How to Get Ready for a New Puppy

Congrats on the addition to your family! I’m sure you made a good choice.  Whether big or small, fluffy or smooth, they are a part of your family now.  When your puppy is ready to come home, you’ll probably have a lot of questions about what comes next.  Getting ready for a new puppy involves quite a few things.

Puppies are wonderful but they will need your attention.  Puppies can be demanding and will need your time to go on walks, to play, and to spend time with your family.

Try and be prepared for your new puppy.  You will need some items for when your puppy comes home.

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What Do You Need to Get Ready for a New Puppy?

Are you asking yourself what supplies do you need for a puppy?  Here is a puppy supplies checklist of some of the items that will help make the puppy more comfortable.

1.  Food

Ideally the breeder you purchased the puppy from gives you a bag or tells you what they are feeding the puppies.  So, you’ll either be supplied some food or you’ll need to purchase some before the puppy comes home.

2. Food and Water Bowls

Your puppy will need somewhere to eat and drink.  You can choose the bowl size based on how big your puppy is and how big your puppy will get.

 3. Collar & Leash

Puppies should be taken on walks. When you teach a puppy to walk on a leash correctly, you are beginning training. You should be able to take nice and calm walks.  Sometimes puppies constantly pull away from the leash. If your puppy does not stop pulling, there are other options that you can consider, such as a front clip harness. Also, don’t forget to get a tag for the collar.

4. Crate

Having a crate has multiple benefits for the puppy (and you).  Housebreaking your puppy is probably at the top of your list for training.  Having a crate can help with this task and other training items. Additionally, the crate is a dedicated space for your puppy. Additionally, the crate is the puppy’s “room.” It is a safe place for them to go.  I personally recommend a crate with a divider in it so it can be adjusted as the puppy grows.  A great option for a crate is double doors with a divider like this one that is available in multiple sizes.

5. Bed

Having a bed isn’t necessarily a requirement but I recommend it.  If you do buy a bed, it’s another place your puppy knows is their space.  Just make sure you account for their full-grown size if you don’t want to purchase multiple beds.  I never knew how much my puppy would love her bed, but check out the Furhaven Snuggery Burrow Bed if you’ve got a snuggler.

6. Grooming Tools

You might plan on getting your puppy professionally, but there are a few basic supplies you should have.  They include puppy shampoo, brush or comb, nail clippers, and more depending on your puppy’s breed and coat.

7. A Gate

If you know what area(s) you’d like to limit your puppy’s space to, you’ll probably want a gate (maybe two) to keep the puppy out of areas/rooms they shouldn’t be in.  I suggest getting an adjustable one.

8. Treats!

And of course you need treats.  Treats come in all shapes and sizes and they are not equal in nutritional value.  Some can even harm dogs.  For puppies, it’s best to stick with smaller, softer treats.  They will be used in training and you don’t want your pup to have too much. Your puppy is growing and you want them to get most of their nutrition from their food.

Mental Preparation: First Day with a Puppy

When your puppy is 7-8 weeks old, they will be ready to come home.  When you go to pick up your puppy, you’ll be excited and ready to take them home.  If you met the puppy when they were in their original environment, they may act a little bit different when you bring them home.  It could take a few days for the puppy to be confident and comfortable in his new home. It could take a few weeks for the puppy to feel comfortable with you and their new surroundings.  This is normal.  They’ll be accustomed to the environment and people soon.

Mental Preparation: First Night with a Puppy

You may or may not be surprised, but night one in a new house is very hard for a new puppy.  This is especially true if they’ve never been separated from their mom at night.

Chances are good that you’ll have a puppy crying at night.  This is normal and will subside.  Some puppies take a few days, and others take a couple of weeks.

One of the best ways to minimize this is to have the crate in the bedroom where they can see you and you can reassure them that they’re in a safe place.  More discussion regarding crate training is coming soon.

Do You Have a Vet?

There are multiple reasons you should establish a veterinarian for your new puppy.  Here’s a couple of reasons.

If you purchased your puppy through a reputable breeder, they may have given you a health contract. Many of these contracts have the requirement of a veterinarian checking out the puppy and ensuring everything looks ok.  For the contract to be finalized, the examination with the vet must happen within 24 hours of picking up the puppy.

Having a vet examine the puppy early is also reassuring for you.  They will provide you more information on when the puppy needs vaccines and other health problems to look out for.

Even if you don’t see the vet within the first few days of having your puppy, you’ll need a place to go to for the puppy’s health requirements.  You’ll also need to know where you need to go if there’s an emergency.  It’s better to be prepared and not need to go than not be prepared and need the information.

Conclusion

The information provided in this post is not inclusive but it’s a basic list of how to get ready for a new puppy.  And this list can change based on where you’re getting your puppy from.

I hope this helped you to prepare for day 1 with your puppy.  I’m sure your puppy will be very happy with whatever you do for them.

If you think of anything else that should be included please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Do you have recent experience of getting a puppy and know of something that you found you needed and didn’t have? Let me know!