Bringing Home a New Puppy in India: Week 1 Checklist

You've been planning for this moment for months. Perhaps even years. Finally, it is going to happen – your puppy will soon join the family! The anticipation is very much real; the photos you take from your phone are completely out of control, and the entire household has ideas about what his name should be.

However, the first week with a new puppy in India can be quite challenging. The climate conditions, adjustments, lack of sleep, potty accidents on a freshly cleaned floor, and many other issues. Luckily enough, proper preparation does wonders! This puppy checklist covers everything you need to get through Week 1 well: for your puppy, and for you.

The Master Puppy Checklist: At a Glance

Before we go section by section, here is your complete puppy checklist in one place. Tick off each item as you go.

Before the Puppy Arrives: Set Up the Space

Do this a day in advance, never on the same day. Once you get your puppy home, there won’t be enough time left to do anything. One important part of making your puppy checklist involves preparing your home environment before you get into trouble.

Create a Dedicated Puppy Zone

Pick one room or at least some section within a room — somewhere with floors that can be easily cleaned (tiles will be better than carpets for self-evident reasons). For the first couple of days, it will make up the whole world of your new puppy.

Puppy-Proof Ruthlessly

Get on all fours and view your house from the point of view of a dog. Anything you see that can be bitten – electrical wires, chargers, shoes, drapery cords, household chemicals, books on lower shelves – should be moved out of reach or blocked off. In India, the power sockets near the floor level and balconies need extra attention.

Day 1: The Drive Home and the First Hours

If you can, take a driver who drives you and your puppy in the back seat, so that your puppy doesn’t face any kind of stress. Just keep a blanket or toy, which he had in his previous place, with you because it would make him more comfortable to adjust. As soon as you reach your home, take your puppy to the bathroom immediately because training of puppies for housebreaking starts right away.

Don’t try to show your puppy to all members of your family because your puppy needs some time to get adjusted to his new surroundings. You need to give him sometime, like maybe about one hour without any disturbances. Try turning off the loud music because your puppy feels scared leaving his mother and siblings behind.

Feeding in Week 1: What, How Much, and How Often

The first mistake made by new owners of puppies when it comes to nutrition is changing the puppy’s food immediately. Avoid doing this! Check what brand of food your puppy consumed previously and stick with it for at least a week. Changing diet along with a shock of a new environment may upset your puppy’s stomach.

Puppy checklist – feeding fundamentals: A puppy 8-12 weeks old should have three to four small meals daily. They have small tummies and can’t handle big meals.

Feed puppies their specific brand of puppy food; do not give adult dogs' food to the puppy. Puppies require higher protein, calcium, and DHA, which help them in their developmental stage. Clean and fresh water should be available at all times – there is a high chance of dehydration in the summer in India.

Vet Visit Puppy Checklist for Health

If possible, book an appointment with the vet even before bringing your puppy back home. The visit to the vet is essential – this visit paves the way for your puppy's health journey. In your puppy checklist for the vet, include the following:

• Physical exam completed

• Vaccination records acquired

• Vaccination schedule discussed

• Deworming dose administered

Deworming is initiated at an earlier stage, and the frequency is higher than what most new pet owners imagine. The procedure of deworming begins at 2 weeks, then every two weeks until they reach the age of 12 weeks. For the period of 3-6 months, monthly deworming becomes common practice.

Toilet Training: Begins on Day 1

Potty training can take several weeks, but what happens in the first week will affect how fast the process is. Toilet training will require more effort than any other aspect on your puppy’s to-do list.

First off, puppies need to relieve themselves the very minute they wake up, the very minute they finish eating, and the very minute they finish playing. Consistently take your dog to his spot, say your chosen command (“go potty,” “susu”, etc.) and give him his reward as soon as he relieves himself in the right place.

Accidents will happen, and when they do, use enzymatic cleaner without drama. Never scold, never rub your puppy’s nose in the mess. Your puppy will not understand why you’re punishing him for something he did just a few minutes ago.

Sleep: What to Expect and How to Survive It

Without doubt, your puppy will cry in the early days because for the very first time, he/she will be away from his/her mother and siblings. However, this is a distressing moment for your puppy but does not mean that your puppy is crying out of drama.

Always keep the crate in your room for at least the first week because your puppy finds comfort in your presence and also feels safe with your breath since your puppy has just started trusting you. Putting a hot water bottle under the bedding can offer a feeling of comfort to your puppy.

It is better if you do not take your puppy to bed with you if you don’t wish to have them sleeping in your bed forever – puppies learn extremely quickly, and it’s good to establish rules right from day one.

Expect to wake up in the middle of the night for at least a week or two. At around 8 weeks old, many puppies can only hold their bladder for about 2–3 hours during the day, and often less during periods of excitement.

Socialisation: The Most Important Puppy Checklist Item You Might Skip

The time when experiences become regarded as natural, not frightening, is known as socialisation, and it takes place between 3 and 14 weeks. Bringing the puppy into your household at the age of 8 weeks would mean that the socialisation period has very limited time. While it is definitely an item on all puppies' must-do lists, socialisation is often neglected by inexperienced pet owners. They cannot be taken to places where other dogs are around, but here is what can be done at home:

• Introduce your puppy to at least three different individuals, e.g. men, women, kids, people wearing helmets, people with glasses

• Exposure to household noises such as a pressure cooker, doorbell sound, car traffic, or rainfall

• Teach them to walk on various surfaces, including tiles, marble, or grass on your terrace or garden

• Bring them for a short but peaceful car trip

Each positive experience you provide during this period decreases the chance of developing fear-based behaviours in the future. Ignoring socialisation just because it seems too soon is an expensive mistake to make.

Your Week 1 Daily Routine at a Glance

Use this as the daily structure for your puppy checklist:

Puppies sleep between 16 and 20 hours a day. If yours is sleeping a lot, that is not a problem - it is growth happening in real time. Protect their sleep and resist the urge to wake them for cuddles.

One Last Thing

Week 1 can be hectic and tiring; sometimes, you will ask yourself, “What have I gotten myself into?” This is completely understandable. You do not have to be perfect in your puppy’s eyes. Consistency, patience, and safety are all you have to provide for your puppy.

FAQs

What to do when you are bringing your puppy home?

When bringing your puppy home, make sure that you take them directly to their bathroom place and not to areas where there is much movement going on. Allow your puppy to play around freely in their specific area without having many people around and without any disturbances. It is important to ensure that your puppy is well hydrated by giving them water while maintaining the same diet.

What are some items needed on a bringing a puppy home checklist?

A bringing a puppy home checklist will contain many things such as food for the puppy, bedding, collar, dog leash, identification tags, toys, training pads, cleaning supplies, and taking the puppy to the vet, among others. Also, you need to make sure that your house is puppy-proof so that they do not get hurt.

How quickly do puppies adapt to their new surroundings?

It may take several days or even weeks according to their adaptation period to things. Their initial days will be characterised by nighttime crying, daytime sleeping, shyness, and bed-wetting.

What should a first-time puppy owner's checklist include?

An essential checklist for any person who is adopting a dog for the first time needs to include all the items that are required to look after the dog effectively for the coming weeks. The list must include a feeding bowl, dog food, bedding place (dog bed), leash, dog collar, ID tag, dog diapers, and dog chews for entertainment. It is your responsibility to dog-proof your house.

How do I prepare my home for the new puppy?

Preparing your house for a puppy would involve making sure there is a clean puppy area for him, which will contain puppy bedding, puppy food, and some toys. It is important to make sure that anything that the puppy can chew, like electrical wires and other household items, is kept away from him.