So, you’ve done it—your new family member has finally arrived home!

This is an incredibly exciting and emotional day for everyone. As tempting as it may be, try not to overwhelm your new puppy with too much attention from every member of the family, no matter how thrilled you are to welcome them home.

This is especially important if you have children. Explain that although they have the very best intentions, cuddling, carrying, and constantly patting a tiny puppy can be overwhelming. Everything is new, unfamiliar, and just a little frightening. Your puppy has only just left their mother and littermates and needs time to adjust to a completely different world. If your puppy has travelled from interstate, they may also have spent several hours flying before finally arriving in your arms. That alone is more than enough excitement and stress for one little puppy in a single day.

Loud music, energetic children, parties, visitors, or noisy gatherings—especially where alcohol is involved—can all be stressful for a young puppy. During the first couple of days, try to keep your home calm and quiet.

Bringing Your Puppy Inside

Before placing your puppy on the floor, take a moment to make sure the environment is calm. Close outside doors, keep other pets under control, and allow your puppy to enter their new home without unnecessary excitement.

Always lift your puppy using both hands—one supporting the chest and the other supporting the hindquarters.

Never lift a puppy by the front legs, under the armpits, or by the abdomen.

Hold your puppy close to your body and keep a secure grip. Never carry them with your arms outstretched. Toy Poodle puppies are surprisingly agile and can twist unexpectedly. A fall from waist or shoulder height can result in serious injury—or even be fatal—for such a tiny puppy.

Let Your Puppy Set the Pace

Once inside, place your puppy gently on the floor and simply let them explore.

Resist the temptation to carry them from room to room, introduce them to every family member, or encourage lots of play. Right now, your puppy doesn’t need entertainment—they need time.

Remember that only yesterday they were sleeping surrounded by their mother and littermates. Today they’ve been taken by a group of friendly but enormous strangers to a house they’ve never seen before, filled with unfamiliar smells, sounds and routines.

Your calm presence is the greatest comfort you can offer.

Start Small

It’s tempting to let your puppy explore the entire house on their first day, but bigger isn’t always better.

For the first week or two, it’s usually much easier if your puppy is limited to one or two rooms. A smaller environment feels safer and is far less overwhelming than trying to learn the layout of an entire house all at once.

This also makes toilet training much easier. Young puppies have tiny bladders and need frequent opportunities to reach their designated toilet area. The more space they have to wander, the more likely they are to become distracted or have an accident before they remember where they were supposed to go.

As your puppy becomes more confident and reliable with toilet training, you can gradually give them access to the rest of the house.

Water First, Food Later

Fresh water should always be available from the moment your puppy arrives home. Food, however, can wait a little while.

Many new owners worry if their puppy isn’t interested in eating straight away. In most cases, this is completely normal.

Try to imagine the experience from your puppy’s perspective. Yesterday they were surrounded by their mother and littermates. Today they’re in a completely unfamiliar environment. Everything smells different. Everything sounds different. It’s exciting—but it’s also overwhelming.

Stress often suppresses appetite, even in people. Many puppies simply aren’t thinking about food during those first few hours. Don’t force the issue. Offer their usual meal after they’ve had some time to rest and explore, and let them eat when they feel ready.

Introducing the Crate

If you’ve purchased a crate before bringing your puppy home, today is the perfect day to introduce it.

For most adult Toy Poodles, a crate measuring approximately 55 × 45 cm is an ideal size. It provides enough room for your dog to stand up, turn around comfortably and lie down while still feeling cosy and secure.

Think of the crate as your puppy’s bedroom, not their living room. It should feel comfortable and safe rather than spacious.

Place a soft bed inside together with a favourite toy or chew and leave the door open. Allow your puppy to investigate the crate at their own pace. Curiosity is a much better teacher than force.

Many puppies will wander in and out several times before deciding to lie down. That’s exactly what you want.

You can also toss a few treats inside or feed your puppy’s meals in the crate. If your puppy falls asleep somewhere else, gently carry them to the crate and place them on their bed. Leave a favourite toy, chew or a small treat nearby so they wake up in a place that feels safe and rewarding.

During the first week or two, your goal isn’t to teach your puppy to stay in a closed crate. Your goal is simply to help them fall in love with it.

Encourage your puppy to nap there, enjoy treats there, chew their favourite toys there and think of it as the nicest place in the house. There’s no need to close the door every time your puppy goes inside. During these first couple of weeks, you’re simply building trust and positive associations.

Once your puppy is happily choosing to enter the crate and relax there on their own, you can begin introducing very short periods with the door closed. Start with just one or two minutes while you remain nearby, then gradually increase the time over the following days or weeks.

Never use the crate as punishment.

Just as importantly, avoid taking your puppy straight from the crate for unpleasant experiences such as nail trimming, giving medication or other procedures they dislike. The crate should always remain associated with safety, comfort and relaxation

Familiar Scents Bring Comfort

A familiar scent can make a huge difference during those first few days.

If your breeder has sent your puppy home with a blanket carrying the scent of their mother and littermates, resist the temptation to wash it immediately. Those familiar smells provide enormous comfort and help your puppy settle into their new home.

If your puppy travelled by air and wasn’t able to bring a familiar blanket, a soft, fluffy bed can also be very comforting. Many puppies instinctively curl up on plush bedding because it reminds them of sleeping against their mother’s warm coat.

Some owners also find it helpful to plug in an Adaptil® diffuser around 24 hours before their puppy arrives home. It releases a synthetic version of the calming pheromone produced by nursing mothers and may help some puppies feel more relaxed in their new environment. While not every puppy responds in the same way, many owners find that it makes those first few days a little easier.

Your Puppy’s Resting Place

Whether your puppy sleeps in a crate, a playpen or on a bed beside your own, choose one permanent resting place from the very beginning.

Select a quiet location away from draughts, direct sunlight and heat sources. Avoid placing your puppy’s bed in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry or in a busy hallway where people are constantly walking past.

Consistency helps puppies settle more quickly. When they know exactly where they can go to rest undisturbed, they gain confidence and feel more secure in their new home.

Your puppy won’t remember every toy, every treat, or every photo taken that first day. What they will remember is how safe they felt.

A calm home, gentle hands, familiar routines and your quiet reassurance are the greatest gifts you can give them. Trust takes time, but it begins the moment your puppy walks through your front door.

Welcome home.