New Puppy Essentials

Keep your puppy smiling with these new puppy essentials listed below. These items are an excellent starting point to have on hand for when you bring your new addition home! From essentials to fun toys that will help give your pooch the exercise their growing body needs. Dogs generally need endless supplies of food and water, but there are a few other items that are great to have on hand when you bring your four-legged buddy home. 

Let me help share the essentials that you can buy before you get your puppy or to order and have delivered shortly after you bring your friend home. These items are going to make your life better and leave your pooch smiling! 

Must-Have Puppy Essentials 

Food And Water 

We all know dogs need food and water but remember you need a food bowl and water bowl to go with it. Find the right size height bowls so that it fits your growing puppy. For example, Great Danes need a raised water and food bowl, so you would want to buy a dish that could be raised up as they grow. Also, remember to slowly transition dog food over to a new brand, instead of cold turkey offering a new brand of food to your puppy. Just ask the owners what food they had and mix it in slowly with fresh food if you are going to be changing it. A quick change can make your puppy sick.

Storage for the dog food later down the line is something to consider as well. You might buy a container that has a sealable lid for easy scooping and closing. 

Collar And Tags 

Once you bring your puppy home a visit to the vet is the next step. There you will get him/her registered and tags so that if your canine were to run off, they would know where to call. Also making sure your dog is in good health is a must. Worms can often happen in puppies so making sure they are healthy from the start is essential. You will want to find a collar that fits nicely and has room to adjust as your puppy grows. 

Leash or Harness 

Get a leash or even a harness when you get your dog. This is a good item to have on hand for walking them for exercise, but also taking them to the vet. You will also want a leash or harness or even both if you plan to take your dog with you to stores and such. Leashes are great for training as well. 

Toys 

You want to make sure you get toys that are going to help entertain your high-energy pup! Giving your puppy a toy that helps teach them this is a toy they can play with to get exercise and burn energy. One toy that was sent to us to try out and review was the Tether Tug and it is amazing!  We have found it to be a huge help in our home and is the perfect way for Bella to get some play time in when we are extra busy.  The tether tug is great for being an interactive toy that plays with your dog even when you can’t and helps them get some of their energy out!  The Tether Tug is a pole that sticks in the ground and has a 360 degree spinning and rotating. So as your dog latches on to the rope and plays, it will tug and make your dog feel like they are playing tug of war.  Bella absolutely loves this toy! 

Treats 

When you are training your puppy, training treats are essential. It teaches them a reward for a job well done. You can buy these in many brands and great to have a good stock of them to work with training to go potty outside, following commands, and even 

Crate or Carrier 

Depending on what you plan to use it for a crate or carrier is a great item to purchase. A lot of people crate train their puppy to stay in a crate while they are gone for the day or to sleep in at night. This can help with potty training. Or you might want a carrier if you plan to be traveling with your puppy. Just make sure the crate size fits the size of your dog. You want the crate to be large enough for them to stand, turn around and lay down. 

Bed

You might want to buy your puppy a little dog bed that they can lounge on during the day and take naps, and have a place that makes them feel comfortable. 

Brush and Nail Clippers 

Having a brush to comb through your dog’s fur and nail clippers to trim up their nails. If you plan to have your dog groomed regularly, you might not want these. Even brushing a dog with minimal fur helps remove dander and loose hair so that they smell better overall. If you plan to bathe your puppy, shampoo is another item you will want. 

What is one essential you recommend for new pet owners?