats
• Kong food toy and other natural chews such as calf hooves

• SETTING UP THE DEN

  The crate or pen is your puppy’s bedroom — a safe, calm space they can retreat to. Position it somewhere you spend time (e.g. living room or kitchen) so your puppy isn’t isolated. Cover three sides with a blanket to make it cosy and den-like.

  Put in soft bedding and a couple of toys. If the breeder gave you a worn cloth or blanket that smells of mum, place it inside — familiar scents are enormously reassuring on the first night.

• PUPPY-PROOFING YOUR HOME

  Before your puppy arrives, do a low-down sweep of each room they’ll access:

  • Trailing electrical cables — tuck away or use cable tidies
  • Toxic houseplants (lilies, ivy, aloe vera are common culprits — check the full list at dogstrust.org.uk)
  • Shoes, socks, children’s toys — anything chewable and swallowable at floor level
  • Bins without lids
  • Stair gates — decide early which rooms are off-limits and use gates consistently

THE FIRST HOURS AT HOME

The journey home can be tiring and overwhelming for a puppy. Keep things quiet. Let your puppy explore the garden first (to give them a chance to toilet) before coming inside.

Resist the urge to introduce everyone at once. Too much excitement early on creates an aroused, overstimulated puppy who struggles to settle. One or two calm adults is plenty for the first hour.

Show your puppy their crate with the door open and some treats scattered inside. Let them choose to go in rather than pushing them. The goal is: the crate = good things.

• Prepare for bedtime: Throughout the day, build positive feelings about their crate or pen by leaving the door open and tying a tasty Kong inside for them to enjoy. Before bed, use their dinner for a few minutes of calm training games to tire them out mentally.
• The final toilet trip: Just before bed, clip their lead on and take them to their potty spot. Keep the energy low and boring. Use your cue (like “Be Quick”), wait for them to go, then give a calm “good job” and one treat.
• Set an alarm for night time toilet break – this prevents your puppy barking at night to go to the toilet. If they are barking when your alarm goes off, just wait for a moment of quiet before going to them.
• Keep them close: For the first few nights, your puppy’s crate needs to be right next to your bed, close enough for you to touch. This builds a secure attachment, which is the foundation for future independence.
• Gradually increase the distance: After a few nights, you can slowly start moving the crate further away—first across the room, then eventually to just outside your door if its final destination is downstairs.

• What if my puppy wakes up crying? Do not let them out if they are barking. If you think they need a toilet break, wait for a moment of quiet then calmly take them for a boring toilet trip, then pop them back in the crate. Set an alarm the next night to help prevent the barking for toilet trips.