The time between picking your puppy and them coming home gives you the perfect opportunity to prepare for their arrival.
Here are 10 essential items
That every new owner should have in preparation for their new puppy
Bed
Puppies need a safe space of their own that they're familiar with and can retreat to for sleep that provides physical comfort to support their bones and joints as well as phycological comfort to support their emotional needs.
There are a few things to consider when buying a bed for your puppy which are:
Size
How big is your puppy and how much will they grow in their first couple of years? If you are opting to crate train your puppy, will their bed fit in their crate?
Price
What is your budget and how much are you willing to spend? Is the quality of the item worth the price?
Comfort
What kind of bed is your puppy already used to and will their new bed be comfy enough for them?
Washability or wipeability
Do you want to be able to wipe your puppies bed down if it get's dirty or your puppy has an accident? Or do you want to be able to remove your dog bed cover off to put in the washing machine? If you do opt for a bed with removeable covers, you might want to also consider investing in waterproof dog bed liners to protect the dog bed cushion.
Toys
Puppies need toys to play with to mentally and physically stimulate them which helps to fulfil their emotional and physical needs. There are a few things to consider when buying toys for your puppy which are:
Safety
Puppies need safe toys to play with that they won't be able to swallow or injure themselves with. Choose materials that don't break down easily such a hard rubber or rope.
Variety
Puppies need a selection of toys to play with that are different in colour, texture, sound and smell. Supplying a selection of toys to your puppy and rotating which one's they play with will ensure they are kept entertained.
Interactivity
With owners - puppies need interactive toys that helps build a bond between them and their owners. Toys such as balls and frisbees which you can create a game out of help build a solid foundation for your relationship.
With themselves - puppies need interactive toys that they can play with on their own and stimulates their brain. Snuffle mats and treat dispensing toys are both great solo interaction toys for your puppy.
Teething
When your puppy begins to teeth you should supply them with special teething toys to keep them from harm. Choosing teething toys that are freezable helps soothe their sore gums cooling any irritation.
Crate
Puppies need a secure space they can be at night when their owners are sleeping and cannot supervise them. They also need a safe space they can retreat to if their environment becomes too loud or overwhelming. There are a few things to consider when buying a crate for your puppy which are:
Quality
The crate you choose should be of a high quality, sturdy and safe.
Size
Your puppies crate should be big enough for them to be able to stand up, lie down, stretch out and turn around. Bear in mind your puppy will grow so you will want to ensure that once they have they will still be able to do all of the above or you could opt to upgrade to a large crate when necessary.
Playpen
Puppies need a safe and controlled environment they can play in when they cannot be supervised. Playpens can also be beneficial when attached to a crate which gives your puppy space to go to the toilet in the night which prevents owners needing to get up several times throughout to let their puppy out. There are a few things to consider when buying a playpen which are:
Size
You will want to provide your puppy with enough space in their playpen so that they can explore, have a selection of toys to play with as well as have access to food and water.
Quality
The playpen you chose should be of a high quality, sturdy and safe.
Blankets
Puppies get a source of comfort from blankets which helps reassure them when they need it. They also provide warmth which is important for certain breeds that feel the cold more so such as whippets, greyhounds and other sighthounds. Some of the best fabrics for puppy blankets are:
Fleece
Fleece material is warm, lightweight and soft.
Velvet
Velvet material is warm, luxurious and soft.
Teddy
Teddy fabric is warm, fluffy and soft.
Sherpa
Sherpa fabric is warm, fuzzy and soft.
Puppy food
Puppies need puppy food that contains all of the nutrients they need to grow into healthy adult dogs and they'll need to stay on puppy food until they reach around 1 year of age. There are a few things to consider when choosing your puppies food which are:
Weaning
It's beneficial to find out if your new puppy has already been weaned off their mothers milk which should happen at around 8 weeks of age. If they have been , it can be sensible to continue to feed them the food they've been weaned onto as to not change too many things in their life at once. You can then wean them onto the food of your choice at a later date.
Texture
If you select dry food for your puppy you will want to top their food bowl up with hot water to soften their food as they won't have any adult teeth that've grow through yet. You must wait until their food has fully cooled down before you give it to them.
Puppy pads
Puppies aren't allowed to go to the toilet outside until they have been fully vaccinated and the incubation period post vaccination has passed. Until then you will need to toilet train your puppy to go to the toilet on puppy pads. There are a few other things you will want to consider buying alongside your puppy pads such as:
Antibacterial spray
If your puppy has an accident or misses their puppy pad, you will want to spray the area with antibacterial spray to ensure that you clean up the mess properly.
Kitchen roll
Once you have sprayed the accident you will want to wipe it up with something that'll soak everything up and that you can throw away.
Poo bags
To keep your bin from smelling you will want to put used puppy pads in a poo bag before you put the pad in the bin.
Puppy carrier or sling
When transporting your puppy from your home to the vets for their vaccinations you will want a safe and secure way to move them from door to door as they will not yet be able to be on the floor outside. There are a couple of things to consider when choosing transportation such as:
Will you be going to the vets by car?
If you will be going to the vets by car the best puppy transportation option for you will be a puppy carrier as they can be safely secured in their carrier within your vehicle.
Will you be going to the vets by public transport and or walking?
If you will be going to the vets by public transport and or will be walking there, the best puppy transportation option for you will be a puppy sling as they can be safely secured within the sling around your body as you move.
Food and water bowls
Puppies need their own bowls they can eat and drink their food and water from and become familiar with. There are a few things to consider when buying your puppies food and water bowls such as:
Size
Puppies are small and their food and water bowls should be too so that they can easily access them.
Non slip
Puppies bowls can move around on the floor so you may want to buy non slip bowls and or a non slip mat to put them on.
Style
There are an abundance of dog bowl styles such as cooling dog bowls , slow feeding dog bowls , eco friendly dog bowls and many more, however, stainless steel dog bowls are a popular choice as they are safe due to being non-porous meaning they don't hold onto bad bacteria.
Puppy harness or collar and lead
Puppies will need to become familiar with their walking accessories in the lead up to them being able to go outside on short walks. It can be beneficial to get your puppy used to your walking accessories of choice prior to this time so that there aren't too many unfamiliar things happening on their first walk day. There are a few things to consider when buying your puppies harness or collar and lead such as:
Breed
Certain breeds benefit from certain walking accessories for instance whippets, greyhounds and sighthounds benefit from wearing martingale collars due to the thickness and functionality of a martingale.
Lead style
You may want to start your puppies walks off on a short lead to maintain control and keep them by your side however you may also want the option to lengthen your puppies lead with a lead that has a D ring mid way down it. You may also opt for a separate long training lead for when you begin your puppies recall training.
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