What you need before you get a puppy
Bringing home a puppy is a big step and, naturally, you want to be prepared. In the buildup to your new canine companion’s arrival, you can busy yourself by collecting everything your puppy will need.
Below, we’ll go into more detail about what supplies to buy for a new puppy and ensure you’re prepared when your new four-legged friend is brought home. It’s okay if you forget an item or two, or decide you don’t need everything, but it’s great to at least have all the essentials ready and waiting for your new puppy so they can settle in more quickly.
Puppy feeding items
Some puppies can experience a mild loss of appetite for a day or two after arriving in their forever home, since everything is new and strange, but they’ll still want something to eat and drink from. Heavy ceramic dog bowls are ideal for playful puppies who tend to tip over their water.
Also, don’t forget you’ll need two bowls — one for food and one for water. You might choose to place these bowls on a feeding mat to catch the mess your pup is likely to make.
At first, it’s best to continue with whatever food your puppy was eating at the rescue center or at their breeder’s house so as not to upset their stomach or add another fresh element into an already new environment. If you do choose to switch puppy food down the line, be sure to do so gradually.
Toys and entertainment for your puppy
Puppies are naturally playful, so you should buy them a range of different toys for them to enjoy. We’d highly recommend buying several puppy chew toys, as these can help to redirect natural chewing behaviors away from your shoes or TV remote. Some puppies prefer hard chew toys, such as Nylabones, whereas others like softer rubber chew toys. Buy a selection of both until you know what your puppy likes.
Treat-dispensing toys and toys that can be stuffed with treats are great for occupying your puppy for 10 or 20 minutes when you can’t supervise them closely. Simple puzzle toys are also great for puppies who become bored easily and seem as though they need more mental stimulation, but it will take some time to find out if your pup fits this description.
It’s nice to have some toys that you and your puppy can play with together, such as tug toys and balls. Playing with your puppy helps build a bond between you, not to mention it helps work off some of that boundless puppy energy before they’re fully vaccinated and able to go on walks.
Puppy beds and bedding
Your puppy will need somewhere warm and comfortable to sleep, so pick a quality puppy bed. You may alternatively choose to buy a bed that will fit your puppy when they reach full size so you don’t have to replace it within a year. This is slightly risky, however, as some puppies chew through everything in their teething phase, including their beds.
To help your pup settle at night, you might want to let them sleep in your bedroom, in which case you’ll need one bed for nighttime sleeping and another bed in the living room for napping during the day. We’d also recommend buying a soft, cozy blanket for your puppy to keep them warm on chilly nights.
If you choose to let your puppy up on your couch, a waterproof blanket for your puppy to sit on will protect the upholstery from any accidents.
Training gear for puppies
All puppies need training when you get them home, starting with basics like toilet training, simple obedience training, and learning to walk on the leash. First off, you’ll need some training treats. These should be small, so you aren’t feeding your puppy too many calories throughout training, and ideally highly palatable so your puppy will be more motivated to work. Some puppy parents also found using a clicker was beneficial to training.
You also may need a soft and lightweight collar and leash for your puppy. Anything that is too heavy can turn your puppy off to walking on a leash, which is a skill puppies need to learn. If your pup pulls on the leash, we recommend walking them on a harness until they learn to walk properly, with a loose leash, to prevent the collar hurting their neck.
It’s a good idea to walk your puppy out into the yard on a leash to go potty. If you allow them free rein of the garden before they’ve done their business, they might get distracted and forget to go.
Although you shouldn’t rely on them, you might want to have some puppy pads in store for nighttime or when you’re out of the house. Some puppy owners use pet gates to keep their puppy in one area of the house while they’re home alone. This helps minimize destructive behavior and contain potty accidents.
Grooming supplies for puppies
Depending on your puppy’s coat type, they may or may not need much grooming, but it’s beneficial to get them used to the process anyway.
Gentle grooming can help you to bond with your new puppy, plus it gets them used to being handled and touched all over, which is helpful for future visits to the vet or to professional groomers. Short-coated dogs only need a light brushing with a bristle type brush, whereas medium- or long-coated dogs require brushing with pin brushes, combs, and slickers to remove and prevent tangles.
You might also choose to buy some puppy shampoo to help your canine companion get used to being bathed early in life.
Nail clippers and nail grinders keep claws at an appropriate length. Acclimating puppies to this process early on will help you out later.
Lauren Corona is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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