Go-Home Preparation Guide
Everything you need to prepare your home, your family, and your schedule before your Stokeshire puppy comes home.
Essential Supplies
What to have ready before your puppy arrives
These are the core items every Stokeshire family should have in place before go-home day. Quality matters — invest in items that will support your puppy's development and safety during the critical first months.
- Crate — Wire or molded plastic, sized for your puppy as an adult. Not a soft crate. Used for nighttime and short daytime confinement (max 4 hours during the day).
- Exercise pen (ex-pen) — Portable wire pen, height appropriate for your breed. Your puppy's daytime "room" when you cannot supervise directly. Get a top if your puppy is a jumper.
- Buckle collar and 6-foot leash — Nylon, cotton, or leather. Not retractable. Keep the collar on and the leash nearby at all times during potty training.
- High-value training treats — Small, soft, easily swallowed. Marine-protein based for the first 90 days. Used for potty training rewards and crate training.
- Enzymatic cleaner — Simple Solution™ or Nature's Miracle™. Never ammonia-based. Your puppy's nose is far better than yours. Enzymatic cleaners eliminate odors that draw repeat accidents.
- Paper towels — Stock up. You cannot have too many.
- Water bowl and food bowl
- Crate bed — Fake sheepskin or Primo Pad. Avoid towels, blankets, and expensive beds until 18+ months — puppies chew and swallowed fabric can cause blockages.
- Chew toys — Kong®, Nylabone®, marrow bones, bully straps. Chew toys serve a dual purpose: they keep your puppy occupied in the crate and teach appropriate chewing habits.
- Baby gates — For gradually expanding your puppy's space room by room. Do not confine your puppy behind a closed door. Baby gates reduce anxiety, whining, and scratching.
- Poop bags — Never leave home without them.
- Flashlight — For nighttime potty trips so you can confirm they went.
Go-Home Day
What to expect based on your pickup or delivery method
Pickup takes place at our facility in Medford, Wisconsin. Plan for a 30-minute visit that includes paperwork, a brief orientation, and your puppy handoff.
- Confirm your pickup date and arrival window with Stokeshire at least 48 hours in advance.
- Bring your crate or a secure carrier for the ride home — your puppy should ride in the crate, not on a lap.
- Bring a leash, collar, and water bowl for the trip.
- A towel or blanket for the bottom of the crate in case of motion sickness.
- Take your puppy out to potty immediately before loading into the car.
- Plan stops every 2–3 hours on longer drives for potty breaks — always on leash.
Pickup Location
W4954 County Road O, Medford, WI 54451
Schedule your pickup window at schedule.stokeshire.com
Stokeshire offers ground transport and flight nanny services. All transport arrangements must be confirmed and paid in full before your delivery can be scheduled.
- Confirm your delivery date, address, and time window at least 72 hours in advance.
- Ensure someone is home to receive the puppy at the confirmed address.
- Prepare a quiet, crate-ready space — your puppy will be tired from travel.
- Have water and a small meal ready, but don't feed a large meal immediately after arrival.
- Give your puppy time to decompress. Limit visitors for the first 24 hours.
- All transport and boarding fees must be paid in full before delivery is scheduled.
Transport Details
Transport dates are not guaranteed and may shift due to availability or weather. Stokeshire will communicate any changes promptly.
For transport questions, contact us at 715-570-5718.
Potty Training Foundations
Continuing what we started
Your Stokeshire puppy has been raised on a structured potty training foundation using the Stokeshire Method™ and the principles in the Stokeshire Potty Training Solution, included in your go-home packet. The key to continued success at home is simple: confinement and consistency.
The 5-Step Process
1. Confine — Your puppy is in their "room" (crate or ex-pen) 24/7 when you are not actively watching them.
2. Respond — When they signal they need to go out (whining, scratching, circling), respond immediately.
3. Leash + Treats — Put them on leash, grab treats, go out the same door to the same potty spot every time.
4. Reward or Return — If they go within 10–15 minutes, reward with a treat, praise, and supervised freedom. If they don't go, back to their room.
5. Back to the Room — Before they need to go again, put them back in their room to build bladder strength and teach them to ask.
Never punish accidents. Scolding causes fear, not understanding. Simply clean thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner and tighten your supervision. If accidents increase, the space is too large — make it smaller.
Expect a timeline: Most puppies are not fully potty trained until at least six months of age. This is a function of muscle development and mental maturity, not effort. Be patient and consistent.
Crate Training Foundations
Quiet earns freedom. Noise earns nothing.
Your puppy has been introduced to crate training during their time at Stokeshire as part of the Stokeshire Method™ behavioral framework, but the transition to your home is new. Expect some adjustment. The goal is a puppy that is calm, quiet, and relaxed in their crate — not one that tolerates it under protest.
Key Principles
Reward quiet behavior in the crate with treats. Drop treats in when they are settled, calm, or sleeping. Build value for being in the crate.
