The Ultimate New Puppy Checklist – The Essentials!
-Click Here for a Printable New Puppy Checklist PDF-
Whether you’re still researching doggos, have met your new best friend, or have already brought her home – we’re here to help.
After helping a whole bunch of dogs, puppies and everything in between, we have put together this list of essentials for a new puppy.
(don’t worry if you adopted an older dog, they need this stuff too)
Essential Puppy Supplies
The bare minimum. You’ll need more dog stuff eventually, but at least with this list of essential puppy supplies you can keep your pup alive without using your own plates to feed him.
Food and Water Bowls
Of course, your new adopted dog needs food and water but not all bowls are born equal! We buy the two-pack shown here – the dishes don’t move or tip during feeding. Plus they’re cheap!
Food Meant for Your Dog
There are a lot of dog food options out there. We won’t get into all the different options and things to consider in this guide and instead provide you with the food we find to suit most dogs and owners.
A Leash and Collar
A sturdy and reflective leash that will last a long time is a must. Plus the one we like comes with poop bags.
Collars are a little trickier because if you’ve got a large breed you should expect a lot of neck growth. Luckily you can find collars with a lot of room to expand.
Note that we don’t recommend Martingale style collars – if they get caught on something your dog can be strangled.
The Puppy Stuff You Really Should Have
These products make your life easier and your dog’s life more enjoyable. They’ll make training easier, faster, and more effective.
A Crate
Crates are not just for keeping your dog confined! A crate will help you train your new puppy, reduce separation anxiety, house training, and more. Make sure you get one that’s adjustable so you can expand it as your pup gets bigger.
Training Clicker
Ever heard of Pavlov’s dog? Well, a training clicker works in much the same way.
During training, you use the clicker then give a treat when your new puppy does what you want. Your dog will associate the clicker with the reward!
Low Calorie Puppy Treats
Some people we talk with don’t want to “train their puppy too much” because of all the treats they have to give. Fair enough, so buy some low calorie tasty treats!
We always get small dog treats. Your big guy doesn’t know the difference, just that it smells good!
The Best Puppy Toys!
If you’re anything like me you get more excited when you buy your puppy a new toy than you do when you buy something for yourself.
I used to go to pet stores to buy toys, but I found the quality hit or miss. I much prefer using Amazon as I can read reviews and steer clear of low quality products.
Note that you should not let your dog chew on rope toys – only play tug with them. They can be easily shredded and can choke your dog.
And of course, every puppy needs to run. While a tennis ball and your arm may do the trick, our favorite launcher lets you really get a lot of distance with much less effort.
A Dog Grooming Kit
We’ve only had to buy this twice. Both the nail clipper and the brush and high quality and have lasted what seems like forever.
and finally..
The Puppy Stuff You Don’t Want to Use But Will
Can you guess what I’m talking about?
That’s right – cleaning up after your new little buddy. Not to worry, if you crate train properly, housetraining won’t take long.
But still, be prepared with some puppy pads and an enzyme based cleaner.
An enzyme cleaner is key because it breaks down the scent markers that dogs use to mark their territory. If you just clean the stain, your new puppy will be drawn to mark that spot again.
More Guides for your New Puppy
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