Welcoming a new puppy is exciting—and a little overwhelming. The smartest way to set up your dog for lifelong health and good behavior is to follow a structured new puppy checklist that covers home preparation, early socialization, preventive veterinary care, and ongoing wellness habits. The guidance below outlines the fundamentals of modern veterinary care, then explains how an integrative veterinary practice can support your puppy with both conventional and holistic services from day one.

A Practical New Puppy Checklist

1) Prepare the home before arrival

• Safe zone: Create a contained area (exercise pen or gated room) with a crate, bed, water, and chew toys.
• Puppy-proofing: Secure electrical cords, elevate plants/chemicals, and use baby latches on cabinets.
• Supplies: Flat collar or harness, ID tag, leash, food/water bowls, high-value treats, enzyme cleaner, chew toys, brush/nail trimmer, and a travel carrier.

2) The first 48 hours

• Calm routine: Keep stimulation low; introduce family members gradually.
• Feeding: Continue the breeder/shelter diet for a few days to avoid GI upset, then transition slowly if changing foods.
• Sleep: Puppies need 18–20 hours of rest; protect naps to prevent overtired behavior.

3) Identification and microchipping

• Immediate ID: Fit an ID tag with your phone number on day one.
• Microchip: Schedule microchipping early and register the chip with your contact details; update the registry whenever you move.

4) Veterinary exam and preventive plan

• Early exam: Book a comprehensive exam within 3–5 days of arrival, or sooner if your puppy has vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, lethargy, or poor appetite.
• Vaccination schedule: Your veterinarian will tailor a series that typically includes distemper-parvo (core), with rabies at the appropriate age and local add-ons (e.g., leptospirosis or Bordetella) based on risk.
• Parasite control: Expect a fecal test and a plan for heartworm, flea, and tick prevention; dosing is weight-based, and seasonal risk varies.
• Records: Bring breeder/shelter paperwork so your veterinarian can reconcile prior vaccines and deworming.

5) Nutrition and growth

• Life-stage diet: Choose a complete and balanced puppy formula; large-breed puppies may require specific calcium/phosphorus ratios to support safe growth.
• Portion control: Feed measured meals; track weight every 2–4 weeks.
• Treat strategy: Keep treats <10% of daily calories; use soft, pea-sized pieces for training.

6) Socialization and behavior foundations

• Socialization window: Safely expose your puppy to varied people, sounds, surfaces, and handling from 8–16 weeks, pairing each novelty with food/play.
• Puppy class: Enroll in a reward-based class that accepts puppies on a vaccine schedule; avoid aversive tools.
• House training: Take your puppy to the same outdoor spot every 2–3 hours, after waking, eating, and playing; praise and treat on location.

7) Enrichment, exercise, and oral care

• Daily enrichment: Rotate chew items and puzzle feeders to reduce boredom and destructive behavior.
• Age-appropriate exercise: Short, frequent play sessions are better than forced long walks; protect growing joints.
• Tooth brushing: Start a gentle oral-care routine early with a soft brush and veterinary-approved toothpaste; add dental chews as advised.

8) Spay/neuter and preventive screening

• Timing: Discuss ideal timing based on breed, size, and lifestyle; your veterinarian may recommend delaying until skeletal maturity for some dogs.
• Screening: Baseline bloodwork may be suggested before anesthesia to establish healthy reference values.

9) Safety and travel

• Car safety: Use a crash-tested crate or harness.
• Home safety: Use baby gates and supervise doorways, stairs, and pools; teach a reliable “come” and “leave it.”

10) Budgeting and insurance

• Planned costs: Vaccines, parasite prevention, food, training, and routine exams.
• Insurance/health plan: Consider pet insurance while your puppy is healthy to lock in coverage; ask your clinic about wellness plans and payment options.

Fundamentals of Veterinary Care for Puppies

Comprehensive puppy care integrates preventive medicine, early detection, and client education:

• Preventive schedule: A series of exams during growth allows for vaccine boosters, parasite checks, and monitoring of weight and behavior.
• Risk-based care: Lifestyle (urban vs. hiking), travel plans, and household factors (children, other pets) shape vaccine choices and parasite control.
• Nutrition and development: Diet, body condition scoring, and orthopedic screening help prevent growth-related problems.
• Behavioral health: Proactive guidance on socialization, fear prevention, and enrichment reduces future anxiety and reactivity.
• Continuity: Maintaining accurate records and follow-up reminders ensures your puppy stays on track through adolescence.

How Laguna Beach Veterinary Medical Center Supports New Puppies in Orange County

Laguna Beach Veterinary Medical Center provides compassionate care that combines conventional and holistic approaches—an integrative model that can be especially helpful for puppies as they grow. On the conventional side, the team offers comprehensive wellness exams, individualized vaccination plans, parasite prevention, diagnostics, dental care, and guidance on nutrition and behavior. On the holistic side, services such as acupuncture and herbal therapy may be considered in appropriate cases to support comfort, recovery, mobility, or overall well-being as your dog matures. This combination enables care plans to be tailored to each puppy’s specific needs, promoting resilience and preventing problems before they arise.

For new pet guardians in Orange County, the practice emphasizes clear communication and gentle handling to minimize stress during visits. A typical “new puppy” appointment includes a complete nose-to-tail exam, review of any breeder/shelter records, discussion of a risk-based vaccination and parasite-prevention plan, nutrition counseling (including large-breed considerations when relevant), and guidance on socialization, training resources, and home safety. The result is a practical roadmap you can follow between visits—your personalized new puppy checklist backed by a clinical team that understands both evidence-based medicine and supportive holistic modalities.

Final Thoughts

Bringing home a puppy is most successful when you plan ahead, move steadily through a structured new puppy checklist, and partner closely with your veterinarian. By prioritizing early exams, a tailored preventive plan, positive socialization, and daily enrichment, you establish habits that protect health and shape behavior for years to come. If you are in Orange County and would like an integrative, patient-centered approach, Laguna Beach Veterinary Medical Center offers both conventional and holistic services to support your puppy’s first months and beyond. To begin, schedule a new puppy exam and ask for a personalized checklist you can keep on the refrigerator—simple steps that make a lifelong difference.

Call (949) 464-1000 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cohen or Dr. Kruger today.