🏠 Prepare Your Home for a New Puppy
Getting it right from day one. A well-prepared home means a calmer safer and happier start for your puppy and your family.
Before Your Puppy Arrives
A little preparation goes a long way. Puppies explore with their mouths and have no concept of danger. Walking through your home with fresh eyes before they arrive will save stress, vet bills and tears.
Puppy-Proofing Your Home
- ✅ Secure trailing cables behind furniture or use cable tidies
- ✅ Move toxic plants out of reach — lilies, ivy, daffodils and many houseplants are dangerous
- ✅ Store cleaning products and medicines in locked or high cupboards
- ✅ Block off stairs with a stair gate until your puppy is confident and old enough
- ✅ Check fencing in the garden for gaps a small puppy could squeeze through
- ✅ Put shoes and children’s toys away — anything at ground level is fair game
- ✅ Secure bin lids or move bins into cupboards
Essential Kit to Have Ready
- 🛏️ A crate or bed in a quiet corner — this becomes their safe space
- 🍽️ Food and water bowls — stainless steel or ceramic are easiest to clean
- 🦮 Collar, ID tag and lead — legally required in public from day one
- 🧸 A variety of toys — chew toys, tug toys and something soft
- 🧴 Puppy shampoo and a brush suitable for their coat type
- 🧻 Enzymatic cleaner for accidents — removes the scent so they do not return to the same spot
- 📋 Vet booked for a check-up within the first week
The First Night
Expect some crying. Your puppy has just left their mum and littermates for the first time. A warm water bottle wrapped in a blanket, a ticking clock nearby and a piece of clothing with your scent can all help. Keep the crate close to your bed for the first few nights if possible — they need to know you are there.
Home Ready. Now Start Training.
The best time to start training is the day your puppy arrives. Our Foundation Course gives you a step-by-step programme in short daily exercises. Just £9.99 — and your puppy gets the best possible start.