You’re preparing to welcome your new best friend to your home. The first few stages can be overwhelming for a new puppy owner. A great way to relieve some of that stress is to prepare beforehand!
In our last blog, we covered some important puppy-proofing tips to get your home ready to welcome your new puppy. Everything from safety checks around your home, family responsibilities, picking a veterinarian, and basic puppy supplies to help get you started. But let’s dive into what some of these items are for, what you should be looking out for and answer any more of your burning puppyhood questions!
Start with the Basics
A great place to start is with basic items that every growing pup needs; a collar, I.D. tags, four or six-foot-long leash, food and water bowls, high-grade puppy food (including healthy treats), a harness (a flat collar can do damage to the trachea of a puppy pulling on their leash), and a comfy bed to rest their little furry heads. These are the items that you and your puppy will use daily so they should be the first things you add to your cart!
Picking Your Puppy’s Food
A good diet from a young age will encourage a long and healthy life for your puppy. And maintaining a healthy diet will also help you avoid some costly vet visits, medication, and other health-related expenses. Before committing to a specific food brand, you may want to look into the different options available for your puppy like kibble, cooked food, freeze-dried or raw diet. Today, if you visit a local pet store, you’ll encounter a variety of brands that promote different ingredients to support healthy growth. But before you make a purchase, take some time to do a little research on the different brands that you’re considering to use.
For the first year of your puppy’s life, they’ll be growing quickly and need puppy food that will support their developmental needs. Keep in mind that certain puppy breeds require different types of nutrition. If you have a large breed puppy like a German Shepherd, you can consult your puppy’s breeder or a vet for recommendations they have about feeding your pup.By honing in on the individual needs of your puppy, you can effectively narrow down the brands that make puppy food tailored to those needs.
Make sure to read the ingredients on the back label of your puppy’s food and their treats if you plan to give them treats outside of their regular food! Our advice is to stay away from brands that include by-products or any fillers such as corn, wheat, and soy in their ingredient list.
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Food and Water Bowls
Although this one seems like a no-brainer, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when selecting food and water bowls for your new puppy. Ceramic or stainless steel bowls are a great option to buy as they are easy to clean, maintain an even cool temperature, and don’t harbor bacteria like plastic bowls. Puppies can be messy eaters so think about purchasing bowls with non-slip rubber bottoms or adding a silicone mat to help them avoid sliding out when eating and making a huge mess for you to clean up!
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Some large breed puppies benefit from different types of feeding setups for their fast-growing bodies. Elevated bowls on a metal or wood stand are great for larger puppies as they place less strain on their heads and necks, make digestion easier and are overall great for breeds that could suffer from mobility and joint issues later in life. But choosing to feed your puppy with an elevated bowl really comes down to their size and needs so it’s not a requirement for all puppies.
Crate and Bed for Your Puppy
When thinking about what to buy for your puppy, we recommend adding a crate and dog bed to the list! We have an entire crate training blog with different types of crates, uses, and crate training tips that will help you make an informed decision about what crate to buy! A crate will essentially become your puppy’s personal space where they feel comfortable and safe. It’s an immensely helpful tool to help in potty training, aid in separation anxiety and building confidence in your puppy.
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Along with a crate, you will also need a dog bed or a cot so your puppy can rest. Like many of us, we like different types of beds depending on how we like to sleep. Warm and plush or firm and cool -- think about your puppy’s coat as some pups with thick fur tend to overheat and instead prefer cooler areas to sleep!
Tools for Puppy Training
Like we mentioned in our Bringing Home Your New Puppy blog, part of puppy-proofing is creating a designated space in your home where your puppy can sleep, play and eat. Your list of what to buy for your puppy should include baby gates or a playpen that you can easily set up to create a safe space for your puppy and while you are potty training your puppy as well as creating boundaries in the home.
Basic obedience training starts at home and by giving your puppy early boundaries, you’re starting to show them what they can and can’t do. Doing this, you are limiting the areas they have access to as well as the chances of them getting into areas they shouldn't be and having potty accidents there.
Keep Your Puppy Squeaky Clean
Even if you plan to take your puppy for routine grooming, all puppy owners can expect to do some basic grooming at home. Regularly brushing your pup’s coat keeps them looking shiny and avoids any unwanted matting from happening in between grooming sessions. Go with a brush according to your puppy’s coat type (short fur, long fur, de-shed, etc.) and that matches their size. If you have a very small or toy sized puppy some cat brushes come in smaller sizes and may work better for you!
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You’ll also need to bathe your puppy with a gentle formula shampoo and conditioner made specifically for dogs. Stick to a natural formula and don’t use human products that can be harsh and irritate your puppy’s skin. In the beginning, however, you’ll want to avoid over-bathing your puppy as their skin is still sensitive, and bathing too often can strip away at the natural oils from their skin, which causes irritation and dryness. So for those accidents that happen in between baths, cleansing wipes, and refreshing sprays are great for keeping your puppy fresh!
Don’t forget their teeth! Toothbrushes with two different size bristles are a great option for all size pups. The most important thing is to make sure you remove any remaining pieces of food in their gum line. Regular brushing is a great way to avoid early gum disease (which can develop into a more serious health issue later in life) and tooth discoloration.
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Cleaning Up After Your Puppy
Accidents are a guarantee with any new fur baby. Although these moments of "oops" can be frustrating on their own, being unprepared will only add to those feelings. Have paper towels, pet-safe enzyme spray for stain and odor removal, poop bags, pee pads, and a pet-safe disinfectant ready for those unplanned incidents!
Cleansing wipes are also super handy for clean-ups and not just grooming. Use them to wipe your puppy’s dirty paws, spot cleaning and to help with potty training cleaning. Another useful hack: cut up pee pads into smaller squares and keep them around the house. In a pinch, they’ll be available to easily soak up unexpected accidents.
Time for Play
Keep your furniture, hands, and ankles bite-free by redirecting your puppy to yummy chew toys instead. During the first few months of your puppy’s life, they will be teething and need chew toys to relieve their gums. Chew and rope toys are also a great way to start introducing your puppy to proper play manners, help correct unwanted nipping, and train the “Drop-It” command.
Interactive toys like treat-dispensing Kongs, for example, are also great ways to keep your puppy busy and chewing on the right thing while being rewarded by the food inside as they do so! Keeping your puppy engaged helps to stimulate their brain and fulfill their drive to prey, while at the same time rewarding them for playing with a toy instead of chewing up your favorite pair of shoes.
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