New puppy…
Saying it out loud brings absolute joy to the human mind, but also fear and panic that you may not be fully prepared for that new pup that is going to fill your home with love. When you adopt a new dog, especially a puppy, your first thought should be: this is not just a dog. This is family. This is a child of mind. Dogs are more than pets, they are our fur babies… am I wrong?
“We’re not just bringing home a new puppy; we’re bringing home a bundle of happiness.” – Unknown
Our huskies are treated like children in our home and I’ve had multiple people tell me that when they die, they want to come back as one of my dogs haha. The key is to BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING! You never know what might happen. My primary experience with raising multiple puppies is that they eat absolutely everything. So how can you prepare for that? Easy… make sure nothing is at their reach, right? Actually, there is so much more that goes into that and you can read more about my take on Pet Insurance, but for now let’s talk about your puppy list of things you absolutely need before getting a new puppy.
New Puppy Items List
- Leash and Collar – my go to is always a martingale collar, but any collar would be fine, as long as they can’t escape from it very easily. I also recommend getting a standard 6 ft leash and also training lead.
- Dog Bed – try to get one for the puppies size and be prepared to replace them often either from growth or the fact that most puppies destroy anything and everything in the beginning.
- Fleece Blanket – your puppy will need one to snuggle while they are sleeping because they are going to miss cuddling with their siblings. It is also a great idea (if you can) to get the mother’s scent on the blanket.
- Puppy Pen – we built one to the shape of the corner we knew our pup would spend most of his time. This also allowed me to keep him contained and safe when we were not in the room.
- Outdoor Pen – you don’t need one necessarily, but I will say that if you have a larger yard it is nice to have something that contains them for the first few months of having your new pup.
- Crate – not everyone is into crate training, but it is very important to have a crate with a new dog in the house. Dogs are den creatures. Although it may feel wrong to keep them in a crate, trust me… they like it.
- Baby Gates – these are definitely a must! You need to make sure you are blocking off any rooms that you don’t want your puppy to go into, but especially stairs. Remember that puppies bones are fragile at 8 weeks and don’t fully grow for several months. Falling down stairs will for sure be a trip to the ER.
- Puppy Food – this one should be obvious haha. Make sure not to go too cheap on your choice of food. Puppies need a lot of nutrients!
- Healthy Treats – ALL dogs are food driven. If you plan on training your new puppy, definitely grab some treats that are puppy appropriate, but also healthy!
- Food/Water Bowls – I recommend an adjustable one that grows as your new pup grows. If your new pup is a large breed dog, you will want to make sure that as he/she gets older that their bowls are elevated to help with future neck/back issues.
- Sealed Food Bin – it is always a benefit to having a food bin that seals, but also protects the food from your mischievous puppy.
- Puppy Toys – make sure that you are getting puppy appropriate toys for your new pup! It is important to have a wide variety of different toys as they may end up an aggressive chewer or they may end up gentle with their toys. In our case, he destroyed every stuffy in front of him lol.
- Brain Games – these are amazing for helping develop your pups brain. They can also be used to keep your new pup out of trouble.
- Toy Bin – for those organizing freaks like me… a toy bin is definitely a must.
- Grooming Tools – of course you always want to make sure you have the appropriate tools for grooming your pup! Combs, nail clippers, soap, scrubbers, bath mat (if you’re grooming them yourself) and a microfiber towel.
- Pet Wipes – for those messy faces or paws, but make sure they are either dog safe or sensitive skin baby wipes.
- Pee Pads – these are great for potty training a new pup.
- Baby Monitor – not needed, but recommended. Especially if you work from home and choose to keep your pup in their pen while you work.
- Travel Necessities – make sure to check out my article on preparing for travel with your dog!
- Pet Insurance – like mentioned before, puppies tend to eat things they really shouldn’t. Our pup would eat cat toys and rocks and I can’t even count the number of times we had to go to an Emergency Vet to have them see him. Pet Insurance saved our butts completely.
