New puppy basics

What should I avoid doing with my new puppy in the first week?

Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this

Short answer

Avoid a packed schedule of visitors, long car trips for errands, public dog walks before your vet clears it, forcing interactions the puppy seems unsure about, and skipping scheduled nap time to keep playing. A calmer, more restrained first week generally leads to a smoother settling in period overall.

Resist the urge to do too much

It is tempting to show a new puppy off to everyone and take it everywhere immediately, but a packed first week of new experiences without enough rest tends to produce an overtired, harder to settle puppy rather than a well socialized one.

Let the puppy set some of the pace

Forcing interactions, such as insisting a shy puppy be held by every visitor, can create negative associations that take longer to undo than simply allowing the puppy to approach in its own time from the start.

A few more specific things to hold off on

Avoid a full bath in the first week unless genuinely necessary, since the combination of a new environment, new smells and the stress of bathing all at once can be more than a puppy needs to process so soon after arrival. A damp cloth wipe down handles most minor mess just as well.

Hold off on any major changes to sleeping arrangements once you have picked a spot, since a puppy moved between different sleeping locations in the first week often takes longer to settle than one given a single, consistent space from day one.

Skip any formal training class or large group puppy socialization session in the very first week, even if age appropriate, and instead let the puppy settle into the home environment first before adding the extra stimulation of a structured group setting with unfamiliar puppies and people. A week or two of patience here pays off with a puppy that is genuinely ready to engage rather than overwhelmed from the outset.

Key takeaways

Avoid overloading the first week with visitors, errands and new experiences all at once.
Hold off on public dog walks until your vet confirms it is appropriate for your puppy.
Let a hesitant puppy approach new people and situations at its own pace rather than forcing it.