Cavapoo Puppy First Week Home: What to Expect and How to Survive It
Bringing your Cavapoo puppy home for the first time is one of the most exciting — and overwhelming — experiences a dog owner can have. The first week sets the tone for your puppy’s entire life with you. Get it right, and you’ll build confidence, trust, and good habits from day one.
This guide walks you through exactly what to expect during your Cavapoo puppy’s first week home, what you need to have ready, and how to handle the most common challenges new owners face.
Before Your Puppy Arrives: What to Have Ready
The best thing you can do for your new Cavapoo is prepare your home before they arrive. Scrambling to find supplies with a crying puppy in your arms is not fun. See our complete Cavapoo puppy checklist for a full list — but here are the three most essential items for the first week.
1. MidWest iCrate Starter Kit
A crate is not a punishment — it’s your puppy’s safe space, and one of the most important tools for housetraining. The MidWest iCrate Starter Kit comes with everything you need: a 24-inch crate perfectly sized for Cavapoo puppies, a cozy pet bed, two stainless steel bowls, and a privacy cover to help your pup feel secure. Rated 4.8 stars with over 13,700 reviews — one of the most popular puppy crates on Amazon.
Price: ~$65.46 | Rating: 4.8★ (13,723 reviews)
2. Amazon Basics Puppy Training Pads
Even if your goal is outdoor housetraining, puppy pads are a lifesaver during the first week. Young puppies can’t hold their bladder for long and accidents will happen. The Amazon Basics Leak-Proof Training Pads are a bestseller for good reason — 5 absorbent layers, a quick-dry surface, and a leak-proof lining. Over 222,000 reviews and a 4.4-star rating. Buy them in bulk — you’ll go through a lot in the first few weeks.
Price: ~$16.78 (40-pack) | Rating: 4.4★ (222,102 reviews)
3. Zesty Paws Calming Bites
The transition from their mother and littermates is stressful for puppies. Some Cavapoos handle it well; others struggle with separation anxiety, especially at night. Zesty Paws Calming Bites are a soft chew supplement containing hemp seed, chamomile, and L-Theanine to support relaxation without sedating your puppy. Rated 4.0 stars with over 10,300 reviews. Use them during the first few nights or before particularly stressful events like vet visits.
Price: ~$34.97 | Rating: 4.0★ (10,317 reviews)
Day 1: The Arrival
The car ride home is your puppy’s first experience of the world without their mother. Keep the environment calm and quiet. Have someone hold the puppy in a blanket rather than putting them in a carrier if possible — physical contact is reassuring.
When you arrive home, take your puppy straight to the outdoor toileting spot (or designated pad area) before anything else. Even if they don’t go immediately, this starts establishing the routine.
Let your puppy explore one or two rooms on their own terms. Don’t overwhelm them with people and excitement. If you have children, explain that the puppy needs calm, gentle handling — no grabbing or chasing on day one.
Nights 1–3: The Hardest Part
This is the part that catches most new owners off guard: puppies cry at night. A lot. They’ve just been separated from their mother and siblings, they’re in a completely new environment, and everything smells different. Expect whimpering and crying for at least the first three nights.
Here’s what helps:
- Put the crate in your bedroom: Being able to hear and smell you is deeply comforting for puppies
- A warm water bottle wrapped in a blanket can simulate the warmth of littermates
- A ticking clock near the crate mimics a heartbeat and can settle some puppies
- Ask your breeder for a blanket that smells like the mother — many breeders will provide this if asked
- Don’t reward crying by immediately taking the puppy out — wait for a brief pause before responding
By nights 4–7, most puppies start to settle. It does get better quickly.
Housetraining From Day One
Cavapoos are intelligent and respond well to consistent training. Start housetraining from the moment you bring them home — every day without a routine makes it harder.
The golden rule: take your puppy outside (or to the pad) after every sleep, meal, play session, and every 30–45 minutes during waking hours. Young puppies have tiny bladders and very little warning before they need to go.
When they go in the right spot, praise enthusiastically and offer a small treat immediately — within 3 seconds. This timing is critical for puppies to make the connection. When accidents happen indoors (and they will), calmly clean them up without any fuss or punishment. Scolding a puppy after the fact does nothing — they’ve already forgotten.
Feeding Schedule
Most Cavapoo puppies need to eat 3–4 times per day at 8–12 weeks old. Ask your breeder what food the puppy has been eating and continue with that for at least the first two weeks — changing food abruptly causes stomach upset on top of an already stressful transition.
If you want to switch foods, do it gradually over 7–10 days by mixing increasing proportions of the new food with the old. Measure portions carefully — overfeeding a small breed puppy can cause loose stools and weight issues.
Socialisation: Start Now
The socialisation window for puppies closes around 12–16 weeks of age. This is the period when new experiences feel normal rather than threatening. Expose your puppy to as many sights, sounds, people, and gentle handling as possible during this window.
Important: even before full vaccination, safe socialisation is possible. Carry your puppy in areas where unvaccinated dogs don’t walk, visit friends with vaccinated dogs, and expose them to cars, traffic sounds, umbrellas, children, and different surfaces at home.
The First Vet Visit
Book a vet check within the first few days of bringing your puppy home. Most vets recommend this as a new puppy health check — they’ll verify the puppy’s overall health, check for parasites, confirm vaccination status, and discuss a schedule for any outstanding vaccinations and worming treatments.
Bring any paperwork from your breeder, including vaccination records and microchip information. This is also a good time to ask about pet insurance — see our guide to the best pet insurance for Cavapoos to compare your options before your first vet appointment.
Week One Survival Tips
- Sleep deprivation is real — warn any household members that the first week can be rough
- Keep the routine consistent — same feeding times, same toileting spots, same sleeping arrangements
- Limit visitors for the first few days — let your puppy settle before introducing lots of new people
- Puppy-proof your home — get down to puppy level and check for cables, toxic plants, and small objects
- Be patient — accidents, crying, and chaos are all normal; consistency is your biggest tool
Final Thoughts
The first week with a Cavapoo puppy is intense, but it passes quickly. By the end of the week, you’ll notice your puppy starting to relax, sleep longer, and respond to your voice. The bond you build in these early days lasts a lifetime.
Stay consistent, stay calm, and give yourself grace — you’re both learning. Before you know it, the chaos of week one will be a distant (and hilarious) memory.
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