New Puppy First Week Checklist: A Day-by-Day Guide for New Owners

Your puppy's first week is mostly about adjustment, not training — expect some crying, picky eating, and clinginess in the first 24-72 hours, with things smoothing out by day 4-7. The non-negotiables for week one are scheduling the first vet visit, starting the vaccination/deworming timeline, and puppy-proofing your home before your puppy has free run of it.

A new puppy's first week sets the tone for everything that follows, but it's also the week new owners worry the most — is the whining normal? Is it okay that they're not eating much? When does the vet actually need to see them? Here's a checklist built around what's typically expected versus what should prompt a call.

Days 1-3: Settling In — What's Normal Adjustment

The first 48-72 hours are an adjustment period, not a behavior baseline. A puppy who was just separated from their littermates is processing a new home, new smells, new sounds, and new people all at once.

Typically normal in days 1-3:

• Reduced appetite for the first day or two (not a full refusal to eat for more than 24 hours)
• Whining or crying, especially at night or when left alone in a crate
• Hiding, sleeping more than usual, or seeking out a quiet corner
• Some house-training accidents — this is expected, not a setback
• Mild diarrhea from the stress of the move and a food change (transitioning gradually onto your puppy's existing diet over 5-7 days reduces this)

Worth a closer look if it continues past day 2-3: complete refusal to eat or drink, vomiting more than once, diarrhea that's watery or bloody, or a puppy who seems unusually weak or unresponsive rather than just shy. See the When to See a Vet section below — young puppies dehydrate faster than adult dogs and have less reserve.

Days 4-7: Building Routine

By the second half of the week, most puppies start showing their actual personality as the initial stress response fades.

• Feeding: Puppies typically need 3-4 small meals a day through the early months — exact frequency and amount depend on breed size and the food's feeding guide, so this is one of the best things to confirm at the first vet visit.
• Sleep: Young puppies sleep 18-20 hours a day in short bursts. Nighttime crying in week one is usually separation distress, not a medical issue, but it should gradually improve as the puppy settles into a crate or sleep area.
• House-training: Consistency (same door, same schedule, frequent outings) matters more than speed this week. Expect accidents — they're part of the process, not a sign something's wrong.
• Socialization: It's safe to start gentle, low-risk socialization at home (new people, household sounds, handling paws and ears) before vaccines are complete. Hold off on dog parks, pet stores, and unknown dogs until your vet confirms it's safe based on the vaccination timeline below.

Puppy Vaccination & Deworming Timeline (First Few Months)

This is the part of week one that has the clearest, most evidence-based timeline — and it's the single most useful thing to lock in during the first vet visit.

Age	What typically happens	Source
2 weeks+	Deworming can begin (hookworms and roundworms are common in young puppies)	AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines
6-8 weeks	First combination vaccine dose (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, +/- parainfluenza); heartworm and flea/tick prevention can typically start as early as label allows	AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines
Every 2-4 weeks until 16+ weeks	Additional combination vaccine doses — at least 3 total doses for puppies vaccinated at or before 16 weeks of age	AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, 2022
12+ weeks	Leptospirosis vaccine series (two doses, 2-4 weeks apart) if recommended for your area/lifestyle	AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, 2022
Throughout first year	Repeated fecal exams — puppies are more likely to carry intestinal parasites than adult dogs	AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines

Specifically: core vaccines (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus) should be given as at least 3 doses between 6 and 16 weeks of age, spaced 2-4 weeks apart (AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines, 2022). Deworming for hookworms and roundworms typically starts as early as 2 weeks of age and is repeated every 2 weeks until the puppy moves onto a monthly parasite-prevention product, and heartworm prevention generally starts by 8 weeks of age (AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines, 2019). The "puppy" life stage itself is generally defined as birth through roughly 6-9 months, depending on breed and size (AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines, 2019) — useful context for why the first year involves so many short-interval visits rather than one annual checkup.

If your puppy came from a shelter or rescue with an unknown vaccine history, don't try to estimate where they are in this schedule yourself — your vet will typically restart or adjust the series based on age and presentation.

