Hi, I’m Stuart.

You’re already a good owner. That’s the bit I want you to hear first, because the 2am nights have a way of making you forget it.

For the last six years I’ve been the person on the vet practice front desk taking the “is this normal?” calls. Most evenings I’m in the Facebook groups answering new puppy owners’ questions. I’ve settled three puppies of my own and about a dozen fosters.

Calm Puppy Start started on a 3am kitchen floor. A new puppy, a long night, and the same question going round my head that I now hear on the phone every week: is this normal, or should I be calling the vet? And underneath it, the quieter one: every cry feels like a verdict on me.

What I learned is that a crying puppy at 2am doesn’t mean you’re getting it wrong. It means you don’t yet have one clear plan to follow. So I wrote the plan I wish I’d had: one short, phone-first routine with the wait times written in, and one page that sorts what you’re seeing into ‘normal, keep going’ or ‘call the vet’.

I’m not a vet, and this guide never pretends to be. Where it matters, it says plainly: if you’re unsure, call your vet. It’s general guidance, not a substitute for veterinary advice.

If you’re on the kitchen floor tonight, start with the free checklist. Five quick checks before you panic. Then, if you want the whole routine, there’s the guide.