Preparing for a Puppy: Supplies to Have on Hand Before Bringing Your New Puppy Home

Thinking of getting a puppy? Whether you’ve never had a puppy before, or it’s been a while since your last one, there are some things your puppy will need to be happy and healthy in his home.

Puppy Crate

A crate is a necessity in many ways. It acts as the puppy’s den, and gives him a place to sleep at night. It gives you a place to put the puppy when you don’t want him out and about for any reason. Most importantly, a crate helps you with potty training.

Puppies don’t like to potty where they sleep and live. Help teach him where to go by confining him in his crate, and then taking him outside in regular intervals (e.g. every hour or two). Repeat the process until your puppy knows where to go.

Tip: If you notice your puppy is pottying in a particular area, spend a lot more time with him in that area. Soon, he will come to see it as part of his home, and shouldn’t want to potty there anymore. Remember to thoroughly clean the area first.

Blankets

Blankets are good for lining the puppy’s crate, and for keeping him warm at night. Try to sleep with the blanket for a night or two, so that it has your scent. This will help calm and soothe your puppy at night.

Puppy Food

Obviously, your puppy is going to need to eat. If possible, find out what kind of food he was eating before he came to you. Try to stick to the same food if possible, otherwise you could upset his tummy. If you would like to switch him from one food to another, mix his previous food with his new food, increasing the amount of new food you add in day by day, until the he is fully switched over to the new food.

Food and Water Bowls

Obviously, your puppy will also need food and water bowls. Make sure they are slightly heavy and don’t slide around easily, which will help prevent your puppy from playing with his bowls.

Treats

Treats are great to have on hand to reward good behavior. The thing to remember about puppies is that they are babies, so you are always training. This means you should have a steady supply of treats ready and available at any moment.

Tip: Once your puppy begins to get the hang of a particular behavior or trick, try rewarding the puppy with praise instead of a treat. This will teach him that he won’t always get a treat for doing something good.

Puppy Pads

House training your puppy is an involved process. If there are times in the day when you can’t be home to take your puppy out, you may want to use puppy pads to designate an area for your puppy to pee. You may use layers of newspaper as well.

Having a designated potty area that your puppy can get to is best if you can’t be home for long periods. If you must crate your puppy for a long time while you work, make sure you have a family member or friend come over a few times a day to let the puppy out, and play with him for a bit.

Toys

Your puppy will need toys to play with. Get a few different kinds of toys, and see what your puppy prefers. Depending on their breed, different puppies gravitate towards different toys. Retrievers, for example, are more likely to want to play with balls or other objects they can retrieve (hence the name). Researching your puppy’s breed (or mix of breeds) may help you determine what he will prefer.

Most pet stores allow you to bring your pets in, so take your puppy with you to pick out toys, so you come home with only the things he likes.

Chew Toys

Outside of regular toys, your puppy will also need things to chew on. Get something strong and durable for your puppy to chew on. You want to make sure it won’t easily break apart, becoming something your puppy can choke on. Nylabone and Kong brands both make good, safe toys, but there are many on the market, so feel free to explore.

Chew Spray

Your puppy is going to be a chewer. All puppies are. They just want to gnaw on everything, and this includes your furniture, your shoes, your remotes, and other items of yours. You can prevent your puppy from chewing on particular objects by spraying them with a no-chew spray. Go to your local pet store and see what is available. Many people have seen results with the bitter apple spray, but your mileage may vary. Try a variety of sprays until you find what works.

Dog / Child Gates

Just as you must keep your puppy safe from the dangers in your house, you must also keep your house safe from the dangers of your puppy. Dog / child gates are good for blocking off areas of the house that you don’t want your puppy to be in. Keeping doors closed is also a must.

Tip: Check prices at different types of stores. You may find that it is cheaper to go with a child gate instead of a puppy gate. They are pretty much the same thing, so it doesn’t matter which. The main goal is to prevent access to certain areas of the house.

A Collar

When you have your puppy wear a collar from a young age, he gets used to it quickly and easily. Some dogs even enjoy wearing their collars. You will probably have to get your puppy a few different collars as he grows, depending on how big he gets.

A Leash

If your puppy is too young, he may not be ready to walk on a leash yet. If he can’t seem to get it together and walk while on the leash, he may be too young. However, soon enough he’ll be ready, and the sooner you leash train him, the better. For now, get a regular leash, about six feet long (or longer depending on your needs). You do not need one that retracts while you’re trying to leash train him, as you want your puppy to stay by your side, and not wander too far off.

Cleaner

Your puppy is bound to make messes, so make sure you have extra cleaners on hand to clean up the mess. You’ll want to be sure that your cleaners are pet safe, and won’t harm your puppy. If you are unsure, ask a vet, the pet store, or other pet owners what they recommend.

This list is just a basic list of things to have on hand when you bring your puppy home. Over time you will find there are more things you need, depending on your puppy’s preferences. However, overtime caring for a puppy gets easier as they grow up, and turn into a dog.

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