Puppy’s First Night at Home: How to Prepare and What to Expect

Congratulations on getting your new puppy! You must be so excited that you’ve taken the plunge and brought home a new member of the family from a responsible breeder.

Over the coming months, you are going to learn more and more about one another but don’t worry, our team at Pets & Friends are here for you every step of the way.

The First Night

The first night can be the hardest for your pup has they have to completely adjust to new environments and settings away from their mum and siblings. So we’ve put together some top tips to help ease your pup into their new home and help you get through some potentially long nights.

The first, most important tip, is to set yourself realistic expectations. Your puppy is still a baby, who has left their first family behind. It is perfectly normal for your new pup to take time to settle in, and it is important that you follow their lead when it comes to interactions.

The perfect bed

An easily accessible, size appropriate soft dog bed is ideal for your new puppy. If you plan on using a puppy crate, you can put their new bed in the crate to help them get comfy within their safe space.

Make sure your puppy’s bed is in a quiet area of your house, ensuring that they won’t get disturbed or distracted during the night.

Don’t forget the puppy pads! Accidents will happen, so until your pup is fully toilet trained, it’s also a good idea to put down pads and waterproof covers across the floor underneath their sleeping area.  

Tire them out

New smells, sights and stimulus can lead to one awfully excited pup! So an hour or so before bed, it’s a good idea to play some engaging games that require concentration to help tire them out. The more tired your pup, the easier they will fall asleep.

One last toilet training trip

It is so important to take your pup to the toilet before bedtime right from the start, and those first few nights can take a while for the last toilet trip- especially with a brand-new garden to explore. Stand your ground though, the last toilet trips and any night-time garden visits can be a great opportunity for your pup to tempt you into some games, it’s important to avoid contact and stimulating interaction to let them know that it is still bed time and not play time.

Turn off the lights

To help establish routine with your pup from the offset, always turn off the lights once your pup is settled in bed. This lets them know that playtime is over and that a dark house means time for bed.

You will find that your new puppy may cry, whimper or bark during the night. This is totally normal, and it is okay during their settling in period to soothe them by keeping your hands close by their new bed or on their crate to let them know that you’re there. However, it’s important to avoid taking your pup out of their bed, as this can cause confusion between bedtime and play time.

If you have any questions or queries about welcoming a new puppy into your home, you can get in touch with our behavioural experts for advice and tips via the website or your dedicated breeder programme Facebook group.