Getting a new puppy is incredibly exciting and so is shopping for one! Having worked in a pet retail store, putting together a new puppy checklist wasn’t a very daunting task for me. On the contrary, I’m so excited I’m able to help you in whatever little way I can through this ultimate checklist. It’s like a part of me is shopping with you for your little furry angel.
I’ve compartmentalized the checklist so that it’s easier for you to navigate through it. I would love to hear from you in the comments!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
BASIC NECESSITIES
1. Food
Editor’s pick –
1 Wellness puppy food
2 Stella and Chewy Raw coated kibble
Consider what you feed your dog as a huge investment. Food is a major contributing factor in the overall health of your dog. Don’t just rely on what the pet store recommends. Know your puppy’s nutritional needs, weight, energy levels, allergies, etc before zeroing in on the one. A dog nutritionist will be your best resource. Your puppy’s vet would be a close second.
If you are considering a raw diet for your puppy, all the more reason to do thorough research. Here’s something to get you started.
2. Pumpkin puree
Editor’s pick – Weruva Pumpkin Patch
It’s common for a puppy to have a sensitive stomach, especially when they find themselves in completely new surroundings or when they get started on a brand new diet. It’s good to have a can of pumpkin puree handy at home for such instances.
The good thing about pumpkin is that it can be helpful both in case of diarrhea and constipation.
3. Treats
The ultimate new puppy checklist would have been incomplete without this and you know it!
When it comes to selecting treats, I like to have a selection of both low and high-value treats. The low-value treats are the ones you can use for easy behaviors in low distractions and the high-value treats like pure meat, sausages, etc must be used while training your dog for more complex behaviors and high distractions.
Editor’s pick for low value treats – Hill’s Grain Free Soft-Baked Naturals Dog Treats
Editor’s pick for high value treats – PureBites Beef Liver Dog Treats
4. Bowls
Editor’s pick – Dog Bone Shaped Silicone Pet Bowl
Take into consideration your dog’s facial and physical features while selecting a bowl for him. If you have a large dog, a small bowl will not cut it. A dog with long and floppy ears would need a deeper dish or a bowl to prevent his ears from touching the food and keep them clean. A dog with a long snout may stub its nose at the bottom of a shallow or a flat dish.
Additionally, I don’t recommend using a plastic bowl as it can be easily chewed up by puppies, leaving the bowl with bite marks and space for bacteria build-up.
5. Crate
Editor’s pick – MidWest iCrate Double Door Metal Dog Crate
Some may disagree, but I would definitely term crates as essentials for puppies. Not only do they provide your pup with a safe haven, which is highly required for a newly adopted pup, but they also greatly help with potty training and preventing behavioral issues.
Further reads: How to crate train your puppy in 14 days?
PUPPY TEETHING ESSENTIALS
When picking up toys for your puppy, chew toys should make up a substantial part of it. When your puppy doesn’t have an outlet to relieve his teething needs, you will become one. And trust me, it’s NOT pretty!
1. Chew toys
Go for as many different textures as possible when picking up chew toys. Rubber, wood, cloth, plastic, toys that crinkle, toys that squeak, etc will help add variety to your dog’s play and give him ample outlets to chew.
Editor’s Kit of most recommended chew toys for puppies –
2. Edible bones
Editor’s Pick – Best Bully Sticks 6″ – 20 COunt
Edible bones make for an awesome snack for your puppy while helping him relieve his teething needs. They keep your puppy self-engaged for a while and help clean his teeth.
Note that not all bones are safe for puppies. Stray away from raw bones as they may lead to gastrointestinal disorders. Introduce edible bones to your pup after the age of 12 weeks as that’s when their permanent teeth erupt.
3. Dental sticks
Editor’s pick – Puppy Teething Ring Chicken Flavor (6-Pack)
A growing puppy picks up and chews on anything and everything he can lay his paws on. The amount of atrocities his teeth are subjected to is beyond imagination. Investing in his dental health is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Most puppies resist brushing the teeth and would rather prefer chewing on something instead. This is where dental sticks come in handy. They relieve teething needs, freshen breath, clean teeth and helps in keeping your pup engaged for a while.
