What to get before my new puppy comes home?

[Nicole L]

I just put a deposit on our new doodle puppy and we couldn't be more excited!  Now I have to buy his collar, leash, food and water bowls, toys etc etc.  I would love to hear what products you love best and where you found the best place to get them.  Local pet store, on line stores etc.  What are the products you can't live without?  What do you wish you would have had on hand when your puppy first came home?

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I also bought a stack of baby blankets at a yard sale and I used them a lot (of course I had 2 puppies at once).

[Diane and Alma]

Our vet had a "puppy plan" that included their first year of shots and the neuter/spay.  It was cheaper to go this route than to pay per visit.  I shopped around (and talked to friends and neighbors) to find a good vet with reasonable pricing.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

What about the Nylabone Dura-chews?  R&B  love those, we have the original and the wishbone which they share.  They have had them forever and they are still in tact.  Now the edible ones, is a whole different story, they made Rosey really sick so we never gave her those again.

[Suzann, Rosey & Bandit]

R&B don't chew on them that hard.  they just naw on them and yes, don't destroy them:)

[Smita, Ollie and Juno]

Apart from the essentials, I've found the wire crate from midwest (with a removable bottom and an adjustable partition) and a strong baby gate with a pass through door (I got it from babies'r'us) to be the best purchases. They kept my sanity and kept my puppy comfortable during the initial adjustment days. Now he treats the crate like his bedroom and goes there when tired or overwhelmed.

 

[Dori & Rua]

Congratulations.  What an exciting time for you.  Enjoy the anticipation.  Send your breeder a small receiving blanket or something like that as ask that they put it in with momma dog and littermates so you can take it with you when you pick up your new puppy.  You can put that in her crate at night.

 

Nature's Miracle and the Bissell SpotBot pet cleaner, for sure and lot's of paper towels for the puppy.  Bottle of wine for you.

 

Get 2 Kongs...stuff (we did organic sugar-free peanut butter) and freeze.  The cold feels good as they are teething and it takes them longer to get out the treat.  Rua gets one when we leave in the morning for work.

 

Canned PLAIN pumpkin (buy a case..you won't be able to get it soon).  Look in the food group...most feed 1 tablesoon or so every day.  I bought an ice cube tray (can you image, I didn't even own one) and after I open the pumpkin, spread it out in that, freeze it, and then put the cubes in a baggy in the freeze.  I take 1 out, nuke it for 25 seconds...my DH calls them "pumpsicles"! 

 

Also, hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting if your puppy gets into something dangerous and pepto bismol for upset tummies (follow vet emergency instructions).  I would also download a list of things that are poisionious to a dog (chocolate, avocado, grapes, raisins, certain plants, etc. and make sure EVERYONE in your house is aware).

 

Go through your house and put everything up one drawer higher...keep repeating as your puppy gets bigger.  LOL!!!!

 

I like this website...it helps explain puppy development stages and what you need to be prepared for:

http://www.idog.biz/NewPuppySupport.html

 

Get everybody in your house on the same page in how to take care of and deal with the puppy.  Create a schedule (bed time, nap time, potty time, etc), determine words for getting puppy to eliminate:  "Go Potty", "Go Poo", "Hurry", "Find a spot"...again, you'll find all kinds of help in puppy madness.  Don't forget your marker word to let puppy know s/he did OK...we use "YESSSSS", excitedly.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Dori - you crack me up - "a bottle of wine"!!!!!  I love it.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Congratulations, you must be SO excited!  Here's an important thing to get before your new puppy comes home.....SLEEP!  Those first couple of days and nights can be exhausting...so, get lots of sleep now.  Please keep us posted with lots of pictures.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Rooney has a car seat that buckles into the car and allows him to ride in a secure way that also allows him to sit and see out the window or is large enough that he can lay down in it.  It was the BEST think that we have gotten.