How to train your puppy

Newly adopted puppies need a predictable feeding schedule, plenty of sleep and passive socialisation

- Nameeta Nadkarni

The first night a new puppy comes home usually sounds the same across apartments. Confused crying from a corner, anxious pacing from humans, and at least one neighbour wondering if this was a good idea.

Bringing a puppy into an apartment is different from introducing one to a house with a garden. The space is limited, noise is constant and exposure risks are real.

The first week is not about showing your puppy the world. It is about making their new world feel safe.

Before the puppy arrives, prepare a defined area. Do not give them access to the entire flat. Too much freedom overwhelms young puppies and leads to accidents, chewing and anxiety. Choose a quiet corner away from the main door, lifts and balconies. This space should have a bed, water, safe chew toys and minimal foot traffic. In apartment living, overstimulation is a bigger problem than boredom in the first week.

The first few nights are rough. Puppies cry because they have lost their mother, littermates and familiar smells overnight. Place the bed close to where you sleep so the puppy is not isolated. Avoid repeatedly shifting sleeping locations or responding dramatically to crying. Expect disrupted sleep; it is temporary.