Your first month with a puppy

Week one: the vet

Book a checkup right away: the CDC says to take a new puppy to the vet within a few days to a week after you bring it home. Take any records from the breeder or shelter. Your vet will check your puppy’s health, talk about parasites and set the vaccine schedule.

Puppies get a series of vaccines, usually starting at 6 to 8 weeks of age, with the last dose of the series at 16 weeks or older, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Core vaccines are recommended for every dog; others depend on lifestyle and where you live, so ask your vet which ones your puppy needs. Many state and local laws require certain vaccines, even for pets that stay indoors.

Mild side effects are common: soreness where the shot went in, tiredness, a slight fever or less appetite, usually gone within a day. Get veterinary care right away for collapse, persistent vomiting or diarrhea, trouble breathing, hives or a swollen face.

Socializing: a window that closes

The AVMA says the best time to start socializing a puppy is between 3 and 14 weeks of age, when puppies are most open to new people, animals and places. A broad range of positive experiences now can help prevent fearful or aggressive reactions later.

Make a plan with your vet: people of different ages, gentle handling of paws and ears, car rides, everyday noises. Reward calm or curious reactions with praise, play and treats, and let your puppy back away if it seems uneasy. A well-run puppy class is a safe way to do much of this.

Until the vaccines are complete, keep your puppy away from dogs whose vaccination status you don’t know, and from places they may have been, such as parks. Carrying your puppy around outside still lets it see and hear the world.

House training, without punishment

A puppy can’t hold it for long. The RSPCA suggests taking yours out when it wakes up, after every meal, after play or excitement, before bed, and every 45 minutes to an hour in between, depending on age. Go to the same spot and reward right away, every time, with praise, a treat or play.

Accidents will happen: never punish them, and clean the spot thoroughly. Be patient, too: the RSPCA notes that dogs don’t have full bladder capacity until they’re about 12 months old. If you use a crate or a playpen, make it a safe, comfortable place and never a punishment, and remember that a puppy can’t wait as long as an adult dog. Teach time alone a few minutes at a time; the RSPCA advises that even adult dogs shouldn’t be left alone for more than four hours.

A safe home, and clean hands

Some foods are dangerous for dogs. The FDA lists chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, alcohol, caffeine, raw bread dough and xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free gum, candy, peanut butters and toothpaste. Xylitol can make a dog’s blood sugar drop dangerously within 10 to 60 minutes. If your puppy eats something like that, call your vet or a pet poison control center right away.

Feed a food whose label says it’s complete and balanced for growth or for all life stages: the FDA explains that growing puppies have different nutritional needs from adult dogs.

Puppies can carry germs that make people sick even when they look healthy. The CDC advises washing your hands with soap and water after touching your puppy, its food or its poop, picking up poop even in your own yard, and always supervising young children around dogs, even a trusted family pet.

Decisions that can wait a little

Ask your vet about a microchip. As the AVMA points out, a chip only helps if it’s registered with your current contact details, and it isn’t a GPS tracker, so keep a collar with an ID tag too. The UK is stricter: every dog must be microchipped and registered by 8 weeks old, and owners can be fined up to £500 if it isn’t.

Spaying or neutering deserves its own conversation. For dogs, the AVMA says there is no one-size-fits-all age: your vet will help you decide based on your puppy’s breed, age, sex, personality, home and health.