Your 8 week old puppy
The first week with a new puppy will be exciting – and exhausting. If you’re a first time dog owner, then this will be as new to you as it is your puppy. Here’s what to expect with your 8-week-old puppy
Things to do this week:
First vaccinations
Your puppy will need to have their first round of injections to protect them from nasty diseases – if your puppy hasn’t already had their injections, this will need to be done when you take your puppy to their first appointment with the vet. This should be done within the first week of getting your puppy.
Toilet training
Start toilet training your puppy straight away – be prepared for accidents. Your 8 week puppy has a tiny bladder and will need to pee lots! This can be every few minutes when they are active and as soon as they wake up from a sleep. Keep a close eye on your puppy and you’ll soon learn to spot the signs that they need to go to the toilet.
Get some tips: We asked our community of dog owners who have been through the puppy toilet training experience to share their toilet training tips.
Crate training
If you are going to be using a crate for your puppy, start getting them used to it straight away so it soon becomes their safe go-to place for a relaxing rest.
Common questions you may ask this week:
My 8 week old puppy is crying at night
Your puppy has been used to living with their mum, brothers and sisters until now. They will need lots of love and reassurance while they get used to their new home.
How much should an 8 week old puppy sleep?
Just like babies, young puppies need lots of sleep, but won’t yet sleep through the night. Be prepared for sleepless nights in the first few weeks. There are things you can do to help your puppy to sleep.
My 8 week old puppy has diarrhoea
For an 8 week old puppy diarrhoea can be unpleasant. This may be due to the stress of moving to a new home or a change in diet. It’s best to stick to the food that your puppy has been used to and make changes gradually. If your puppy has very bad diarrhoea or you see signs of blood, this could be a sign of something more serious and you should take them to the vet.
Can you take an 8 week old puppy outside?
When a puppy can go outside will depend on whether you have a garden. Your puppy will need to be fully vaccinated before they can go out for a walk beyond the garden. However, if you would like to take them beyond the garden before they are fully vaccinated, you should carry them or use a pet carrier.
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Testimonials
What Clients say
about Puppy School
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“Sarah was great and very knowledgeable. She took the time to listen to each of our individual queries and was available before and after class (and on email!) to answers any issues or queries we were experiencing with our puppy! ”— Billy
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“Great experience. I’ve been to dog training classes in the past and the instructors can be very “it’s your fault”, “you’re doing it wrong” to the owners, however, Eleanor was very patient, kind, and explained things in a helpful way rather than making you feel like you were at fault. Loved these classes. Rum loved them too!”— Ryan
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“We had such a wonderful experience with Jacki as our Puppy School tutor! She is incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and supportive. Jacki explains training techniques clearly and makes them easy to follow, which really helped us feel confident. She creates such a positive learning environment where both the puppies and owners feel comfortable. Her calm, encouraging approach made a huge difference for our puppy, who grew in confidence and picked up new skills quickly. You can really see how much she cares about the dogs and their families. Thank you, Jacki, for giving us the tools we need to continue training and for making the classes such an enjoyable experience!”— Penelope
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“Friendly, clear and well demonstrated activities. All training was done in a very puppy friendly way, no force just encouragement. The key was keeping the puppies and handlers engaged throughout the training and this was achieved in a constructive and fun way.”— Dean
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“Good fun and very relaxed classes. Small numbers in class so we got lots of attention from Sarah. Step by step approach which I could then work through and practice with Taz during the week.”— Anna