Guide: first night with a new puppy
First Night With a New Puppy: A Calm Bedtime Plan
The first night with a new puppy is usually the hardest, because the puppy has never slept away from its mother and littermates. So put the crate beside your bed, give the puppy something that smells of its litter, and expect one or two quiet potty trips. Most puppies settle within a few nights.
Setting up for the first night with a new puppy
The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends putting the crate in your bedroom, because a puppy feels safer with you nearby (AKC). Then make the crate feel familiar.
- A scent from home. Use a blanket or soft toy that smells of the mother and litter. Our puppies go home with a comfort blanket for exactly this reason.
- Warmth. Wrap a warm water bottle in a towel, or use a puppy heartbeat toy.
- A den. Drape a light blanket over the crate, leaving the front open.
An evening routine for the first night with a new puppy
- Feed dinner early, about three hours before bed.
- Play gently in the early evening, and then wind down.
- Take a last potty trip right before bed. Wait quietly until the puppy goes.
- Settle the puppy in the crate with a small treat, and turn the lights down.
Keep the hour before bed calm, because an overexcited puppy takes far longer to fall asleep.
When the puppy cries
Crying on the first night or two is normal. According to the AKC, the puppy is simply adjusting to life without its mom and littermates.
- Reassure without a party. Lower your hand to the crate and speak softly.
- Do not bring the puppy into bed, unless that is where you want it to sleep for good.
- Check for a potty need. If the whining starts after a few hours of sleep, carry the puppy out.
Above all, stay calm. Your quiet presence is what the puppy is asking for.
Night-time potty trips
Young puppies cannot last the night. The AKC offers a rule of thumb: a puppy can sleep about one hour for each month of age, plus one, before it needs to go out (AKC). So a two-month-old manages about three hours.
Set an alarm, carry the puppy to its spot, praise quietly and go straight back to bed. Make the trip boring. Most puppies sleep through the night by about four months.
What not to do on the first night with a new puppy
- Do not punish crying. The puppy is frightened, not naughty.
- Do not shut the puppy in a distant room. Being alone for the first time ever is too big a step.
- Do not turn potty trips into playtime.
- Do not change the food. A new diet on top of a new home often means an upset stomach.
The nights that follow
Expect steady improvement over the first week. Once the puppy sleeps soundly, you can move the crate gradually toward wherever you want it long term.
For daytime routines, see our new puppy checklist and potty training a small breed puppy. If you feel worn out, you are not alone. See puppy blues.
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