4. Bitter apple spray
Editor’s pick – Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray for Dogs
You might not know it, but you NEED a bitter apple spray in your new puppy checklist. Your shoes, clothes, furniture, walls, couch, hands, legs, your puppy’s leash are all going to be exposed to your little devil’s canines! A taste deterrent like a Bitter apple spray will help you make these things a little less appealing to your puppy.
PUPPY TOYS CHECKLIST
The ‘Puppy toys’ section of your new puppy checklist is where all the party happens! I want you to look at puppy toys as an investment more than just frivolity. Take time out to pick up some good, engaging and durable toys for your pup. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
1. Interactive and puzzle toys
You’ll soon realize that 2 walks a day is just not going to cut it with your puppy. He needs SO much more than that! Mental stimulation is as important, if not more, as physical stimulation. Interactive and puzzle toys will provide your puppy with just that.
Start with easy to solve puzzles with some tasty treats. As your dog starts enjoying it and engaging more, raise the difficulty of the puzzles. Don’t start with a difficult puzzle that your puppy just can’t figure out. It will leave him uninterested and frustrated.
Editor’s Kit of most recommended puzzle toys for puppies –
2. Chew toys
Editor’s pick – Benebone Bacon Flavor Tough Puppy Chew Toy
Make sure you have various textures and ample amount of chew toys in which your puppy can sink his teeth into.
Tip – The best way to get your pup interested in a chew toy is to smear some peanut butter or meaty paste over it and make it accessible to him in the crate to help relieve boredom.
3. Tug toys
Editor’s pick – Frisco Rope with Tennis ball
Tug of war is an excellent way to tire your dog out and keep his mouth engaged. If you have a boisterous puppy with a firm grip, make sure you get tug toys that are long enough to keep your hand safe and strong enough to withstand rough play.
4. Plush
Editor’s pick – KONG Pudge Braidz Pig
Plush toys help a great deal in comforting your puppy while sleeping, especially during the first few nights and also when he’s inside the crate.
The Snuggle Puppy recreates the intimacy and physical warmth and a “real-feel” heartbeat. It helps a great deal with anxious puppies to cope.
Pro tip – Teach your puppy to be super gentle around plush toys, especially the ones that squeak, if you have small kids and other smaller pets at home.
Convertkit –
POTTY TRAINING ESSENTIALS
1. Grass patch
Editor’s pick – Artificial Grass Rug Turf for Dogs
I love recommending grass patches to people who want their puppies to pee indoors. It’s an environment-friendly alternative to pee pads, easy to clean, provides with an almost-outdoor experience for your puppy and is very convenient for high-rise apartment dwellers who cannot take their puppy out every now and then.
I’m not a fan of pee pads for puppies because of the environmental damage it causes and hence don’t recommend buying them. Moreover, several puppies rip pee pads to shreds and accidentally ingest small pieces of it, thereby defeating the whole purpose of having a pee pad for potty training in the first place.
2. Training bells
Editor’s pick – Caldwell’s Potty Bells
How cool would it be to have a puppy that rings the bell to go outside?! All the hassle to keep a track of his potty timings gets eliminated. He’ll let you know whenever he needs to go. Wishful thinking, am I right? … Well, I am.
AKC has a quick guide here on teaching a puppy how to ring a bell to go outside.
3. Potty training spray
Editor’s Pick – PetCare Go Here Attractant
Potty training sprays and attractants make it significantly easier to housebreak a puppy or train a dog to urinate in a certain location.
This can be helpful for puppies that keep having accidents in different places due to a lack of clarity on where to pee.
4. Stain and odour remover
Editor’s Pick – Nature’s Miracle Advanced Dog Stain & Odor Remover
Do I need to even talk about this? When you have a puppy, you have to be ready for accidents and the odor they leave behind.
