Vivlo

Guides

Straight answers to the questions every new puppy owner searches at 11pm. Written in the same honest, plain-English voice as the app, and growing every month.

Getting started

A fluffy apricot puppy sitting indoors at home

New puppy checklist: your first week

What to buy, how to puppy-proof, what to do on day one, and the simple routine that helps a puppy settle. Everything you need, and nothing you don't.

Read the guide →

Growth & weight

A grown tan and white dog sitting calmly in a garden

How big will my puppy get?

No method is exact, but the breed, the parents and your puppy's own weight trend predict adult size well. The rules of thumb, the paw-size myth, and the method that sharpens over time.

Read the guide →

A young Labrador-type puppy with oversized paws sitting on grass

When do puppies stop growing?

Small breeds finish around a year, giant breeds take up to two. The growth stages, why big breeds take longer, and how to tell your puppy is on track.

Read the guide →

A healthy yellow Labrador puppy sitting on green grass

Puppy weight chart: how much should my puppy weigh?

A weight-by-size guide plus the hands-on check that tells you more than any chart, and why one weigh-in never tells the full story.

Read the guide →

A young fox-red puppy in long garden grass

How much exercise does a puppy need?

The five-minute rule, what it really means, and why free play and sniffing tire a puppy out while protecting growing joints better than long walks.

Read the guide →

Feeding

A young dog eating from a bowl on a wooden floor

How much should I feed my puppy?

Why every source gives a different number, and the simple order that gets it right: start from the food's own guide, feed to today's weight, adjust to body condition.

Read the guide →

A bowl of dry puppy food on a wooden floor

Puppy feeding schedule: how often to feed

How many meals a day by age, sample meal times, when to drop from three meals to two, and when to switch to adult food.

Read the guide →

A young dog eating from a metal bowl at home

When to switch to adult dog food

Timed by adult size, not birthday: small breeds 9 to 12 months, giant breeds up to 24. How to change over a week without an upset stomach.

Read the guide →

Tips & training

A person introducing two dogs to each other outdoors

Puppy socialisation: the critical window

The weeks from 3 to 16 shape your dog for life. What to introduce them to, how to do it safely before full vaccination, and how to read when it is too much.

Read the guide →

A calm dog resting in a crate at home

How to crate train a puppy

A safe den, not a cage, when you build it up slowly. Choosing the right size, making it positive, the crate at night, and how long is too long.

Read the guide →

A playful young puppy

How to stop puppy biting

It is normal play and teething, not aggression. Redirect to a toy, never punish, and it fades by around 6 to 7 months. What works, and what backfires.

Read the guide →

A young puppy lying in the grass outdoors

Toilet training: the boring method that works

No trick, no gadget, and no magic age when it just clicks. Just supervision and timing, repeated until it's a habit.

Read the guide →

A calm puppy resting in its bed indoors

Puppy toilet training log: what to track (and why it works)

What to actually write down, why a log beats memory, and how it turns guesswork into a routine you can see coming.

Read the guide →

Health & safety

A curious puppy at home where food dangers are

Foods toxic to dogs: the list every puppy owner needs

Chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol, onions and garlic, and more. What each one does, how much is dangerous, and exactly what to do if your puppy gets to something.

Read the guide →

A young puppy exploring a secure garden

When can my puppy go outside?

On public ground about a week after the second vaccination, but the garden is safe from day one. The timeline, and how to socialise safely before the all-clear.

Read the guide →

A fluffy puppy sitting in the grass among daisies

Puppy vaccination schedule: the UK timeline, simply explained

What your puppy needs and when, from their first injection to their first booster, plus when they can safely go outside and how worming fits alongside.

Read the guide →

More guides on nutrition, health and exercise are on the way. If there's a question you'd like answered first, email [email protected].