Your First-Week Vet Visit Checklist

Book the first veterinary visit within the first few days of bringing your puppy home, even if vaccines were started by a breeder or shelter. Bring:

• Any vaccine, deworming, or medical records from the breeder/shelter/previous owner
• A fresh stool sample if possible (helps with the parasite check covered above)
• A list of what your puppy has been eating, and any GI symptoms since you brought them home
• Questions about microchipping, spay/neuter timing, and flea/tick/heartworm prevention — these are usually covered at this visit or the next one

A basic veterinary exam typically runs $50-150, with vaccines, fecal testing, and dewormer billed separately — ask for an itemized estimate up front so the first-visit total isn't a surprise. If anything looks abnormal on exam (heart murmur, umbilical hernia, parasites), your vet will outline next steps and approximate added cost at that visit.

Home Safety Checklist for Week One

Before your puppy has free run of any room, confirm:

• Household chemicals, medications, and small chewable objects are out of reach (puppies investigate with their mouths)
• Common toxic foods — chocolate, grapes/raisins, onions/garlic, xylitol — are stored where a puppy can't reach them
• Electrical cords are managed or covered
• Stairs, pools, and balconies are blocked off until the puppy is steadier and supervised
• A crate or confined "safe space" is set up before bedtime the first night, not improvised at 11pm

When to See a Vet

General week-one adjustment (a quieter puppy, picky eating for a day, some crying) doesn't usually need same-day care. The following do.

Call your vet today if:

• Your puppy hasn't eaten anything in over 24 hours
• Diarrhea or vomiting continues into a second day, or happens more than 2-3 times
• You notice limping, persistent scratching, or visible parasites (fleas, worms in stool)
• Your puppy seems unusually quiet, weak, or hard to rouse compared to their first day home

Go to the ER immediately if:

• Your puppy is vomiting repeatedly and can't keep water down
• There's blood in vomit or stool, or stool is black and tarry
• Your puppy collapses, has labored breathing, or won't respond to you
• You know or suspect they ate something toxic (chocolate, a human medication, a toxic plant)
• The abdomen looks visibly swollen or your puppy is retching without producing anything (possible bloat — more common in large/giant breeds but always urgent)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal for a new puppy to not eat the first day? Yes — a reduced appetite for the first 24 hours is common as a puppy adjusts to a new environment. If they refuse food entirely for more than a day, or seem lethargic alongside it, that's worth a same-day call to your vet.

How much does a puppy's first vet visit cost? A basic exam typically runs $50-150. Vaccines, fecal testing, and dewormer are usually billed separately, so ask for an itemized estimate before the visit so you know the likely total.

When can my puppy go outside or meet other dogs? Low-risk exposure (your own yard, vaccinated and known dogs) is often fine earlier, but unrestricted exposure to dog parks and unknown dogs is usually held off until your vet confirms the vaccination series is far enough along — ask at the first visit what's appropriate for your specific puppy and area.

Is crying at night normal in the first week? Yes, especially the first few nights. It's typically separation distress from leaving littermates, not a medical problem, and tends to improve as the puppy settles into a routine. Crying that doesn't improve at all after a week, or is paired with other symptoms, is worth mentioning to your vet.

When does deworming start, and how often? Deworming for common intestinal parasites can start as early as 2 weeks of age and is typically repeated every 2 weeks until the puppy transitions to a monthly preventive product.

Will my puppy's house-training accidents go away on its own? Accidents are expected in week one — they're part of learning, not a sign of a problem. Consistency in schedule and supervision matters more than punishment, which can slow the process down.

Is diarrhea in the first week something to worry about? Mild, short-lived diarrhea from the stress of a move and a food change is common and usually resolves within a day or two of a gradual diet transition. Diarrhea that's watery, bloody, or lasts more than a day or two warrants a vet call — young puppies dehydrate quickly.

Do I need to do anything differently for a rescue puppy versus one from a breeder? The same first-week framework applies, but rescue puppies often have an unknown or incomplete vaccine/deworming history, so your vet may restart or adjust the schedule above rather than assuming prior doses are valid.

What's Normal for Your Puppy — Not Just the Average One

Every puppy hits these milestones on their own timeline — breed, size, and individual temperament all shift what "normal" looks like for the first week. If something about your puppy's eating, energy, or behavior doesn't quite match this guide, Voyage AI Vet can walk through what you're seeing for your specific puppy — describe it in chat, share photos, or hop on video — with citations to the veterinary literature behind every answer.

Ask about your pet →

For symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or a puppy who isn't drinking water, see our dedicated guides for what's typical versus what needs same-day attention. If your puppy has any signs of parvovirus — including lethargy with bloody diarrhea — treat it as an emergency regardless of vaccination status, since the vaccine series isn't fully protective until completed.

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