Make sure you buy a stain and odor remover that doesn’t have an extremely strong scent. A scent too strong will make a puppy want to pee over it.
5. Pooper scooper
Editor’s Pick – Frisco Spring Action Foldable Scooper
The best tool to not get your hands dirty while doing the dirty work!
6. Poop bags
Editor’s pick – Earth Rated PoopBags
Trust me when I say this, I don’t care how cute your puppy is and how well you take care of him, but if I step into his poop on the streets, I’m going to hate you forever!
PS – If your dog poops in the mud, avoid burying it. Dog feces contain lots of bacteria and viruses which is not good for our water systems.
WALKING, TRAINING AND TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Being a trainer and behaviorist, I’m a little biased towards this section of your new puppy checklist.
1. Leash
Editor’s pick – Frisco Solid Nylon Dog Leash
Can a new puppy checklist be even called that if there is no leash in it? Always start with a standard 4 ft or a 6 ft leash. Teach your dog the correct way to walk on the leash, ie, right next to you while being engaged with you. Don’t whip out the retractable leash in hopes of giving your dog freedom.
Too much freedom = overstimulation = zero focus = behavioral issues.
Further reads: 10 Tips to effectively leash train your dog.
2. Collar
Editor’s pick – Kruz Adjustable Neck Collar, Soft, Lightweight
While selecting a collar for your puppy, remember to pick something lightweight and not something that will weigh the puppy’s neck down. It might be tempting to dress up a pup in a bedazzled collar or a leather collar with studs. But this may be too much for your puppy to bear or may also give rise to accidental ingestion of the accessories.
3. Harness
Editor’s pick – Frisco Padded Nylon No Pull Dog Harness
It is normal for a puppy to be excitable on the leash and to want to be all over the place. This can very well cause choking on the collar and damage to the trachea. A harness fitted properly provides ample support while leash walking and prevents any possible escape accidents.
4. Pet Finder tag
Editor’s pick – Platinum Pets Pawsitively Safe Pet Finder Tag
With the increasing number of puppies that are born escape artists, a name tag is almost crucial. Personally, microchipping your puppy is the best idea. But, a little extra safety wouldn’t hurt.
5. Long line/ lead
Editor’s pick – Trainer Check Cord Rope 50 Ft
This is my go-to tool when it comes to building a reliable recall with a puppy in a distracting environment. Not only does it provide your dog with ample freedom to sniff and explore, but it also ensures a 100% recall rate.
6. Car safety restraint
Editor’s pick – Kurgo Seatbelt Swivel Dog Collar Tether
Safety restraint is a vital part of gearing up your puppy for enjoyable car rides.
GROOMING SUPPLIES CHECKLIST FOR THE NEW PUPPY
Every puppy must be desensitized to being handled and grooming from a very young age. This avoids any kind of sensitivity issues and aggression at the groomers and/or vet’s office. Your new puppy checklist NEEDS to have some basic grooming supplies.
1. Brush
Editor’s pick – Small Frisco Soft Slicker Dog Brush
Grooming must start at puppyhood. The earlier you start, the better it is. Every kind of coat calls for its own set of special grooming needs.
You can find a quick guide on selecting a brush for your dog here.
2. Puppy shampoo
Editor’s pick – Burt’s Bees Tearless Puppy Shampoo
We all want our puppies to smell like flowers. However, it’s important to note that they can also be as sensitive as flowers! A shampoo that might smell amazing to you may not suit your puppy’s skin so much. Make sure to pick a credible brand and a shampoo that will be easy on your puppy’s skin.
3. Wipes
Editor’s pick – Earth Rated Dog Wipes
It’s not recommended to bathe your puppy every now and then. Especially when it takes time for them to dry off. However, they do get muddy and stinky every now and then and that cannot be avoided.
Puppy Wipes, especially scented ones, come in really handy to quickly clean that mud off from your puppy’s body, especially paws.
