12/10/2025
Realistic Expectations When Bringing a Puppy Home
This post has been shared by myself and other breeders many times, but it’s time for a reminder for those welcoming new puppies into their homes.
These are some of the most common challenges breeders see with new owners.
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Realistic Expectations
You’ve seen the breeder’s photos and videos - the puppies all look happy, playful, and calm. They’re relaxed in their pen, social, and content. Everything looks perfect.
Then you bring your puppy home… and reality hits.
The puppy cries in the crate for the first few nights, leaving you tired and frustrated. The once-social puppy hides from the half-dozen excited friends who came to meet them. The children are eager to play, but the puppy is overwhelmed. Walks are a struggle, your new companion plants their feet and refuses to move. You start wondering: what happened to my perfect puppy?
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Understanding the Transition
At the breeder’s home, your puppy had a familiar environment - their mother, littermates, daily routines, and consistent expectations. They were completely within their comfort zone.
Now, suddenly, everything has changed.
Imagine being dropped into a foreign country where you don’t understand the language, the smells are unfamiliar, the food tastes different, and strangers surround you. Then, in the middle of all this, you’re expected to perform new tasks and meet everyone right away. Overwhelming, right?
That’s what every puppy experiences when they go to a new home.
Stress can show up in many ways - not eating, being quiet or withdrawn, showing reluctance to play, seeming anxious at the vet or around strangers, even having diarrhea or vomiting.
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How to Help Your Puppy Adjust
🐾 Time
Most puppies take 3–4 weeks to truly settle into their new home - sometimes longer. Not one or two days. Repeat after me: three to four weeks!
🐾 Limit Guests
As excited as you are to show off your new baby, hold off on visitors for the first week or two. Give your puppy quiet time to adjust.
🐾 Gentle Introductions
When guests do visit, ask them to sit on the floor and let the puppy come to them. No squealing, grabbing, or crowding.
🐾 Create a Routine
Consistency builds confidence. A predictable schedule helps your puppy feel secure.
🐾 Start Small
Keep your puppy in a small, safe area of the house at first. This prevents overwhelm and makes supervision easier.
🐾 Leash Training
Don’t expect an 8–13 week old puppy to walk nicely on a lead. Start in your home or yard where they feel safe. Let them drag the leash, use treats, and encourage gently.
If your puppy freezes or refuses to walk, give them time. My first walks with young pups often take 90 minutes to go around the block - we only move when they are ready.
🐾 Bonding Takes Time
Your puppy doesn’t instantly see you as family. Trust and connection grow gradually.
🐾 Training Builds Connection
Positive, reward-based training helps your puppy learn boundaries and builds trust between you.
🐾 Children & Puppies
Children can be overwhelming for a small, fragile puppy. Always supervise and teach kids how to be gentle and calm.
🐾 Patience Above All
Don’t panic if things aren’t perfect right away. Progress takes time. Outings should happen at puppy speed. While you may dream of a lovely walk around the lake, your puppy may only manage a short stroll before needing a break - and that’s okay.
Most of my outings involve standing still while the puppy quietly observes the world. Patience is key.
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Final Thoughts
If your puppy was confident and happy at the breeder’s, but is now struggling, remember: it’s not the puppy’s fault. It’s simply an adjustment period. Your job is to guide, reassure, and support them through it.
Every puppy is an individual - don’t compare this one to your last dog. Each has their own pace, personality, and way of coping.
See the world through your puppy’s eyes, and adjust your expectations accordingly.
🐾💛 Copied and shared… because every new puppy family needs this reminder.
