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The New Puppy Checklist
The full Day-1 list lives on this page — gear, vet, food, training, and puppy-proofing. Use it as a working checklist. The buying-guide version of a new-puppy supply list is a separate article; this page is the room-by-room punch list.
What's Inside
🏠 Before They Come Home
- Crate + bedding
- Puppy-proof the house
- Safe space setup
- Baby gates
🏥 Vet & Health Prep
- Find a vet before Day 1
- Schedule first exam
- Deworming + vaccines
- Flea/tick prevention
🥣 Food & Water
- Scheduled feeding plan
- Puppy-formula food
- Stainless steel bowls
- Transition timeline
🎓 Training Essentials
- Crate training protocol
- Potty schedule
- Name recognition day 1
- Leash introduction
🧸 Toys & Enrichment
- Chew toys (appropriate size)
- Puzzle toy for mealtimes
- Safe rope toys
- No squeakers under 12 wk
📋 First Week Schedule
- Hour-by-hour Day 1 plan
- Feeding times
- Nap schedule
- Potty log template
Printable, one-page format — tape it to the fridge for the first week.
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Start here
Pick the job you actually have, then open a page that already exists. Sibling links only — no new directories.
| Need | Start with | Next published page |
|---|---|---|
| Gear before Day 1 | Supply checklist article | Best Dog Supplies for New Puppy Owners: Complete Checklist |
| Crate the first week | Crate-training how-to | How to Crate Train a Puppy: Complete Step-by-Step Guide |
| Potty schedule | Week-by-week plan | Puppy Potty Training Schedule: A Week-by-Week Plan That Works |
| Socialization window | First 16 weeks | How to Socialize a Puppy: The First 16 Weeks That Shape Everything |
| Puppy-proof rooms | Home safety list | How to Dog-Proof Your Home: Room-by-Room Safety Checklist |
Getting Ready? Start Here
Best Dog Supplies for New Puppy Owners: Complete Checklist How to Crate Train a Puppy: Complete Guide How to Socialize a Puppy: The Critical Window Puppy Potty Training Schedule: Week-by-Week How to Teach a Reliable Recall How to Stop Leash Pulling How to Dog-Proof Your Home Adopting a Rescue Dog: First 30 Days