Do not engage with barking. Do not look at, talk to, scold, or approach your puppy while they are barking in the crate. Any engagement — even negative — rewards the behavior.
The only exception: If you believe they need to potty, take them out immediately on leash. This is why you should always potty your puppy before crate time.
Nighttime: Place the crate in your bedroom, next to your bed. Drape an opaque sheet over the sides and back, leaving the front open. Have leash and treats on top of the crate, ready for nighttime potty trips.
Crate time limits: No more than 4 hours during the day. Up to 8–9 hours at night. Use the exercise pen for longer daytime stretches.
Marine-Protein Diet Protocol
First 90 days — no exceptions
Your puppy must remain on a marine-protein only diet — both food and treats — for the first 90 days after placement. This means all proteins should be fish-based. No chicken, beef, lamb, turkey, or other proteins during this period.
Why Marine Protein?
Premature protein changes are a leading cause of gastrointestinal and dermatologic disruption in young dogs. The marine-protein protocol stabilizes digestion during the transition to your home and allows your puppy's immune system to adjust smoothly.
No protein rotation, substitution, or supplementation — including treats, chews, toppers, or supplements — without written approval from Stokeshire Designer Doodles. The only exception is a documented veterinary emergency.
Specific food brand and feeding guidelines are included in your go-home packet.
Trupanion Insurance Activation
Required within 24 hours of pickup or delivery
Activation Steps
1. Visit trupanion.com/enrollments/certificate
2. Enter breeder code: BR1SD121520
3. Complete enrollment within 24 hours of receiving your puppy.
This provides a 30-day trial period. Coverage must be active before your puppy leaves Stokeshire's care. Insurance is strongly recommended and required for all Bootcamp™ and Doodle School™ enrollments.
Your First Veterinary Exam
Within 7 days of receiving your puppy
Schedule a licensed veterinary exam within 7 days of bringing your puppy home. This examination is required to activate the Stokeshire 3-Year Health & Wellness Partnership Guarantee. If scheduling within 7 days is not possible, please contact us.
For a detailed guide on what to expect and what to bring, visit our First Puppy Vet Visit Guide.
Important Notes
Common puppy ailments such as Giardia, Coccidia, ear mites, and intestinal worms are normal in young dogs and do not indicate negligence. Parasite exposure is a natural part of puppy development. Your veterinarian will advise on appropriate treatment if needed.
Stokeshire Companion App
Your hub for training updates and resources
The Stokeshire Companion App is where you'll receive weekly training updates, behavioral development scores, trainer notes, and milestone observations during your puppy's Doodle School™ or Bootcamp™ program.
After your puppy comes home, the app continues to serve as your resource hub for training guidance, socialization checklists, and ongoing support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Go-Home Preparation
Most puppies are not fully potty trained until at least six months of age. Puppies can understand the concept within weeks, but the physical ability to control their bladder for extended periods takes time to develop. Consistency with confinement and the 5-step process is the most effective approach. Toy and smaller breeds may take longer.
No more than 4 hours total during the day and 8–9 hours at night. For longer daytime stretches when you cannot supervise, use an exercise pen. If you must leave your puppy longer than they can hold it, add a potty pan to the exercise pen so they have an appropriate option.
The marine-protein protocol stabilizes your puppy's digestion during the transition to a new home, new water, and new environment. Premature protein changes are a leading cause of gastrointestinal and skin issues in young dogs. Sticking to marine protein for the full 90 days — food and treats — gives your puppy's system time to adjust smoothly.
Never punish your puppy for having an accident. If you catch them in the act, say their name firmly to interrupt, then immediately take them outside on leash to the potty area. If you find the accident after the fact, simply clean it thoroughly with enzymatic cleaner and evaluate what you could do differently — too much freedom, missed a cue, or too long between breaks.
Barking in the crate is normal for puppies adjusting to a new home. The most important rule: do not engage. Do not look at, talk to, or approach your puppy while they are barking. Any attention — even scolding — rewards the behavior. The only exception is if you believe they need to potty. If they stop barking even for a moment, reward that quiet immediately with a treat. Quiet earns freedom. Noise earns nothing.
Within 24 hours of receiving your puppy — ideally before pickup or delivery. Use breeder code BR1SD121520 at trupanion.com/enrollments/certificate. Insurance is required for all puppies enrolled in Doodle School™ or Bootcamp™ programs.
Contact Stokeshire as soon as possible. We understand that veterinary availability varies. We will work with you to ensure the health guarantee activation is not jeopardized as long as you communicate proactively. Visit our First Puppy Vet Visit Guide for details on what to expect at the appointment.
Once per week through the Stokeshire Companion App at app.stokeshire.com. Each weekly update includes behavioral development scores, trainer notes, and milestone observations. The app is your central hub throughout the training program and beyond.
We're Here for You
Questions about go-home preparation, supplies, or anything else? We're always available.
Stokeshire Designer Doodles — Medford, Wisconsin
DATCP License #514401-DS