Is it better to collect the puppy alone or with someone?

With someone, whenever you can. The driver concentrates on the road while the passenger watches the carrier, talks softly to the animal and steps in if it spills its water or gets agitated. Going alone is doable, but never open the carrier while driving and never hold the puppy on your lap: in a sudden stop it becomes a danger to you both. If you are alone on a long trip, plan more frequent stops in safe places.

My puppy was sick in the car, should I be worried?

A single bout of travel sickness, perhaps with a lot of drooling, happens often and usually settles once you arrive. Clean up, offer water and drive even more smoothly. It becomes a reason to call the vet if the vomiting repeats several times, if bloody diarrhoea appears, or if the puppy stays very flat and does not perk up after getting out. For future trips there are ways to get it gradually used to the car.

How long should I wait before introducing it to my other pets?

Not on the first day. Let the newcomer get comfortable in its own room for at least a day or two, then start by swapping scents, for example by rubbing a cloth on each animal. Direct introductions happen gradually, on neutral ground and with each animal free to walk away. Forcing nose to nose contact on day one is the quickest way to start off on the wrong foot.

It cries on the first night, do I let it cry or go to it?

First night crying is almost always a request not to be left alone after losing its mother and siblings, not a tantrum. Keeping the bed close to you, even in your bedroom for the first days, greatly reduces the crying. Responding with a calm presence does not spoil the puppy, it reassures it during a genuinely hard moment. As the nights pass you can gradually move the bed toward its permanent spot.

The first months40 minLevel: BeginnerUpdated on August 20, 2026

Bringing your puppy or kitten home: the first journey and the first hours

How to prepare the carrier, keep the drive back from the breeder or shelter calm, and welcome your puppy or kitten through the first hours without frightening it.

Audience: Pet owners, Breeders
Species: Dog, Cat
Scope: Valid everywhere, Italy, European Union

What you need before you start

Un trasportino della misura giusta, con una copertina o un panno che porti un odore familiare
L'ora esatta dell'ultimo pasto concordata con l'allevatore o il rifugio
Un contatto veterinario già individuato per le prime settimane
Una stanza di casa preparata in anticipo con acqua, una cuccia e pochi giochi

A puppy or kitten's arrival does not begin at your front door, it begins the moment you lift it out of the breeder's or shelter's arms. For the animal this is the first separation from its mother and littermates, the first ride in a vehicle, the first encounter with smells and sounds it has never met. How you handle those few hours leaves a mark that lasts weeks: a calm journey and a gradual entry build trust, while an improvised transport and a chaotic welcome build fear. This guide takes you from what to prepare before you leave through to the first night, with the aim of lowering the animal's stress and helping you spot the early signs that warrant a call to the vet.

What to prepare before you leave

The difference between a calm journey and a stressful one is decided almost entirely before you get in the car. A puppy that climbs into a carrier already set up, holding a smell it recognises, starts with a huge advantage over one grabbed at the last minute and placed loose on a seat. Draw up the list below the day before, not on the morning of the trip, so you have time to find anything missing without rushing.

A rigid carrier of the right size: the animal should be able to turn and lie down, but not have so much room that it gets thrown around.
A cloth or blanket left for a few days with the mother and littermates, if the breeder or shelter allows it, because a familiar smell calms more than any new toy.
Absorbent pads for the floor of the carrier plus a spare, because a small accident during the journey is the norm, not the exception.
Water and a collapsible bowl for stops, if the drive runs over an hour.
The health record or paperwork handed over by whoever is giving you the animal, checked before you drive off.
The clinic's number saved in your phone, so you never have to search for it in a moment of panic.

Keeping the drive safe and calm

In the car the puppy travels in the carrier, always, even for a short trip. Holding it on your lap or letting it roam is dangerous for the animal if you brake and dangerous for you, because it distracts you. The goal of the journey is not to arrive quickly, it is to arrive with an animal as calm as it can be.

Secure the carrier before you start the engine
Place it in the footwell behind a seat or strap it in with the seatbelt so it cannot slide on bends. A carrier that shifts turns every corner into a fright.
Drive smoothly
Gentle acceleration, early braking, wide corners. Sensitivity to being jolted is very high in an animal that has never travelled, so your driving style matters more than any calming remedy.
Speak softly and keep the carrier shut
A calm voice reassures; opening the door in a car park does not, because a frightened puppy bolts in a split second. If it cries, slow down and talk to it, but keep it inside until you reach home.
Stop every hour on a long trip
Offer water and, for a puppy, a chance to relieve itself always on a lead and in a quiet spot. A kitten stays in the carrier instead: opening it outdoors is a needless risk.
Watch the cabin temperature
No air conditioning blowing straight onto the animal, and never leave it in a parked car even for a few minutes in summer. Heatstroke in a closed vehicle comes fast and is unforgiving.

