In the car when you pick them up, take kitchen roll, poo bags and some old towels. Some puppies get car sick.
Personally, I would say don’t use puppy training pads, just go straight outside. Go outside frequently. You’ll get to know their routine and their signals that they’re looking to go toilet but it takes a while. You might want to get a pen for the garden, so they go in there and there’s no distractions. Accidents will happen. If you’re able to catch the midway through, scoop and run outside for them to finish but don’t yell at them. Just clean it up with a good enzyme cleaner and watch for the signs next time.
Use their food for training. Start small and build training up. They will regress on their training from time to time. So each time that happens, you go back to the beginning. Take them to puppy training as soon as you can. If you don’t like your trainer, find another.
Socialise the dog as much as possible. For the first couple of weeks this will be in your arms but when they’re on the floor you might need to go back and do it again. Socialising isn’t just about socialising with other dogs, that’s actually a small part of it. It’s exposing the dog to all the sights and sounds they may encounter over the next 10-15 years. Our first we took on a short train journey, stood by train tracks as a train passed, went round a busy market, waited for a tractor or lorry to pass on the road, stood near a playground with kids playing.
Start grooming straight away. You’ll need a puppy brush to begin with but get them used to being brushed. Play with their paws for when you need to trim their claws. Start small and keep it fun for them. Lots of treats (food) as they have a small brush or have their paws played with or teeth brushed.
Puppies have no sense of self preservation. They discover the work through their mouth, so they will eat anything. They will jump off things or not realise they’re going to fast and crash into something. They will chew something if it’s left in easy reach. They will dig out the things you’ve hidden. They are pretty much an expensive vet bill waiting to happen for quite some time and you need to be hyper aware of what they’re doing.
Puppies need sleep. They’re babies. Even if you aren’t crate training, they need a safe, quiet space to rest where they won’t be disturbed or fussed. They’ll become bitey as they become overtired. Your puppy might not want to sleep but you may need to make them.
Think about what type of dog you want in 5 years. Do you want them on the sofas/beds? Do you want them under the table when you’re eating? Do you want them licking plates clean or eating anything they’ve found on the kitchen floor? Do you want the dog to lick peoples face? Whatever you will and won’t allow, start as you mean to go on. If you don’t want the dog on the sofa in a few years time, don’t let the puppy on the sofa, even though it’s cute and you want to cuddle it. Make sure everyone in the house agrees to the rules.