4. Nail clipper
Editor’s pick – Safari Professional Nail Trimmer
A dog’s nails should be clipped once every 2 to 3 weeks. It’s recommended for every pet parent to know how to do it and again, it should start at puppyhood. Overdue nails can raise health issues. Extended growth can result in painful ingrown nails.
MEDICAL NEEDS
1. Pet Insurance
Editor’s pick – PetPlan
Pet illness and accidents is just the thing about your dog that you know will happen at some point but are never prepared for it.
As veterinary costs continue to rise, pet insurance has become the need of the hour.
2. Vaccinations
Pet Vaccinations are precautionary and is most places, a mandatory measure. They cost considerably less than the treatments available for the diseases that pets are normally vaccinated against.
3. Flea and tick medication
Editor’s pick – Advantage II Flea Spot Treatment for Dogs
Once your puppy is old enough, it’s important to start using a monthly flea and tick preventive medication to help ensure that your dog won’t be affected by fleas or ticks.
The medication will depend on the weight and size of your dog.
GOOD TO HAVE’S
I won’t call these items on the new puppy checklist as essentials, but they’re just good to have to make life a little easier around your little devil with canines!
1. Crate mat
Editor’s pick – Padded Pet Bolster Crate Bed Pad
In the initial months, your puppy will be spending most of his time inside the crate. It’s important to invest in a good crate mat that will provide excellent physical support for your puppy and can endure at least a little bite-work from your puppy.
2. Dog bed
Editor’s Pick – Frisco Personalized Faux Linen Corner Bolster Dog Bed
A dog bed works well for dogs that don’t enjoy spending time in the crate or don’t have access to one. Remember to pick one that provides good physical support. A fluffy bed, while looks cute, may not be the best in terms of providing optimal joint support.
3. Playpen
Editor’s Pick – Puppy Exercise Dog Fence
Most people don’t prefer adding a playpen to their new puppy checklist if they already have a crate. However, if you’re too busy to provide your puppy with the much-needed multiple play sessions a day, it’s good to have a playpen where he’ll be free to move around and play a little. It would be cruel to crate him for several hours together without a break.
4. Travel kennel
Editor’s Pick – MidWest Spree Plastic Dog & Cat Kennel
A travel kennel is a very need-based product. However, I would highly recommend it for puppies that get car sick and anxious during car rides.
5. Clicker
Editor’s Pick – StarMark Clicker
As a trainer, I love using clickers while training a dog to perform tricks. However, I refrain from using it for obedience training simply because I don’t want to be dependent on an external tool for commands that I would be using day in and day out in almost any given situation.
5. Treat jar and Treat Pouch
Editor’s pick for treat jar – Park Life Designs Hooper Treat Jar
Editor’s pick for treat pouch – Kurgo RSG YORM Dog Treat Bag
When raising a puppy, any interaction is a training opportunity. Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, it’s highly recommended to have 1 to 2 options of treats ALWAYS at the ready to reward a desirable behavior.
Make sure you cut the treats into really tiny pieces to avoid over feeding.
NEW PUPPY CHECKLIST ESSENTIALS FOR THE HOUSE
1. Furbo dog camera
Every dog parent and dog has to deal with the heartbreaking moment of saying Bye to each other before the human leaves for work.
Furbo makes it a little less painful. It helps you watch your dog throughout the day when you’re away and also dispenses treats on command for being a good dog!
2. Vacuum
Editor’s Pick – iRobot Roomba e5 (5150) Robot Vacuum
Whether you’re a neat freak or not, finding your dog’s fur EVERYWHERE is not a pleasant surprise!
Personally, I love the Robot vacuum as it eliminates the need for you to keep picking up the vacuum every now and then.
3. Pet gate
Editor’s pick – Carlson Home Design Extra Wide Walk Thru Pet Gate
A highly recommended buy, especially when you have kids or other pets in the same household.
4. Food storage container
Editor’s pick – IRIS Airtight Pet Food Storage Container with wheels
Consider picking an airtight sealed container so it can lock in freshness and moisture while keeping humidity and pests out enabling you to store them anywhere.
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