I love being prepared. As an anxious person, the prep helps to reduce my anxiety and sets me up for a better experience. I know a lot of puppy things (I counsel clients on puppy to-dos often) but I wanted to marry my knowledge with that of a few experts on what me and my puppy might need to succeed.
Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS, wrote a book called Perfect Puppy in 7 days: How to Start Your Puppy Off Right. Dr. Yin is a hero in the vet and behavior world, whom we lost back in September 2014. Her work on fear free handling, puppy prep and behavior modification is a legacy. In addition to this book, I recommend her puppy socialization checklist (more on that in a future post!).
When I think of how to prepare a new puppy, I think of things in a few buckets. One bucket is purchases - what purchases do I need to make so that I have what my puppy needs when he arrives. This list includes:
Puppy crate (or large crate with a divider or some way to block off the excess space - we only want enough space for the puppy to be able to lay down so that they don’t have room for a separate potty area),
Puppy food - my breeder is giving me the food that the puppy has been eating - that will be a good start and also help for the transition.but what food will I transition my puppy to in that first week? Feeding a puppy-specific food is a must due to the calorie intake variation between adult dog food and puppy dog food)
An ex-pen (short for exercise-pen) - when you can’t supervise or crate, you want the puppy to have a spot in the house where they can’t get into too much trouble and you can supervise. This is also helpful for giving the older dog in your home space/breaks from the puppy energy and sharp puppy teeth.
Pee Pads - Pee pads are useful for the first couple of months when your puppy doesn’t have bladder control. They can be put into the ex-pen so that when you are working, cleaning, showering, etc, your puppy don’t have to be in the smaller crate and have room to play, potty, etc. Make sure that you are doing your potty training and rewarding with treats and praise for going outside. As the puppy matures and gains bladder control, decrease the puppy pads and start having him/her go outside only. Most puppies gain bladder control between 16-20 weeks but some smaller puppies may take longer. If your puppy is peeing on the pad but no outside, take a soiled pad outside and
A puppy leash and collar - a puppy leash is a lightweight leash with a lightweight buckle that’s easy for the puppy to wear in the house or tethered to you. Dr. Sophia Yin recommends a waist leash and puppy leash so that you can have the puppy tethered to you easily, especially the first month in which curbing potty accidents is so important.
Puppy kongs, licky treats and chews - Puppies will need some extra to-dos and licking and chewing are big hobbies (especially during teething!). These also make crating a lot easier b/c you give the puppy something to look forward to, and enjoy in the crate that eases them into sleep or separations from you.
Treats and a treat pouch - a treat pouch makes life SO much easier when you are training. We love this one and highly recommend it!
Toys - Puppies want and need to play. Grab a variety of rope, plush, balls and tug toys.
Dog Bed or Matfor them to rest outside of the crate - We want the puppy to have a good napping spot in which they can rest next to you while you work or when you are having down time. Being in your lap shouldn’t happen all the time. Puppies (unlike babies) must learn to self-soothe and be comfortable being separated from their people much faster.
Nature’s Miracle (or another Enzymatic) Cleaner - when a dog has a potty accident, you want to make sure that the cleaning solution will break down the smell to the dog, not just you (and only an enzymatic cleaner does this).
Baby gate or standing gate or both - We won’t give our puppy access to the whole house until they are more trustworthy. And we definitely want to block off any areas with carpet and kids’ rooms in which kid toys might be put in the puppy’s mouth.
Grooming supplies - One of the benefits of getting a puppy is the ability to get them used to things such as grooming, brushing, teeth brushing, baths, and more. We want to use their socialization window to our advantage (more work now pays off big-time for many years).
Keep in mind, puppies grow out of things (and chew them up) so don’t break the bank on their first beds/collars/and crates. That said, if you want to splurge - go for it! If you’re on a budget, look for items on facebook marketplace or ask friends and family.