Preparation for new puppy and what you will need before one arrives.

There are a lot of things you can buy for your new puppy. However, there is a number of essentials that you need to have prior to your puppies arrival.

I’ve put together a list of things that I have purchased and had ready before I went to pick up Dexter:

1. Crate is an essential part of housebreaking and should be ready for when you bring the puppy home. This crate is nice as it has a divider and will allow you to adjust the space as the puppy grows.

2. Water and food bowl … for obvious reasons. I like this one as it can be mounted inside the cage. Puppies can be rowdy and can flip the bowl if it is not fixed in place. Stainless steal is best as it is easy to clean, hard to chew and will not cause allergies as some plastics do.

3. Natural grain free food (preferable in the beginning same as the puppy was fed by the breeder)

4. Crate bed to make the puppy comfortable

5. Collar… I prefer a simple leather collar. They are durable and reliable.

6. A standard 6′ leash is a must.

7. “Indestructible” toy… something a puppy can chew and play with. I like these as you can put treats inside to stimulate puppies interest and keep it occupied and to drain energy.

8. Treats, preferably grain free, natural and small. It is a must to have so you can right away begin training the puppy and have treats at hand to encourage and reinforce the training.

9. Two identical balls to play fetch. In later posts I’ll explain why 2 and not 1.

10. Chew treat

11. Treat pouch for walks and training. This is very useful as you need to have treats on your walks to reinforce and encourage your training.

12. Waste bags and Dispenser. I like these as they are biodegradable. Prices have dropped significantly in recent times for these things and the pouch is very convenient.


13. Bite and tug rag, especially for bully or larger breeds and if you are interested in obedience, Schutzhund, and other trial dog sports

14. Training Wee Wee pads… for housebreaking

Amazon is a great source for these things vs pet stores. Prices and availability are better as well. This whole list is under $200. Here is a link to the full list http://www.pinterest.com/stevedakhe/new-puppy-welcoming-shopping-list/