Bringing home a new puppy is one of the most exciting things in the world. 🐶
The anticipation. The preparation. The moment you walk through the door and put them down and watch them sniff around their new home for the very first time.
And then night one hits. 😅
Suddenly you realise there are about forty seven things you forgot to get, three things you got that are completely wrong and one very loud, very confused puppy who has absolutely no intention of sleeping.
We've been there. Most puppy owners have.
That's why we put together this complete first week checklist — everything you actually need, why you need it and what to look for when choosing. So you can spend less time panicking and more time enjoying those first precious weeks with your new best friend. 🐾
1. A Cosy, Safe Bed or Crate
Your puppy needs their own dedicated space from day one — somewhere that is entirely theirs, that smells familiar and that they can retreat to whenever they need to rest or feel safe.
A soft, padded bed in a quiet corner of a room works brilliantly. Many puppy owners also use a crate alongside a bed — the enclosed space mimics the den-like environment puppies instinctively seek out and can make settling in significantly easier.
Whatever you choose, place it somewhere away from busy foot traffic, draughts and direct sunlight. And put a piece of your worn clothing in it from day one — your scent is the single most comforting thing for a new puppy.
→ Shop Cosy Dog Beds for Puppies UK
2. The Calming Heartbeat Comfort Plush
If there is one product on this list that every single new puppy owner needs — it is this one. 💛
The first few nights are the hardest. Your puppy has been taken away from their mum and littermates for the first time in their life. They are in a strange new place with strange new smells and strange new sounds. And they are completely alone at night for the very first time.
The Calming Heartbeat Comfort Plush mimics the warmth and heartbeat of their mum — giving your puppy the one thing they are missing most. The moment they curl up next to it something changes. They settle. They calm. They sleep.
Most puppy owners who discover this wish someone had told them about it before night one.
→ Calming Heartbeat Comfort Plush for New Puppies UK
3. Food and Water Bowls
Sounds obvious — but the type of bowl matters more than most people realise.
Flat plastic bowls on the floor are the most common choice and arguably the worst one. Plastic harbours bacteria, slides around during feeding and forces your puppy to eat in an unnatural hunched position from day one.
Stainless steel or ceramic elevated bowls are a far better choice. They are hygienic, easy to clean, stable during feeding and promote a more natural comfortable eating posture that is better for your puppy's neck and spine long term.
If you want to go one step further an angled or tilted bowl reduces strain even further — especially important for flat faced breeds like French Bulldogs and Pugs.
→ Shop Elevated Puppy Food and Water Bowls UK
4. A Slow Feeder Bowl or Mat
Most puppies eat like they have never seen food before and will never see it again. 😄
Eating too fast leads to gulping air, bloating, vomiting and digestive discomfort — all of which are unpleasant for your puppy and stressful for you.
A slow feeder bowl or lick mat forces your puppy to work for their food, slowing them down naturally and turning mealtime into a mentally stimulating activity at the same time.
Start using one from the very first week and it becomes completely normal behaviour for your puppy.
→ Shop Slow Feeder Bowls and Lick Mats for Puppies UK
5. A Collar, Harness and Lead
Your puppy will need to start getting used to wearing a collar and harness from the very first week — the earlier you introduce it the easier the process.
Start with a lightweight adjustable collar for ID tag purposes and a soft padded harness for walks. Harnesses distribute pressure more evenly than collars and are significantly better for puppies whose necks and spines are still developing.
A dual dog leash is also worth considering if you plan on walking two dogs at any point — and adjustable harnesses that grow with your puppy will save you money in the long run.
→ Shop Adjustable Puppy Harnesses and Leads UK
6. Poop Bags and a Dispenser
You will need these from literally day one. Stock up more than you think you need — you will always need more than you expect. 😄
A poop bag dispenser that clips onto your lead or bag means you always have them to hand on walks without having to rummage around in your pockets.
→ Shop Poop Bags with Dispenser UK
7. Toys — Interactive, Chew and Comfort
Puppies need to play. Constantly. And if you don't give them appropriate things to play with and chew they will find their own — usually your furniture, shoes or phone charger.
Stock up on a variety of toys from week one:
Chew toys — essential for teething puppies who need to gnaw on something constantly. A good chew toy saves your furniture and your sanity.
Interactive toys — treat dispensing toys and puzzle feeders keep puppies mentally stimulated and tire them out far more effectively than physical exercise alone.
Rope toys — great for interactive play between you and your puppy and brilliant for bonding in those first crucial weeks.
Comfort toys — alongside the heartbeat plush, a soft comfort toy gives your puppy something familiar and safe to curl up with.
→ Shop Puppy Toys and Chew Toys UK
8. Puppy Pads or a Dog Toilet Tray
Toilet training takes time and accidents will happen — especially in the first week. Puppy pads placed near the door and in key spots around the house give your puppy a designated toilet area while they are learning.
A dog toilet tray takes this one step further — a contained, easy to clean tray that teaches your puppy exactly where to go.
Be patient. Be consistent. And expect plenty of accidents in week one regardless of how prepared you are. 😅
→ Shop Dog Toilet Trays and Puppy Training Aids UK
9. A GPS Collar
This might feel like something you don't need in week one — your puppy isn't going anywhere on their own just yet. But it is never too early to get into the habit.
As your puppy grows and starts exploring further a GPS collar gives you real time location tracking straight to your phone — so if they ever bolt through an open gate or slip their lead you can find them instantly.
Given that more dogs go missing in their first year than at any other time — getting a GPS collar early is one of the best decisions a new puppy owner can make.
→ Shop GPS Dog Collars for Puppies UK
10. A Soft Pet Blanket
Simple. Affordable. Completely essential. 🐾
A soft fleece pet blanket goes everywhere in that first week — in the bed, in the crate, in the car, on the sofa, on your lap. Your puppy will claim it as their own almost immediately and it will become one of their most important comfort objects.
Get two if you can — one to use and one in the wash. Because week one with a puppy involves a lot of washing. 😄
→ Shop Soft Fleece Pet Blankets for Puppies UK
Bonus — The Automatic Pet Feeder
Not essential in week one but worth knowing about early. As your puppy grows and you return to normal routines an automatic pet feeder means they are always fed on time even when life gets busy.
Schedule meals, control portions and feed remotely from your phone — perfect for busy puppy owners who can't always be home at feeding time.
→ Shop Smart Automatic Pet Feeders UK
A Note on Week One
Week one with a new puppy is wonderful, exhausting, hilarious and occasionally overwhelming — sometimes all at the same time. 😄
Be patient with them. Be patient with yourself. Accidents will happen. Sleep will be disrupted. Things will get chewed that shouldn't get chewed.
But in between all of that there will be moments of pure magic that you will remember for the rest of your life. The first time they fall asleep on your lap. The first time they recognise their name. The first time they bound towards you like you are the best thing they have ever seen.
And you will think — worth every single second. 💛
Shop everything on this list at UrbanPetShop.co.uk Free shipping on all orders over £24.99 across the UK. 🐾
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