Are you excited to bring your puppy home? Before we get too warmed up, let us first go through our ultimate checklist of necessities for our new puppy.
Coming home with a new puppy is an exciting and joyous experience for every pet parent. The anticipation of those playful puppy paws and adorable wet kisses can make anyone’s heart melt.
However, amidst the excitement, it’s crucial to remember that preparing for a new puppy involves more than just cuddles and playtime. To ensure a smooth transition and provide your furry friend with a nurturing environment, there are several essential items you’ll need to have on hand.
In this blog post, we provide you with the necessary supplies for your new pup’s arrival. Let’s explore the things you need to have to give your new pup the best possible start in their forever home.
AT A GLANCE (SEE ON AMAZON):
- Puppy Food: Grain-Free, Large Puppy Food by NutriSource
- Puppy Crate: Double Door Dog Crate by MidWest Homes for Pets
- Name Tag: Pet ID Tags, Personalized Dog Tags by io tags
- Puppy Shampoo: Puppy Shampoo by PET CARE Sciences
- Waste Supply: Portable Dog Poop Scooper by the DogBuddy Store
Puppy Essentials
It is always best to come prepared with puppy supplies to give our puppy the best welcome home party. That’s why we came up with this new puppy checklist.
Here are the things you need to have before bringing your new pup home.
Puppy Food And Treats
The first on our checklist is, of course, puppy food and puppy treats. We will never know how long our puppies have eaten by the time we bring them home. It is always best to have some puppy food and treats available at hand for our new furbaby.
Don’t be surprised that our puppies ask for food from time to time. They need to be satisfied to ensure they grow up strong and healthy. It is also advisable that we feed our puppies the right dog food specially made for them to avoid them having an upset stomach or getting sick.
Having some treats ready is equally essential. Training a puppy starts the moment he comes home. This is where some puppy training treats would be useful.
Just the same, it is good to pamper our new baby with some treats from time to time and in moderation.
Dog Toys
Puppies naturally enjoy playing. Having dog toys around will help stimulate your puppy’s mental development. Some puppy toys also relieve the discomfort of a teething puppy.
It is advisable to have a variety of dog toys with different textures and styles. Pamper your puppies with plush toys, rope toys, rubber toys, chew toys, and toy balls.
Or, check out our top picks for the Best Chew Toys for Puppies!
Puppy or Dog Crate
A puppy crate is also important to have before bringing your new puppy home. A crate is essentially important for house training or crate training and dealing with behavioral issues.
There might also come a point when you need to do something but would not want to leave your puppy moving around your home by himself. Keeping him inside a dog crate would surely help!
Collar, Leash, or Harness
A collar, leash, or harness will come in handy when you need to walk your puppy or during training.
There are adjustable collars that you can use even when your puppy has grown.
As to a leash, a short one is recommended, which you can again use during dog training.
And, a harness is just as important as it evens out the amount of pressure on your puppy’s body. It relieves your puppy from some aches due to pulling on his leash. For a list of recommended harnesses, check our personal picks here.
Name Tags or ID Tags
If you have already chosen a name for your puppy, it is best to include in your checklist getting your new puppy a name or ID tag.
You will never know when your puppy might get lost.
Make sure to include your phone or mobile number in your puppy’s name tag. That way, you are sure that when your puppy is lost, somebody will call you up to bring him back.
Of course, at your option, you may even include your address on your puppy’s ID.
Food and Water Bowls
Your puppy’s food bowl and water bowl are necessities you must have before your fur baby’s homecoming.
You must provide a high-quality dog bowl for your puppy. You may choose any material for your puppy’s bowl. Just make sure they are sturdy and do not break easily. Otherwise, you would need to buy a lot of dog bowls soon.
A word of advice: keep your puppy’s food and water bowls in the same place in your home. This will help in training him on his eating habits.
Puppy Shampoo
Imagine this scenario: You went to pick your puppy up to bring home. You see that your puppy has a flea or two. And he smells like he badly needs a bath, too.
At home, you have nothing but your own shampoo available. You would be having second thoughts about bathing your puppy using your own shampoo. And, of course, that is not advisable.
Using your own shampoo on your puppy might irritate his delicate skin and cause him allergies. Even some dog shampoos can hurt your puppy’s skin as they might contain a stronger formula.
A puppy shampoo needs to be all-natural to keep your puppy from skin irritation. Hence, it is vital to prepare ahead and stock on a good shampoo. Here are some of our top picks for other puppy shampoos.
