First week with a new puppy
In the first week, keep the puppy's world small and predictable: out on a schedule — on waking, after every meal, and about every hour for an eight-week-old — short crate naps with you nearby, plenty of sleep, and no big outings. Most of the week is about routine, not training.
Your first-week schedule
Put in when you get up and your puppy's age. The table marks every trip outside, the meals and the night alarm, and can go straight into your calendar.
Your dog's own two numbers
Everything above runs on averages. The two figures that actually decide your week are how long your puppy takes after waking and after eating — and those are facts about one dog, not about puppies. If you have watched closely enough to know them, put them in and the whole day above rebuilds around them.
Blank means "not yet", which is the honest answer in week one. Finding these two numbers takes a couple of weeks of watching what actually follows every nap and every meal — and noticing it at 3am, on the fourth night, is exactly when nobody is watching. That watching is the whole job the app does.
Day by day
| Day | Focus | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive and decompress | Straight to the potty spot, then a quiet house. Short explorations of the puppy zone. Crate beside your bed tonight — see the first night. |
| Day 2 | Start the routine | The same wake, meal and potty times as yesterday. Meals in the crate help make it a good place. |
| Day 3 | Name and handling | Say their name, reward a look. Gentle handling of paws and ears, a few seconds at a time. |
| Day 4 | Short alone time | A few minutes in the crate or pen with a chew while you are in the next room. |
| Day 5 | One new thing | One calm new experience — a visitor sitting on the floor, a car parked with the engine running, a new surface. |
| Day 6 | First cues | Two-minute sessions: sit, come to their name. Stop while it is still going well. |
| Day 7 | Look back | When do accidents happen? Usually after play or a nap. Move those trips earlier. |
What is normal in week one
- Accidents. Several a day at first is normal. Clean with enzyme cleaner and take the next trip sooner.
- Crying at night. Usually less each night, especially with the crate next to your bed.
- Lots of sleep. 18 to 20 hours a day at eight weeks. An over-tired puppy bites more — see the puppy witching hour.
- Mouthing. Everything goes in the mouth. Swap your hand for a toy.
- Eating less on day one or two. A new home is a lot. Keep the same food the breeder used.
What to skip in the first week
- Long walks, busy parks and dog parks.
- Lots of visitors at once.
- Long crate stretches in the day — 30 to 60 minutes is plenty at eight weeks (the crate schedule shows the build-up).
- Telling off for accidents. It teaches the puppy to hide when they go, not to go outside.
Potty training in week one
Take the puppy out before they need to go, not after. The moments that matter most: within about ten minutes of waking, about 25 minutes after a meal, about 15 minutes after hard play, and roughly every hour in between. The potty timer counts down from whatever just happened, and the potty schedule by age explains the numbers.
Who does what
If more than one person looks after the puppy, agree on the potty spot, the words you use and who does the night trip — and write down every pee. "Did she go at ten?" is the most common question in a new-puppy house, and the answer decides whether the next hour has an accident.
Questions people ask
What should I do in the first week with a new puppy?
Keep it small and predictable: a set routine for waking, meals and potty trips, short crate naps with you nearby, lots of sleep, gentle handling and one calm new thing a day. Big outings and lots of visitors can wait.
How often should a puppy go out in the first week?
For an eight-week-old, within about ten minutes of waking, about 25 minutes after each meal, about 15 minutes after hard play, and roughly every hour in between. One night trip, sometimes two, is normal.
Is it normal for a puppy to have lots of accidents in the first week?
Yes. Several a day at first is normal. Clean with an enzyme cleaner, take the next trip sooner, and look at when the accidents happen — usually after naps or play.
Should I start training in the first week?
Gently. Their name, sit and coming to you, in sessions of a minute or two. The most important training in week one is the routine itself: going outside at the right moments.
How much should a puppy sleep in the first week?
A lot — around 18 to 20 hours a day at eight weeks. Awake windows are about an hour. A puppy who gets wild and bitey usually needs a nap.
Can I take my puppy for walks in the first week?
Short trips to the garden and the potty spot, yes. Ask your vet when it is fine to walk in public places. Carrying the puppy to see the world is a good middle ground.
Puppy Routine is not veterinary advice, and neither is this page. Anything about your puppy's health or a behaviour that worries you is a conversation with a veterinarian or a qualified, reward-based behaviour professional.