Your First 7 Days Puppy Plan

A practical first-week routine that may help you establish consistent habits. Print this out and check items off as you go.

Your Day 1–7 Checklist

1. Puppy-proof one "home base" room before your puppy arrives — remove cords, small objects, and anything chewable.
2. Pick your potty spot on day one and carry (don't walk) your puppy there every single time for the first week.
3. Set a potty schedule: first thing in the morning, after every meal, after naps, and after play — roughly every 1–2 hours for young puppies.
4. Reward the moment they finish going potty outside — a treat and praise within 3 seconds, every time.
5. Choose a crate or safe pen and make it cozy, not a punishment — feed a few meals inside it with the door open.
6. Start "name = good things" on day one: say your puppy's name, then immediately give a treat, five times a day.
7. Introduce gentle handling — touch paws, ears, and mouth briefly each day, pairing it with treats, so vet and grooming visits go smoothly later.
8. Begin bite-inhibition play — when teeth touch skin, yelp softly, stop the game for 10 seconds, then resume. Never punish physically.
9. Mark and reward calm behavior — when your puppy is lying quietly, quietly say "yes" and toss a treat, so calm becomes a habit, not just excitement.
10. Limit — don't avoid — new experiences. Short, positive exposures to new people, sounds, and surfaces each day build confidence without overwhelm.
11. Never let visitors overwhelm your puppy. Let your puppy approach people, not the other way around.
12. Ignore attention-seeking barking or nipping — turn away and remove attention rather than scolding, which can accidentally reward the behavior.
13. End every day with 5 minutes of one-on-one training — sit, come, or name recognition — to build the habit of learning together.
14. Track what triggers overtiredness (the "witching hour" zoomies and nipping) and move nap time earlier next time.

Stick with this for a week and you'll have the foundation most owners spend months building by accident. If you want the complete, ordered system for everything beyond week one — leash manners, recall, and fixing problems as they show up — our top-rated program takes you the rest of the way.