Blog / Settling in
Your Puppy’s First 48 Hours at Home
Patience, a calm start, and a simple routine for your puppy’s first couple of days.
Welcome home
The big day is exciting for everyone
Until now, your Multigenerational Mini‑Bernedoodle puppy has been surrounded by familiar people, smells, sounds, mom, and littermates. Suddenly everything is new: your home, your family, a new bed, and a new routine.
The most important things you can give during the first couple of days are patience, comfort, and time to adjust. You do not need to make everything perfect. Your puppy will settle in.
Day one
Keep the first day calm
Everyone will want to hold, cuddle, and play with the new puppy. Try not to overwhelm them. Let your puppy explore gradually, starting with a smaller area of the house rather than the whole home at once.
Show them where their water is, where they will sleep, and where you want them to go potty. There will be plenty of time for adventures. The first day is about feeling safe.
Meals
Eating and drinking
Your puppy may eat normally right away, or they may have a smaller appetite for a day or two. The excitement of moving can temporarily affect appetite. Keep feeding the same puppy food they ate at Stony Point Doodles and stick to a consistent schedule.
Always keep fresh water available. Avoid lots of new treats, foods, or table scraps during the first few days. Consistency helps their stomach adjust while everything else is changing.
If your puppy refuses food or water for an extended period, appears weak, is repeatedly vomiting, has significant diarrhea, or simply does not seem right, contact your veterinarian.
House training
Potty, potty, and more potty
Young puppies need lots of potty breaks. Take them outside frequently, especially:
- Immediately after waking up
- Shortly after eating or drinking
- After playing
- After naps
- Before going into the crate
- Right before bedtime
Use the same general potty area whenever you can. When they go, praise them and reward them right away. Accidents will happen. Never punish your puppy for an accident. Clean thoroughly, move on, and keep the routine going. Consistency is everything.
Overnight
The first night
The first night can be the hardest. Your puppy has probably never slept completely alone. Some whining or crying is normal.
Consider placing the crate near your bed for the first few nights. Being able to hear and smell you can help them feel more secure. Give a potty break immediately before bedtime.
If they wake crying, they may need to go outside. Take them out calmly, give them a chance to go, praise them when they do, and return them to the crate. Keep nighttime trips quiet and boring. Two in the morning is potty time, not playtime. Your puppy will learn the difference.
Rest
Puppies sleep a lot
Do not be surprised if your puppy plays hard and then suddenly crashes. Young puppies need a tremendous amount of sleep for growth and development. Give them a quiet, comfortable place to nap without constant disturbance. A sleepy puppy is not missing out. Sleep is part of growing.
Family
Introducing children
A new puppy is especially exciting for children. Keep introductions calm and supervised. Teach children to sit quietly and let the puppy approach, rather than chasing or constantly picking them up. Remind them that puppies need naps and quiet time too.
Never allow children to pull ears or tails, climb on the puppy, disturb them while eating or sleeping, or carry them around unsupervised. We want your puppy to learn from the beginning that children are safe, gentle, and fun to be around.
Resident dogs
Meeting other dogs
If you already have a dog, introduce them slowly and under supervision. Let them sniff and become familiar without forcing interaction. Keep early encounters positive and relatively short.
Your existing dog may be curious, excited, indifferent, or a little annoyed. That is okay. Give both dogs individual attention and let your resident dog have breaks from puppy energy. Do not leave the new puppy unsupervised with another dog until you are completely comfortable with their relationship.
Other pets
Meeting cats and other pets
Introductions to cats should also happen gradually. Give your cat a way to observe from a safe distance and always provide an escape route or a puppy-free area. Do not allow chasing. Reward calm behavior around other animals from the beginning.
Expectations
What is normal during the first few days?
Your puppy may:
- Whine or cry
- Follow you everywhere
- Seem nervous or unsure
- Sleep frequently
- Have potty accidents
- Eat a little less than usual
- Have a temporarily upset stomach
- Be extremely playful one minute and sound asleep the next
- Miss mom and their littermates
- Need lots of reassurance
Every puppy adjusts differently. Some walk in like they have owned the house forever. Others need a few days to find their confidence. Both are okay.
Health
Schedule your first vet visit
Establish a relationship with your veterinarian and schedule the first visit promptly after bringing your puppy home. Bring the health and vaccination records we send with your puppy so your veterinarian can review what has already been completed and discuss future vaccinations, parasite prevention, and routine care.
Until your veterinarian confirms adequate vaccine protection, be thoughtful about where your puppy walks and which unfamiliar dogs they meet.
Consistency
Start the routine from day one
Puppies thrive on consistency. Start simple routines for meals, potty breaks, crate time, playtime, training, and bedtime. You do not need to teach everything in the first 48 hours. Focus on bonding, trust, the crate, potty habits, and helping your puppy learn the new household.
Be patient. Celebrate the little victories. Take pictures. Expect a few accidents. And enjoy the cuddles. This stage goes by fast. Before long, that little ball of fluff will have taken over your home, your couch, and probably your heart.
Welcome to the family
Questions in those first days? We are here.
Reach out if something does not feel right, or if you just want a second opinion while your puppy settles in.