---

A Realistic Guide for Raising a Healthy, Happy Puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, emotional, and sometimes a little overwhelming. These first days are a major transition for your puppy — they are leaving their littermates, their familiar routine, and the only home they’ve ever known. It’s normal for the adjustment period to come with a few bumps along the way.

This guide helps set healthy expectations so you feel confident and supported during this time.

✔️1. Crate & Nighttime Adjustment

Every puppy reacts differently to sleeping in a brand-new environment.

Normal for the first 2–7 nights:

●Crying or whining
●Waking up once or twice
●Seeking comfort
●Not wanting to be left alone

Your puppy is not “spoiled” or “difficult.” They’re grieving a big change. With consistency and a calm routine, they settle beautifully.

✔️2. Digestive Upset (Loose Stool, Soft Stool, or Mucus)

Transition stress can affect the GI system within hours.

Changes in water, new surfaces, new bacteria, new air, and excitement all impact the digestive tract.

Very common in the first week:

●Softer stools
●Occasional mucus
●One or two episodes of loose stool
●Skipping a meal due to nerves

Most puppies stabilize quickly with:

●A consistent feeding schedule
●Not switching foods
●Limited treats
●Calm environment

✔️ 3. Parasites (Worms, Giardia, Coccidia)

All breeders — no matter how clean or responsible — see parasites because puppies have immature immune systems and parasites thrive in puppies under 6 months.

Even if fecals are clear here, puppies can show:

●worm eggs after stress
●giardia triggered during transition
●something picked up outside in the new home

This does not indicate an unhealthy puppy. These organisms are common, treatable, and part of normal puppyhood.

✔️ 4. Adjustment Stress

Your puppy may show:

●crying when you leave the room
●pacing
●clinginess
●hesitation in new spaces
●temporary fear periods

These are normal milestones in development. Comfort, routine, and positive experiences help them build confidence.

✔️ 5. Sleep Needs

Puppies sleep 18–20 hours per day.  If they become overtired, you may see:

●hyperactivity
●nipping
●zoomies
●inability to settle

It’s not bad behavior — it’s exhaustion.
Structured naps are essential.

✔️ 6. Appetite Changes

It’s normal for puppies to:

●eat lightly the first 24–48 hours
●pick at meals
●skip a meal when overstimulated

As long as they are drinking, alert, and eating within a day, this is normal.

If they ever go 24 hours without interest in food, reach out to your vet.

✔️ 7. Behavior Differences From the Breeder’s Home

You may see:

●more shyness or clinginess
●more independence
●more boldness
●more sensitivity

A puppy’s environment heavily influences their behavior. They are still adjusting and learning what is safe.

Give them:

●predictability
●gentle socialization
●slow introductions to new things
●time to bond

✔️ 8. Kennel Crying & Separation

Even the calmest puppies cry the first few nights in a crate.

This is normal biology, not a temperament issue.

It typically resolves when:

●the crate is near the family
●potty needs are met
●comfort items are included
●there is a bedtime routine

✔️ 9. Vet Variations

Veterinarians differ widely in:

●parasite testing sensitivity
●how aggressive they treat
●interpretation of puppy stools
●whether they “expect” perfection

A vet finding something doesn’t mean anything was wrong or overlooked — it simply means the puppy is adjusting and their body is responding to the changes.

✔️ 10. Your Puppy Is Not a Finished Product

Your puppy is not a robot — they’re a living baby.  They will:

●cry
●poop
●learn
●grow
●make mistakes
●adjust
●settle
●thrive

And they will do it beautifully with your guidance, patience, and love.

✅ 11. When to Seek Veterinary Assistance

Most puppies adjust beautifully with time, routine, and patience. However, there are a few situations where it’s important to check in with your veterinarian.

Please contact your vet promptly if you notice:

🚩 1. Persistent Diarrhea

●More than 24 hours of loose stool
●Blood in stool
●Multiple episodes with vomiting
●Puppy becomes lethargic

Mild soft stool is common during transition — persistent diarrhea needs a vet’s guidance.

🚩 2. Vomiting More Than Once

One isolated vomit can be normal in puppies.
Repeated vomiting, or vomiting paired with no interest in food or water, should be assessed.

🚩 3. Refusing Food for More Than 24 Hours

●Skipping one meal during transition is common.

●Not eating for an entire day requires evaluation.

🚩 4. Lethargy or Weakness

If your puppy:

●refuses to get up
●seems unusually tired
●doesn’t respond normally

✅️— they should be seen promptly.

🚩 5. Dehydration Concerns

If gums feel tacky, or puppy has not been drinking normally, consult your vet.

🚩 6. Persistent Coughing or Difficulty Breathing

Any respiratory difficulty — coughing that affects sleep, wheezing, or rapid breathing — should be checked.

🚩 7. No Urination for 12+ Hours

Especially concerning in young puppies.  Normal urination patterns should return quickly after arriving home.

🚩 8. Signs of Pain

Crying when touched, limping, hunched posture, or sudden behavior changes should be evaluated.

🤎 A Final Reassurance

These signs are not common, and most puppies never experience them.  But knowing what is normal — and what needs attention — helps you feel confident and prepared.

Your puppy has had an excellent start, and with your care and your vet’s partnership, they will continue to grow into a healthy, joyful companion.

And remember: you can always reach out to me if you’re unsure. I’m here to support you and your puppy every step of the way.

🤎 Final Note

Every puppy goes through an adjustment period — even the most well-bred, well-raised puppies. You are not doing anything wrong, and your puppy is not sickly or defective. This is simply how young puppies transition to real life outside their first home.

You are giving them a wonderful start. And we are always here to walk the journey with you as your puppy grows into a confident, loving companion.