At 8-12 weeks, puppies usually leave their mothers and siblings and find a new home and family. If rehomed earlier than 8 weeks, they’ll miss out on learning important socialisation and communication skills. If you’ve welcomed a new puppy into your home, now is the time to register them at a vet practice and book a puppy health check and their first vaccinations.

Bringing Your Puppy Home

Bringing home a puppy is exciting for all the family but it’ll be their first time away from their mother and siblings so they may be anxious and stressed. Try not to overwhelm them with too many new sights, smells and sounds. Slowly introduce them to their new surroundings and other family members. They’ll need to know where to go to the toilet and have something comforting to sleep with.

Exercise for Puppies Aged 8 - 12 Weeks

Once puppies have had their vaccinations, regular outdoor walks can begin. And puppies will want to investigate everything! They’ll have lots of energy, but it’s best not to overdo the exercise while their joints are still growing. This is especially important for large breed puppies that take longer to fully mature.

If you’re not sure how much exercise your puppy should have, ask your vet for advice but as a general rule, your puppy can be walked for 5 minutes for each month of age. So a 2-month-old puppy can have a 10-minute walk or two 5-minute walks every day.

Before venturing outside for a walk, make sure your puppy is comfortable wearing their collar or harness and lead. Let them get used to this inside the house and garden first so their first walk outside isn’t a stressful experience. Have some treats with you and praise them for good behaviour. Your puppy will be interested in all the new smells and sights they’ll encounter on their walks so go slowly and reassure them if they get spooked by anything!

Feeding Puppies Aged 8 - 12 Weeks

When picking up your puppy from the breeder, ask which puppy food they use and their feeding schedule. Try to stick to this routine while your puppy is settling in. If you want to feed a different puppy food, do it gradually to avoid any tummy upsets. You can do this by slowly increasing the amount of the new food with the old diet over a couple of weeks.

You should feed your puppy a diet specifically designed for their age. This will contain all the nutrients they need for their growth and bone development and will provide them with all their energy needs. A good quality puppy food and water are all your puppy needs for healthy growth.

There should be no need for any vitamin or mineral supplements. If your dog is a large or giant breed, they may need a different puppy food from those for small breeds. Your vet or vet nurse can recommend a puppy food to suit your puppy if you’re unsure.

Puppies only have small tummies so should be fed more often that adult dogs. Ideally feed 4 times a day. The amount to feed your puppy can be found on the food packaging. If you’re worried about over or under feeding, take your puppy to your vet practice to be weighed.

Grooming and Dental Care at 8 - 12 Weeks

Grooming is important to keep your puppy’s coat in great condition and check for any potential skin problems. It’s also a great way to bond with your puppy. Starting when they’re young means they’ll soon get used to being groomed and will look forward to it.

As part of the grooming process, you should start to clip your dog’s nails on a monthly basis. Only take off small amounts to avoid cutting the quick (part of a blood vessel). Ask your vet or a vet nurse to show you how to safely cut nails, or they can do it for you.

It’s also important to get your puppy used to the routine of having their teeth brushed to keep their teeth healthy and disease-free. Buy a doggy toothbrush and doggy toothpaste and try to get them used to the idea!

Housetraining Puppies Aged 8 - 12 Weeks

Housetraining can begin as soon as you get your new puppy home. Crate training is a great way to house/toilet train your puppy, as well as making a safe den for your puppy to escape to. Make sure the crate you use is big enough for your puppy, it needs to be large enough so your puppy can lie down and turn around in... don’t forget, puppies grow up quickly, so you need to plan for that too!

Puppies soon learn that their crate is their “safe place” where they can retreat to when they want a snooze or when then want to feel safe and secure. Crates are also great for protecting your puppy from household dangers when you’re not around. Toys can be placed in your puppy’s crate so you can be sure that your puppy won’t be chewing on things they shouldn’t.

Food can be placed inside the crate, and after feeding the puppy can be taken to their toileting area, as they prefer not to wee or poo where they sleep and eat. This area can be a place by the door to the garden where newspaper, cardboard, an area of artificial grass or a puppy toileting mat is placed.

Eventually this area will gradually move outdoors into the garden. Once your puppy has control over their toileting, they’ll soon let you know when they need to go to the toilet so you can let them outside. Whenever they go to the toilet in the right place, give them lots of praise!

Socialisation and Training at 8 - 12 Weeks

Early socialisation will help to ensure that puppies grow into confident adults so introduce them to new things so that when they first come across something new, it’s not so scary.

Basic training can begin as soon as your puppy arrives home - always in a positive way with lots of encouragement and praise! Never shout at or punish your puppy. Puppies like to chew and may love your expensive leather shoes. Provide them with safe puppy chew toys and food puzzles to keep them occupied and your belongings safe. 

When puppies play together, play biting is normal behaviour. Puppies soon learn when they go too far when the other dog refuses to play anymore. If your puppy wants to play and bites you, just stop playing and move away. They’ll soon learn this is unwanted behaviour.

Puppy parties can start from 9 weeks onwards (once they’ve been vaccinated) – ask if your vet surgery holds them. They’ll learn how to interact with other puppies, and you’ll get lots of tips on how to care for your puppy. Puppy training or puppy socialisation classes will also help to ensure that your puppy will grow into a well-behaved, friendly adult.

Puppy Healthcare at 8 - 12 Weeks

Puppies usually have their first vaccinations at 6-8 weeks of age. Your puppy should already have been given their first vaccination while with the breeder. Their second course of vaccinations is at 10-12 weeks. After they’ve completed their vaccinations, they’ll be able to go outside, explore the great outdoors and meet new dogs.

Your puppy may pick up some common bugs now that it is venturing outside and socialising with other dogs. Most infections that cause vomiting and/or diarrhoea will clear up by themselves but if you are concerned, ask your vet for advice.

You should be continuing to worm your dog every 2 weeks, if you don’t your pup can become a host to parasitic worms. And worms can be passed from dog to dog and from dog to human. They’ll need their first flea treatment too.

There’s a lot to do and remember when you become a puppy parent, especially in the first few weeks. If you're not sure when to give these treatments or what to use, speak to your vet. They’ll be able to recommend something suitable based on your pup’s age and weight.

8-12 weeks is a really important stage in both your lives. Your pup has been uprooted from their mum and siblings and you’ve welcomed a new furry friend into your home. They’re on the road to becoming independent and you’re in a world of puppy-proofing and developing a sixth sense for spotting little accidents on the floor.

Some pups may take a little longer to settle and socialise in their new surroundings. But with your patience and love, they’ll get there… Now it’s on to 3-6 months!

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Content reviewed by Vetstream Canis - https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis

Vetstream’s Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.