The first hours indoors

Getting home does not mean the hard part is over: for the animal it starts now. A newly arrived puppy does not need to meet the whole house, all the people and every toy in the first hour. It needs a small, predictable corner where it can work out that it is safe here. The golden rule of the first hours is fewer stimuli, not more attention.

Take it straight to the prepared room
One quiet room, with water, the bed and the blanket that travelled with it. Let it come out of the carrier when it feels ready rather than pulling it out.
For a puppy, offer a toilet break at once
After the journey the bladder is full. Take it to the chosen spot in the garden or on the pad and praise it calmly if it goes. These are the first building blocks of house training.
Keep water available and hold off on food
Offer a small amount of the food it was already used to, not a new one. Refusing in the first hour is normal: appetite returns as stress falls.
Turn the whole house down
No friends invited to see the new arrival, no loud television, no children passing the puppy from hand to hand. Introductions happen over the coming days, not on the first afternoon.
Observe without constantly interfering
Note how it eats, whether it drinks, whether it toilets and how it sleeps. This early data helps you notice quickly if something is wrong, and it is the right moment to open a record for the animal.

Introducing people and home gently

The enthusiasm of everyone in the house is the first obstacle to the puppy's calm. Everyone wants to pick it up, and that is exactly what scares it. Introductions should be spread out over time and always leave the animal free to move away.

One person at a time, sitting on the floor, waiting for the puppy to approach rather than reaching for it.
Children taking turns, with the rule that the animal is never chased and never picked up if it moves off.
Other pets introduced only after the newcomer has settled into its room, never on day one and never nose to nose.
Exploration of the rest of the house widened one room at a time, with dangerous doors kept shut.
The first nights in the safe room, with light background noise and something carrying the smell of its original bed.

When to worry and call the vet

Most puppies get through the first day with a little agitation and nothing more. Some signs, though, should not be put down to the excitement of change and warrant contacting the clinic, ideally the same day.

Repeated vomiting or diarrhoea, especially with blood or in a very small animal, because dehydration sets in fast.
Complete refusal of water and food beyond twelve hours after arrival.
Laboured breathing, a persistent cough, or discharge from the eyes and nose.
Marked weakness, trembling or very pale gums, which in small puppies can signal a drop in blood sugar.
A swollen, hard belly or crying when touched, signs that should never be postponed.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to collect the puppy alone or with someone?: With someone, whenever you can. The driver concentrates on the road while the passenger watches the carrier, talks softly to the animal and steps in if it spills its water or gets agitated. Going alone is doable, but never open the carrier while driving and never hold the puppy on your lap: in a sudden stop it becomes a danger to you both. If you are alone on a long trip, plan more frequent stops in safe places.
My puppy was sick in the car, should I be worried?: A single bout of travel sickness, perhaps with a lot of drooling, happens often and usually settles once you arrive. Clean up, offer water and drive even more smoothly. It becomes a reason to call the vet if the vomiting repeats several times, if bloody diarrhoea appears, or if the puppy stays very flat and does not perk up after getting out. For future trips there are ways to get it gradually used to the car.
How long should I wait before introducing it to my other pets?: Not on the first day. Let the newcomer get comfortable in its own room for at least a day or two, then start by swapping scents, for example by rubbing a cloth on each animal. Direct introductions happen gradually, on neutral ground and with each animal free to walk away. Forcing nose to nose contact on day one is the quickest way to start off on the wrong foot.
It cries on the first night, do I let it cry or go to it?: First night crying is almost always a request not to be left alone after losing its mother and siblings, not a tantrum. Keeping the bed close to you, even in your bedroom for the first days, greatly reduces the crying. Responding with a calm presence does not spoil the puppy, it reassures it during a genuinely hard moment. As the nights pass you can gradually move the bed toward its permanent spot.

What to do next

Set up the carrier and the room the day before, agree when the last meal is given, and drive smoothly with the animal always inside the carrier. At home offer one quiet room, water and its usual food, hold off on introductions and visits, and watch how it eats, drinks and toilets. Book the first vet visit within a few days and call at once if repeated vomiting, weakness or a swollen belly appear.