Welcoming Your Puppy Home: Complete Guide + Checklist

A puppy’s arrival at home is one of the most eagerly awaited moments, and sometimes one of the most unsettling. The first days set the tone for the weeks, months, and years that follow. A puppy arriving in a well-prepared, calm, organized home adapts much faster.

At Royaume des Galopins, we prepare our adopting families well before the puppy is handed over. This guide gathers the essentials of what we share with them: what to buy before the arrival, how to handle the first nights, where to start with training, and when to see the vet. A complete checklist is available at the bottom of the article.

1. Before the arrival: preparing the home and supplies

Essential supplies

Here’s what you need to have ready before your puppy crosses the threshold:

• A bed: a soft basket or cushion in a quiet spot, away from drafts and foot traffic. At the kennel, we don’t practice crating and don’t recommend it. Your puppy needs freedom and trust, not a confined space. For the first nights, place the bed in your bedroom.
• Bowls: a stable water bowl (stainless steel or ceramic preferred) and a food bowl.
• Collar or harness + leash: an adjustable collar suited to their size from day one. A 5 m long line will be useful for early outdoor recall training.
• Toys: a few chew toys, a Kong, a plush toy. We include in the puppy kit a toy or blanket carrying the litter’s scent. Keep it for the first nights.
• Basic grooming kit: a brush suited to their coat type, nail clippers, detangling spray.
• Enzymatic cleaner: essential for cleaning up accidents without leaving residual odor.

Puppy-proofing the home

Before the arrival, do a “puppy-proof” walkthrough of your home: accessible electrical cords, toxic plants (philodendron, dieffenbachia, oleander, ficus…), small swallowable objects, household products and medications, access to stairs/balconies/pools.

2. The trip home and the arrival

Arrange for a passenger to hold the puppy against them in a blanket. For long trips, stop regularly. Resist the urge to invite family and friends on the first day: let the puppy sniff each room freely, take them immediately to the spot where they’ll relieve themselves, and praise them warmly when they succeed.

3. The first nights

Your puppy will cry. This is inevitable and normal, as they’ve just been separated from their mother and littermates. Set up their bed in your bedroom for the first nights, then gradually move it toward its permanent spot.

4. House training

Learned through repetition and anticipation, never through punishment. Take them out systematically on waking, after every nap, 10-15 minutes after each meal, after intense play, and before bedtime. In case of an accident indoors: no reaction, clean with an enzymatic product.

5. Early lessons

Recall (top priority), gradual alone time, handling (paws, ears, mouth), household rules decided as a family, and socialization (the key window from 3 to 14 weeks).

6. Feeding

Continue with the kibble listed on the tracking sheet for at least 3 to 4 weeks before any transition.

7. The first vet visit

Within 48-72 hours of arrival, with the health record and the kennel’s certificate of good health.

Complete checklist

To buy before day J: bed, water bowl, food bowl, adjustable collar, leash, 5 m long line, chew toys + Kong, brush, detangling spray, enzymatic cleaner, kibble (same brand/reference), treats, nail clippers.

To prepare before day J: home puppy-proofed, bed in the bedroom, vet appointment booked, household rules decided as a family.

On day J: immediate outdoor break, calm exploration, first meal, fresh water, bed in the bedroom for the first night.

Your Royaume des Galopins puppy leaves with a puppy kit, a personalized feeding sheet, and access to our free post-adoption training support. Check out our available Pomsky puppies or our available Miniature American Shepherd & Toy Australian Shepherd puppies.