Day One Onward

Puppy schedule

The rhythm your puppy already knows, hour by hour. Keep it for the first weeks and the transition to your home gets dramatically easier.

Until you settle into your own routine, use this as your guideline. Eight-week-old puppies are used to going out every hour, and we give them about 20 minutes of free time within each one.

  • Food
  • Sleep — about 16 hours a day
  • Supplements
  • Play time / leash supervision

Your new 8-week-old puppy

TimeWhat’s happening
Before 7Potty, then back to bed or play
7Breakfast
7–8Potty, 30 min supervised play, then hold or go out again
8–9Repeat the above
10–11Crate time / nap
11NuVet tablet
11–12Potty, 15 min training, then play
12Lunch, then potty
12–2Potty, 30 min supervised play, then hold or go out again
2–3Crate time / nap
3–4Potty, 30 min supervised play, then hold or go out again
4–5Crate time / nap
5Chewable probiotic
5Dinner
5–6Potty, 15 min training, then play
6–8Crate time / nap
8–10Potty, 30 min supervised play, then hold or go out again
10–7Sleep

Stretching it out as they grow

Every week you can expand both the supervised play and the nap time.

  • Week 9 — supervised play up to 45 minutes, crate time up to 1½ hours.
  • Week 10 — supervised play up to 1 hour, crate time up to 2 hours.
  • Week 12 — supervised play of 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on how entertained they are.

Older puppy schedule

TimeWhat’s happening
Before 7Wake up, potty, then back to bed or play
7Breakfast — then potty within 30 minutes of eating. They should do both.
7–8NuVet tablet
8–9Supervised play, on a leash until trustworthy
10–12Crate time / nap
12–2Potty, then supervised play or leash time
2–4Crate time / nap
3–4Potty, then a meal. Potty break within 30 minutes of the meal.
4–6Supervised play or leash time until trustworthy
6Chewable probiotic
6–8Crate time / nap
8–10Potty, 30 min supervised play, then hold or go out again
10–7Sleep

Supplements on both schedules

Now Welcoming Families

Let’s find your puppy

Tell us about your home and what you’re looking for. We’ll be in touch personally — no automated runaround, no waiting list you never hear from again.

Start Your Application