New pet guides
The Complete New Puppy Guide
Everything the first sixteen weeks demand: toilet training, sleep, socialisation, vaccination and biting.
The socialisation window
The sensitive period for socialisation closes at around twelve to sixteen weeks. Positive, low-intensity exposure during this window shapes lifelong confidence more than anything you do later.
Socialisation means calm observation at a comfortable distance, not being handled by strangers or overwhelmed at a busy park. Carry the puppy to see traffic, hear noise and watch the world before vaccinations are complete.
Toilet training
Take the puppy outside on waking, after eating, after play and every hour or two in between. Reward within two seconds of finishing. Never punish an accident indoors — it teaches the puppy to hide, not to wait.
Sleep and biting
Puppies need sixteen to twenty hours of sleep a day, and overtired puppies bite hard. If your puppy becomes frantic and mouthy in the evening, the answer is usually a nap rather than more exercise.
Redirect biting onto a toy, and end the game calmly when teeth touch skin. This is normal development, not aggression.
Exercise and growth
Formal walks should be short. A common guideline is around five minutes per month of age, twice daily, alongside free play on soft ground. Repetitive forced exercise while growth plates are open risks joint problems in large breeds.
Health timeline
Your vet will tailor this, but the typical schedule looks like:
- 6–8 weeks: first vaccination, health check, worming
- 10–12 weeks: second vaccination, microchip if not already done
- 12–16 weeks: final puppy vaccination, then full outdoor freedom a week later
- 4–6 months: discuss neutering timing, which varies by breed and sex
- Throughout: monthly weight checks and regular parasite prevention
Frequently asked questions
- Should I crate train?
- A crate used as a comfortable den — never as punishment, never for long periods — helps many puppies settle and travel safely.
- When can my puppy meet other dogs?
- Ask your vet about local disease risk. Known, vaccinated, tolerant adult dogs in a private garden are usually appropriate before the course is finished.