Essential Puppy Supplies You’ll Need
Bringing home a puppy is an exciting time, especially if there are children in the household. There’ll be lots of fun and laughter, lots of “oohs” and “aahs”, even the occasional awed silence as you enjoy the company of this wonderful little creature you’ve brought into your life.
In the midst of all this there’s work to be done – training and grooming and feeding work, not to mention cleaning up puppy “accidents”.
If all of this seems a little overwhelming, it shouldn’t be. Raising a puppy is one of the great joys of life. But you can make it easy on yourself with a little foresight and planning, making sure you are well prepared for the new arrival.
We’re talking puppy supplies, and the choices available both online and off these days are truly dizzying – no wonder pet supply is a multi-billion dollar industry!
Not to worry, your new puppy won’t bankrupt you, in fact there are relatively few “must-have” puppy supplies for the little guy or gal.
Here’s the essential puppy supplies list;
- Collar and Leash: Keep your puppy safe and get him used to the lead from day one. You’ll probably want to start with an adjustable nylon collar while puppy is “growing into his skin”.
- ID tags: Get a metal tag with the puppy’s name, plus your name, address and phone number engraved on it. Place it on his collar right away. He’s unlikely to wander off at such a young age but puppies grow quickly – and some are talented escape artists.
- Food and water bowls: Stainless steel bowls are durable and hygenic. Get the non-slip type with a rubber base.
- Puppy Kibble: For the first few days it is advisable to stick to the diet the puppy was on before he came to you, and gradually mix in the food you want to switch him to. Buy the best quality food you can afford. It is better for your puppy’s health and in the long run may actually work out cheaper than budget brands.
- Puppy Crate: During the first few days your pup is likely to be lonely and afraid (bear in mind he’s in a strange place, away from the comfort of his mother and siblings). A crate provides a cosy place for your puppy to curl up in, and will help him feel at home more quickly. Crates are also a useful house-training aid, so as puppy supplies go, this one is essential.
- Bedding: Start with an old towel and if possible a piece of blanket that has his mother’s scent on it. Once the pup is house-trained you can place a cushion in the puppy crate, and get a doggy bed when he outgrows the crate (there are plenty on the market).
- Grooming puppy supplies: Make grooming a daily routine and your pup will quickly learn to enjoy it. The equipment you’ll need depends on the coat type but a brush with metal pins on one side and soft bristle on the other is a good starting point as it caters for all coat types.
You’ll also want to get puppy shampoo (never use shampoo intended for humans), some cotton balls for cleaning eyes and ears, and a good pair of nail cutters if you intend clipping the nails yourself (many pet owners don’t like to). - Chew toys: Toys keep your puppy occupied and out of mischief and chew toys are ideal because puppies love to chew and will have a go at anything that they can reach. So it’s a chew toy or your cell phone! It goes without saying that you should never give a puppy a toy that he can break and swallow.
- Treats: A bag of doggie treats is useful for training, but only give these as a reward. Puppies are talented moochers and it’s hard to say no to those cute puppy-dog eyes, but you’ll need to be strong if you want them to be an effective training aid.
- Pet deodorizer spray: While puppy is house-training there will be mistakes. Use a deodorizer spray to kill the scent so that the puppy won’t go in the same area again. Never use an ammonia based cleaner as the scent will remind the puppy of urine.
These few puppy supplies are all you need to set your puppy off on the right paw.
