First weeks · 5 min read

Your dog's first week home: what actually matters

The internet will hand you a hundred rules. In week one, five things matter most. The rest can wait.

Before publishing: have a vet review this post, and add their name and credentials as reviewer. Delete this note when you're done.

1. Book the first vet visit now

Call your vet in the first day or two and book a check-up for the first week. Your new dog may already be due for a vaccine or deworming, and an early visit gives your vet a baseline to compare against later.

Bring everything the breeder or shelter gave you: vaccine dates, deworming, any medication, and what they've been eating. If it's on paper, take a photo of each page so you have a copy.

2. Keep the food the same

Feed what they were eating before they came home, at least for now. A new home is a big change on its own. If you want to switch foods, ask your vet first and do it gradually over about a week.

3. Make a small, calm space

A crate or small pen with a soft bed, in a room where people are, gives them somewhere safe to retreat. Some crying the first few nights is normal. Keeping them close to you at night often helps them settle.

4. Start a simple daily log

Each day, note how they ate, how much energy they had, and what their poop looked like. It feels small, but it's what your vet will ask about, and it's how you'll spot a change early instead of trying to remember on the spot.

This is exactly what Juno's daily check-in does: it takes about 30 seconds and turns into a record you can share with your vet. Join early access.

5. Know the signs that can't wait

Most first-week worries are normal: sleeping a lot, a little soft poop after the move, some whining. But call your vet straight away, or an emergency clinic if they're closed, if your dog:

  • has repeated vomiting or diarrhea, or there's blood in either
  • won't eat or drink, or seems very weak or floppy
  • is having trouble breathing
  • may have eaten something toxic or something they could choke on

Save your vet's number and the nearest emergency clinic in your phone today, before you need them.

What can wait

Perfect house training, a full set of commands and a big shopping haul can all wait. In week one, the job is simple: keep them healthy, help them feel safe, and start getting to know each other.