A list of things that will come in hand in your first couple weeks of owning a puppy.

• Food

If you plan on switching your puppy’s food when they arrive it is super important that you have food available when they arrive. Breeders and Shelters will send you home with dog food usually but when pup comes home you don’t just want to give them the shelter food until it runs out instead you should be mixing his old kibble with his new and slowly transitioning. This will help make sure that the dog doesn’t get any upset stomach. This is also helpful to make sure that the dog isn’t allergic to anything. But if you plan on keeping your dog on the same food or same brand of food you don’t have to worry about transitioning.

• Home leash

The home lead is important to help keep your dog supervised while they get to know and explore the home. This can keep your curious pup out of trouble.

• Teething chews

Teething toys are so important for young dogs they will want to bite everything from walls, Funiture, and hands. Teething Toys like the Nyla bone can be soothing for your dog and help you redirect any unwanted mouth behavior. Bonus tips for some dogs like when teething toys are cold so keeping it in the fridge may also help sooth sore teeth.

• Grooming supplies

Puppies are unpredictable and messy; you never know when you’ll need a quick emergency bath. I recommend having a dog friendly shampoo on hand. It’s never too early to start desensitizing your dog to the process of being groomed. Just remember to start slowing and use positive reinforcement when introducing grooming tools and process. The slower and the more treats you give throughout the process the better. Your pup will associate grooming with something positive rather than something to be afraid of.

• Crate

If you think you want to do crate training, it should start from day one. Training your pup to get used to a create has so many benefits including helping potty train. But also, it can be a great way to keep your pup safe when you’re not able to supervise.  Crating training can also help keep your dog on a schedule which can help them settle into a home faster.

• Collar

Getting a puppy, a collar is super important so that they can get used to it before they are old enough to go on walks. Some dogs may not like wearing one at first and continue to scratch at it for the first week or more of wearing one. Help them get used to it by keeping it on during the day while they are playing.  Making sure the collar is not too tight is also important. You can check by seeing if you can fit two fingers in between your dog’s collar and his neck. 

• Puppy pee pads

Please remember that if you don’t have access to your own private backyard or front yard you will need pee pads for your new puppy. This will prevent the risk of them getting sick since they will not be fully vaccinated until 16 weeks.