The first 30 days with your new dog: the complete plan

The 3-3-3 rule: the rhythm of settling in

The 3-3-3 rule is a widely used rule of thumb in the adoption world, and it works just as well for puppies. It describes three phases of settling in:

The Dutch admin: chip, registration and vet

Since November 2021 the Netherlands has mandatory identification and registration for dogs (I&R hond). As a new owner this means:

• Every pup must be chipped before 7 weeks of age — the breeder arranges that. Adopted dogs are almost always already chipped.
• When you take over a dog, the registration must be transferred to your name via a designated portal. Do this within two weeks.
• At handover, check that the chip number in the passport matches the actual chip (any vet can read it in seconds).

Also plan an introduction visit to a local vet in the first two weeks — not only once something is wrong. Your dog gets into the system, you know where to go at night, and the vet checks weight, teeth and vaccination status. Consider pet insurance in the same period: the unexpected things tend to happen in year one.

The week-by-week plan

Week 1 — landing

• Explore house and garden at their own pace; one fixed resting spot that belongs to the dog
• Short toilet rounds in your own street — no big walks yet
• Fixed times for food and rest; the same food the dog is used to
• Transfer the registration and book the vet introduction

Week 2 — rhythm

• Slightly longer walks, still in quiet places at quiet times
• Practise the first minutes of alone-time (literally minutes — build up slowly)
• Calm introductions to one or two familiar people, at your home
• Start basic training: name, recall, rewarding what goes well

Week 3 — a slightly bigger world

• Introduce a new walking spot; in Wassenaar, Landgoed De Paauw and Backershagen are ideally quiet
• Extend alone-time towards half an hour to an hour
• First calm dog encounters — quality over quantity

Week 4 — looking ahead

• Evaluate: what's going well, where is help needed (training, behaviour, care)?
• Try busier environments if your dog is ready — village centre, dune edges
• Arrange workday care before you need it: plan the meet & greet and a settling-in moment

The calmest places in Wassenaar for the first walks

A new dog doesn't need spectacular routes — they need clear, quiet places where little happens unexpectedly. Wassenaar is spoiled in exactly that way:

• Landgoed De Paauw: wide lanes, little traffic, good sightlines — the ideal first 'real' walk
• Backershagen: quiet and green, with enough space to pass other dogs at a distance
• The wooded edges and quieter dune paths: step two, with more smells and stimuli
• Save the beach and the village centre for later — wonderful, but packed with impressions

When do you bring in help?

Getting help isn't failing — it's exactly what a good owner does. Think of:

• A puppy course or basic training: great for the bond, and you learn the most yourself
• A behaviourist for persistent fear, reactivity or separation anxiety — the earlier, the easier
• A dog walking service or daycare once workdays appear: arrange the meet & greet before you need it, so your dog can settle in calmly

At LuckyPaw everything starts with a free meet & greet and a free trial walk or settling-in day. For a dog that has only just moved in with you, that calm build-up is exactly what you want.

Frequently asked questions about the first weeks