New puppy checklist for the first week
For your puppy’s first week, prepare a secure resting area, keep their existing food and care instructions, collect their records and agree who handles meals, supervision and overnight care. Start with those essentials, then use the seven-day checklist below to organize the smaller tasks. The days are planning prompts, not developmental deadlines. You can edit the free planner and download it as a PDF.
Commercial disclosure: This page has no affiliate links or paid placements. Product links, where included, go to the manufacturer. Product comparisons are based on published specifications, not hands-on testing.
Your first-week checklist
Use this as a division of household work. A task can move earlier or later, and individual care instructions take priority.
| Day | Main job | A useful thing to write down |
|---|---|---|
| Before arrival | Prepare supplies and the supervised area | Pickup details and who is on duty |
| 1 | Collect records and confirm existing care instructions | Food name, amounts and usual mealtimes |
| 2 | Assign meals, cleanup and supervision | Carer names and backup arrangements |
| 3 | Check walking equipment and collect care questions | Product measurements and questions for the vet |
| 4 | Review doors, cords and household access | Anything newly within reach |
| 5 | Review toys and grooming supplies | What needs replacing or professional advice |
| 6 | Confirm contacts and any sitter handover | Where instructions are stored |
| 7 | Review the week and adjust the plan | One practical change for next week |
Buy for the jobs you actually need to do
Separate the essentials from optional purchases. Check what the current carer is sending home before ordering duplicates. Keep a note of model names and sizes so another household member can find the right replacement.
- Feeding: current food, written instructions and suitable bowls.
- Rest: a quiet place and suitable washable bedding.
- Travel and handling: equipment checked against its instructions.
- Cleanup: waste bags and safely stored cleaning supplies.
- Records: current care information and veterinary contacts.
Further reading: PDSA: New puppy preparation.
Adapt the list for age, size and home
For a young puppy, ask the current carer and veterinarian which instructions need following immediately. For a larger puppy, recheck barriers and the fit of existing equipment. In an apartment, add the practical route through doors, stairs or lifts to your agreed toilet area.
The checklist tool offers age, expected-size and home options. These change preparation tasks; they do not calculate health requirements or predict adult size. Add your building rules and household arrangements yourself.
Keep one current copy for everyone
Store records together, choose a place for the printed plan and agree who updates it. Local saving stays in this browser, so another person’s phone will not automatically show your changes. Download a fresh copy when you change the plan.
If you use a sitter, the first-week checklist is only a task list. Prepare the separate sitter instruction sheet with actual care details and review it together before handing over.
Common questions
What should I do first when bringing a puppy home?
Confirm the handover instructions, prepare the supervised area and make sure someone is responsible for the first evening and overnight care. Use the first-night guide for the practical arrangements.
Is the first-week checklist free to print?
Yes. Open the first-week planner, edit the tasks and choose Print or Download PDF. No email address is required.
What does an 8-week-old puppy need in the first week?
A practical preparation list plus care instructions for that individual puppy. Confirm food, meal amounts, records and follow-up appointments with the current carer and veterinarian; age alone is not a complete care plan.
A little more help.
Puppy feeding schedule by age
An age-based meal-frequency starting guide, editable feeding routine and portion divider, with notes for small and large-breed puppies.
Read guideHealth preparationPuppy vaccine schedule by week: what to discuss with your vet
A U.S. puppy vaccination planning guide with age windows, records to bring and questions about combination vaccines, rabies and individual risk.
Read guideThe first daysYour puppy’s first night: a plan for the evening and overnight
Prepare a calm first night with your puppy: choose a resting space, plan overnight responsibilities and keep useful notes for the morning.
Read guide