🏡 Bringing Home Your New Puppy: Tips for a Calm & Happy First Day
Your puppy’s gotcha day is finally here! 🐶 Whether you’ve been counting down for weeks or it all happened fast, welcoming your new best friend into your home is a huge milestone.
But what should you do on your puppy’s first day at home?
How do you help them feel safe, avoid overwhelm, and start building that beautiful bond?
Here’s what you need to know to make your puppy’s first 24 hours stress-free, calm, and full of gentle love.
💗 What to Expect on Puppy Gotcha Day
The journey to their new home, the new smells, sounds, and people, it’s a lot for your puppy to take in.
That’s why your focus today should be on:
✅ Keeping things calm
✅ Giving your puppy a safe space
✅ Letting them explore gently at their own pace
This isn’t the day to start training or showing them off, it’s a time to settle and soothe.
🐾 How to Help Your Puppy Settle on Their First Day
Here are some simple tips to make your puppy’s first day a smooth one:
🏠 1. Set Up a Safe Space
Your puppy needs somewhere quiet and cozy to retreat when it all feels too much.
A crate, puppy pen, or small corner of a room with a soft bed and blanket is perfect. Avoid overwhelming them by giving free rein of the whole house, too much space can cause anxiety.
Let this be their space, somewhere they can nap, chew a toy, and feel secure.
🐶 2. Keep It Quiet (No Visitors Yet!)
It’s tempting to invite friends and family over to meet your new pup, but hold off for a few days.
Too many new people on Day One can be overwhelming and scary. Give your puppy time to bond with you and learn the basics of their new home before introducing new faces.
🐕 3. Have Another Dog? Introduce Them Gently
If you’ve got a resident dog, introduce them on neutral ground, like the garden or during a short walk.
Watch both dogs’ body language, keep leads loose, and let them approach on their own terms. It’s totally normal if they don’t play right away, slow and steady wins the trust game.
🥣 4. Don’t Panic If They Don’t Eat
Some puppies are too nervous to eat much on their first day. That’s okay!
Make sure fresh water is available, and offer food in a calm, quiet setting. Avoid changing food brands right away, stick to what they were eating with their breeder or rescue to prevent tummy upsets.
If they still haven’t eaten after 24–48 hours, speak to your vet for peace of mind.
🚶 5. Don’t Overdo It
Your puppy is a baby. They’ll need plenty of naps, short bursts of play, and lots of downtime.
Resist the urge to overstimulate with toys, training or too much attention. Sit quietly, let them come to you, and speak softly.
💬 6. Keep Your Day Clear
If possible, don’t plan errands, work meetings or housework on Gotcha Day. This is the time to get to know each other, learn your puppy’s cues, and just be together. The more relaxed you are, the more confident they will feel.
💡 Pro Tip: Not Everything Will Go Perfectly — And That’s OK
Your puppy may cry.
They may have accidents.
You may feel overwhelmed.
That’s all completely normal. They’re adjusting. You’re adjusting. It’s the start of a beautiful bond — and like any good relationship, it takes time, trust, and patience.
You’ve got this 🐾
📥 Free Download: New Puppy Checklist
Not sure if you’ve got everything ready?
Download our FREE New Puppy Checklist. It covers all the essentials, from food and crates to first vet visits, puppy-proofing and more!