Night one
Expect some whining. Your puppy has never slept apart from their littermates, and the quiet of a new home feels strange. Set the crate close enough that you can hear them stir — most young puppies need one middle-of-the-night potty break.
Keep night one boring. No play, soft lights, calm voice. Familiarity comes faster when the first night feels safe and predictable, not exciting.
Crate setup that actually works
- Properly sized — big enough to stand and turn around, not so big they can potty in one corner and sleep in the other.
- Soft bed plus Mom's Scent Blanket from us. Familiar scent is the single biggest comfort in week one.
- Crate in a calm corner, not in the middle of household traffic.
- Water in the attached playpen, not inside the crate overnight.
Feeding schedule
- Three meals a day for young puppies, spaced morning, midday, and early evening.
- Use the exact food we send home — a sample comes with your puppy. Diet changes too fast cause loose stools.
- Last meal at least an hour before bedtime so your puppy can digest and potty before sleep.
- Fresh water all day during waking hours.
Your first vet visit
Schedule a wellness check within the first 3 to 5 days. Your puppy comes home with a licensed vet exam, age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming records, and microchip information — bring all of that paperwork to your appointment so your new vet can build the file from day one.
Use this visit to establish the relationship. You want a vet you trust before you are in the middle of a problem.
Adjustment stress vs. illness
Some signs are normal in week one — a softer first stool from the stress of travel, a quieter appetite for a meal or two, more sleep than you expected, and clinginess as they figure out who their people are now.
- Call your vet promptly for: repeated vomiting, watery diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours, lethargy that does not lift with rest, refusing food and water for more than a day, or any sign of pain.
- Trust your gut. If something feels off, it is always worth a call.
When to call your breeder
Reach out anytime. First-week questions are some of the most common, and we would always rather answer than have you guess. Lifetime breeder support is part of bringing home a Kid's Best Doodle puppy — we stay connected through the moments that feel hard and the ones that feel ordinary.
If you would like a fully guided first week — kit, setup, and personal coaching — explore the KBD Concierge Homecoming.
A real person on the other end.
Every Kid’s Best Doodle family gets lifetime breeder support — from first-night questions to routine, food, crate transition, and emotional adjustment. You will not be guessing your way through anything alone.