Dog Bed
Your new puppy might be too tired to move around after the journey coming home. To make him comfortable, we need to provide him with his own bed. It is also the start of training him on where his sleeping territory is.
In looking for a dog bed, you might want to consider one that is easily washable. Accidents do happen, and your puppy might soil his bed. If it can be washed easily, then there is no problem with your puppy enjoying his bed again in no time.
Also, think ahead about whether your puppy would tend to chew. It is best to buy a chew-proof dog bed for practical reasons. You wouldn’t want to be buying dog beds every month or two, right?
For an easily washable and chew-proof dog bed, you might want to check out Kong Dog Bed.
Dog Waste Supplies
Dog waste supplies made it to our checklist of essentials for our new puppy. You must have these waste supplies available. You wouldn’t want to get dirty, right?
Your new puppy might not be toilet-trained yet. You will never know when your new puppy will pee or poop, so it might get messy.
Having some poop bags, a poop scooper, wipes, towels, and some puppy pee pads might relieve you from the stress of cleaning up after your dog.
Other Puppy Essentials
Once you have your puppy home, you might want to consider adding these other puppy essentials to your checklist to keep your new puppy happy and comfortable.
Grooming Tools
It is good to invest in a good dog brush and dog comb, especially if your puppy has long hair. Going to professional pet groomers to have your puppy groomed may be too costly, not to mention the time you would spend bringing your puppy there.
Maybe a dog grooming scissor or even a dog grooming set may also come in handy. You might need to nip a strand or two of your puppy’s hair, which is out of place.
It is entirely alright to groom your puppy yourself once in a while. Regular grooming keeps your puppy’s fur well-maintained and clean.
As a new puppy parent, you will eventually learn basic grooming techniques at home.
Nail trimmers, nail clippers, or nail grinders are also important to have around when you have a puppy. You can now easily cut your puppy’s nails to avoid accidents like him scratching your skin or something.
Keeping your puppy’s nails well-maintained also protects him from inflicting scratches on himself.
Dog Toothbrush and Dog Toothpaste
It is vital as well to maintain your puppy’s dental health. Plaque and tartar on your puppy’s teeth should be removed.
It is good to provide your puppies with their own dog toothbrush and toothpaste. It keeps their mouths clean and breath smelling fresh, too!
Dog Food Container
Keep your puppy’s food fresh and crisp in an airtight dog food container. A dog food storage container keeps ants and other insects from going after your puppy’s food. You might want to consider getting a large food storage container for your puppy’s food.
A large container would allow you to store your puppy’s food inside, even if it is kept in its original packaging. This is beneficial to keep package instructions and other data always available until your puppy’s food runs out.
Books
Raising a puppy is, most often, not easy as 1+1=2. Some habits must be learned for the proper growth and development of your puppy. The same goes for training a dog, which is not as easy as you might think.
There are lots of good puppy books and books for dog training that would answer some of your questions. These books are sure to help you establish a better bond with your puppy.
Vet Visit
As your puppy grows, it is also important that you bring them to the veterinarian for vaccinations and regular check-ups.
Bringing a pup to the veterinarian is an essential step in providing proper care and ensuring the overall health and well-being of your furry companion. While it’s exciting to welcome a new puppy into your home, it’s important to remember that they require medical attention, just like humans do.
Training
Your canine companion needs socialization to grow into a well-behaved dog. He also needs various training sessions depending on what his individual needs are.
Some dog breeds are capable of being trained at a young age for herding and hunting skills. Other puppies are more trainable in dog sports.
Depending on the breed and the capabilities of your dogs, engage and train them using positive reinforcement.
What’s Next?
Being puppy parents entails responsibility. New puppy parents should provide these puppy essentials for their new puppies.
With this new puppy checklist, we are sure that the arrival of your new furry family member will be met with warmth, comfort, and nothing but happiness. With all their necessities available the moment they come home, new pups would surely have a smooth transition into their new homes.
This puppy checklist is just the beginning. Your pups’ needs will evolve as they grow older.
As long as you provide them with the basics and shower them with love and attention, they will surely grow up as contended and happy dogs.
Having a new puppy in your life is an exciting journey. Enjoy every moment you spend with your new pup, embrace the adventure, and cherish the special doggy moments. Of course, be patient as your pup grows as a new family member.
Congratulations on getting a new pup, and enjoy the journey ahead as a puppy parent!