You're getting a new puppy. Congratulations
What should be such a happy time can seem all a bit stressful when thinking about what you need for their arrival.
You need to be able to:
- keep them entertained
- go on walks (when age allows)
- train them
- play
- ensure your puppy has a safe place to rest
- look after their coats
And you need to have the items to do it. Everyone says you have to be prepared. Trailing through the shops you realise there are so many options of items to buy. People helping: “You need this! You need that! Have you even thought about this? I can't believe you haven't got that.”
Are you finding it all a bit overwhelming? We completely understand. We have been there. And now we want to help you.
Gain a list of local people you can go to for various doggy help.
Not only can we help with dog and cat products but there will be other businesses local to you that can help too. This can be help for training, walks, socialisation and more. There is a wealth of knowledge out there that can support you. If you have a list of people you can turn to before the puppy arrives then you’ll be all set for that moment you need help. Sometimes people will be busy so having a few people you can call upon is highly recommended.
For Example: in Saffron Walden there is Saffron Super Dogs, Tails Trails, Us, Pets at Home and more.
Our range will suit why?
We have a range of items and most have various sizes that you can choose from to ensure it’ll suit your puppy. Our products also consider the environment your puppy will grow up in and help through various factors to support this world. But don't worry; we won't hold it against you if you shop elsewhere.
Toys for your Puppy
Toys are great for offering your puppy a source of entertainment. They can play and run around on their own or with you. Try not to get overwhelmed as it's easy to buy so many toys that there is too many that it overwhelms your puppy too. Remember that you don’t just want your puppy playing with toys, they need to learn about their environment and get to know you too.
So just get a couple. Find a toy you can run around with your puppy and engage with. Be careful with playing fetch and tug-of-war, these can be wearing on a puppies joints or teeth. You can always expand on this collection. You never know there may be friends and family members who also want to invite your new fur-baby into the pack by buying them a toy or two.
From our collection Smug Mutt puppy toys are natural, so less harmful if they are torn up and accidently ingested. They are great to run around with or just let your puppy chew their toy in their own space while you watch.
Puppy Treats
What are you wanting treats for: is it to stop them chewing things they are not meant to or for general training e.g. sitting/walking to heal.
Chew Treats
If you are thinking your puppy will chew a lot or take the wrong items and want something for training this then a longer lasting chew will help. It is recommended that when you take away what a puppy is not allowed, you replace it with something they are allowed. Because if you just keep taking items away the pup can learn to become protective over items they have. It’s even better if, instead of swapping an item, you can distract the puppy from the item they have (but are not meant to have) with a toy or treat they are allowed. Once they are enjoying that treat/toy you then take away the other item without them knowing. This is not always possible but can be worth trying.
Chews for this would be the x-small/small sizes of Chew Roots or Olive Chews. Or our puppy pack, which gives a small selection of lovely, natural chews and treats. It includes air-dried sprats in for a small treat and beef jerky for a perfect chew for lasting longer.
A training a tip is to not leave chews lying around, once your puppy has finished with the chews take them away so they can be used as a reward at another time. Sometimes if you leave longer lasting chews around then your puppy just expects them. This can decrease the appeal of the chews so it can be harder to distract your puppy from the thing they are not meant to be chewing. By taking them away the excitement for this chew stays high.
With the natural treats it is recommended to give a little at a time to get puppies used to them, just like with swapping normal food. To help with this the bigger, longer lasting chews (e.g. jerky) can be cut into smaller pieces.
Training Treats
Training treats are often used for teaching your puppy cues like ‘sit’ or ‘heel’. When you train elements like this you may need to repeat tasks and reward little steps before achieving the end goal. For this type of training smaller treats work a lot better; your dog benefits from the reward but doesn’t have a treat that takes them a long time to chew and delay the training.
The beef lung is perfect as it can be broken into smaller bits so that you get more from the packet. Or any of the JR pet range (their sticks and be broken up into smaller sizes too) and The Rainforester.
Beds for your Puppy
It's easy to think that because your puppy will grow into their bed it is worth going for the bigger sizes. However it's likely that your puppy will chew on their beds and you will have to buy more beds at some point anyway. Save yourself a bit of money and go for a smaller bed or mattress that suits them. Allow a little growing room but don't go for the extra-large when your puppy fits in a extra-small. You can buy that later on.
Just get one for now - and give them their own area to go in. Don't worry about getting one for every room or a moveable one. Having their own safe area is great for some down time; sometimes they may just want to get away from the hub of the house. You can always add later, keep it simple.
We used old bed sheets for ours - helped save on the cash!
Puppy Collar Or Harness?
What a choice - some say a collar pulls too much on their necks. Some say harnesses restrict shoulder movement so what should you go for? We went through all of them. What it bubbles down to is your puppy’s breed, temperament and the training you put in. So check with a trainer who knows your breed and go for what they recommend. Just get one for now as your pup is going to grow. You may also find as training progressed you require the a collar/harness (whichever option you didn’t first choose).
We had a collar and a harness for each of our puppy. A harness was useful for putting a seat belt on them in a car. While having the option to choose between a collar and harness helped us know what we preferred. Now they are walked on a harness but have collar on where their tags are attached to, also really useful for bandanas!
Leads.
Keep it easy: get one that matches your collar or harness. Leads come in all different colours and lengths. Once you start walking your pup out you'll realise if you would like a longer or shorter lead then you can find one that suits.
What Do I Need For My Puppy Checklist
- lead
- collar/harness
- poo bags
- bed
- a couple of toys
- crate (if using)
- gates (stop the puppy going into the wrong room or running out the door)
- treats for training
- treats to help chew the right items
- brushes / claw clippers
- A list of people who can support you: walkers/vets/groomers/sitters.
Take home message
Keep it simple and just get the basics (our checklist may help). You can get more once they've arrived. Work with people around you to find what works with your puppy and you.
You’ll get lots of advice on the best thing from so many people, and you may find the answers are all so different. We are all individuals and so are our pups. So what suits you and your pup may not suit someone else. Give yourself time to work out the best for you. Don't worry when you don't have a room full of supplies before your pup arrives.
Anything we have missed? Just ask away if you think we can help, or leave some tips in the comments that you think may help others too.
