Preparing for Your Puppy's Arrival
Why the first few weeks matter so much
The first three weeks lay down almost everything: house-training, learning to be alone and socialisation all build together, and the imprinting window closes at around 3 to 4 months (AVSAB 2008). Your puppy has just left his mother and littermates: above all he needs to feel safe, not to be drilled.
The essential kit (and nothing more)
The bare minimum for a good start comes down to a handful of items. The rest will come as he grows.
0 / 7Puppy-proofing the house before the big day
A puppy explores everything with his mouth. Put away what's dangerous, leave the rest.
Put toxic products up high or under lock
Medicines, household cleaners, antifreeze: out of reach. Many are dangerous even in small amounts (ASPCA Animal Poison Control).
Move toxic plants out of the way
Sago palm, oleander, lily of the valley or dieffenbachia out of reach; where he can get to them, swap them for safe plants.
Remove small swallowable objects
Anything lying around below a metre, plus the cushions he can't tell apart from his own.
Fit a gate at the top of the stairs
Repeatedly going up and down tires a growing skeleton: carry him for the first few weeks.
Keep a normal living space
Leave shoes, bin and cables in view when you're around: that's how he learns what's off-limits, without sanitising everything.
Arrival day
On day one, do as little as possible: safety in the car, then quiet company.
Make the car journey safe
A secured travel crate, or a crash-tested harness clipped to the seatbelt (French Highway Code, art. R412-6). Never the boot or the parcel shelf.
Let him come out of his crate on his own
Open the door in the garden or living room and let him come to you, without forcing him.
Get down to his level
Sit on the floor and let him go from person to person. Slip the collar on during a stroke, discreetly.
Take a short walk on the long line
Fifteen minutes is plenty. On the long line he stays close to you because he needs to feel safe.
Put down his first meal without asking for anything
No 'sit' or 'stay': you put the bowl down and stay beside him if he follows you.
Sleep in the same room as him
His bed in your room, door shut: your presence reassures him and lets you hear when he wriggles to go out during the night.
On the health side: a puppy has little in reserve
His reserves are thin: what you'd keep an eye on for two days in an adult shows up far sooner in him. When in doubt, it's better to call the vet than to wait.
Keep an eye
- He skips a meal or turns his nose up at his bowl
- He sleeps a lot but is lively when he wakes
Call the vet
- Diarrhoea and vomiting one after the other
- Trembling, a limp or unsteady gait, especially in a very small breed
- A refusal to eat that goes on
Emergency, without waiting
- Watery, bloody diarrhoea in an unvaccinated puppy
- Disorientation, loss of consciousness or seizures
If you suspect he's swallowed a household cleaner, a medicine or a toxic plant, call your vet or an animal poison centre straight away (CNITV, CAPAE-Ouest). Never make him vomit yourself, and never give any human medicine.
- AVSAB — Position Statement on Puppy Socialization (2008)
- Vaccination Guidelines (puppy schedule and primary vaccination), WSAVA (2024)
- Morrill et al. — Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics (breed explains only about 9% of behaviour) (2022)
- Toxic plants and products for dogs, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
- Article R412-6 (restraining an animal in the car), Code de la route
Frequently asked questions
How do I adopt a dog?
Go through a serious route: a breeder who shows you the mother and where the pups live, or a shelter. Insist on the mandatory paperwork (i-CAD identification, transfer certificate, commitment certificate with its 7-day cooling-off period) and steer clear of puppies 'available right away' with no visit possible.
How do I welcome a puppy when I already have a dog?
Keep them together at first, and for solo walks take the puppy out (the adult already knows how to be alone): that's how he learns to detach from his four-legged friend. At around three and a half months, start leaving the puppy alone for a few minutes without the older dog. Take away the cushions and bowls left on the floor until he's grasped the rules.
How do I find a name for my dog?
Pick a short name (one or two syllables), clear-sounding, that won't be confused with a command ('Rex' and 'sit' can sound alike to a dog). If your puppy is registered with the LOF, his official name must start with the year's letter, but you're free to use whatever everyday nickname you like.
How much time off should I take for a puppy's arrival?
Three weeks of continuous presence is the realistic ideal: enough to lay down house-training, get socialisation going and start the basics of being alone. If that's not possible, it's no disaster, but accept that house-training will take longer and avoid leaving the puppy alone for more than 2 to 3 hours.
Can you take a puppy out before its jabs are finished?
Yes, and it's even recommended: the socialisation window closes at around 3 to 4 months (AVSAB). Take him out from the day he arrives, protected by maternal immunity and his first vaccinations, simply avoiding overcrowded dog parks and soiled areas until the course is complete.
Where should the puppy sleep on the first night?
In your room, door shut, in his own bed, not in yours. He's just left his mother and littermates: your presence reassures him and lets you hear when he wriggles to go out for a wee. You'll move him out of the room only once he can be left alone calmly.
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