You’ve made the all-important puppy selection and now can’t wait to bring your new puppy home with you! But there are a few things you need to prepare prior to welcoming your puppy into his or her new family:

These are some of the essential items necessary to accomplish your puppy-rearing goals. You won’t need all of these right away, but it’s good to have a checklist on hand so you don’t forget anything going forward.
Make sure that any dog equipment or accessories you buy for your puppy are properly-sized and made of non-hazardous material.

Some items may require conditioning to get your puppy used to them first.

For managing your puppy’s movements

  • CRATE: It should be just large enough for your puppy to stand, turn around, and lie down comfortably. Don’t buy an oversized crate.
  • COLLAR: Stick with a basic adjustable flat collar that doesn’t tighten with leash tension.
  • LEASH: The leash should be at least 1.5 – 2m in length, not too heavy and no more than 1.5cm – 2.0cm (½ inch – ¾ inch) in thickness. You don’t need a heavy leash even for big dogs.
  • INDOOR LEASH: A cheap secondary leash for indoor use around 1 meter in length. Good for managing hyperactive play biters and jumpers.
  • LONG LEASH and HARNESS: A 5 to 10 meter-long leash used for practicing Recall / Come-when-called. A long leash should be used with a harness instead of a collar to prevent injury to your puppy.  
  • EXERCISE PEN: Useful for creating a play area or a long-term confinement area. Exercise pens usually come in 6 or 8 wire panels, each panel being about 0.6 – 0.8m (2 – 2.5ft) wide and in various heights appropriate to your puppy’s size to keep him contained in a small but comfortably-sized space.
  • BABY GATES: To section off areas of your home and keep your puppy safe.

For puppy care

  • FOOD and WATER BOWL: Stainless steel bowls are durable and easy to clean.
  • DOG FOOD: High-quality food with appropriate dietary requirements for your puppy. High-grade commercially available dog food, well-balanced home-prepared food or a proper mix of these is what I recommended. Consult with a veterinarian who is knowledgeable about dog nutrition for further advice.
  • GROOMING SUPPLIES: pet shampoo | towel | brush | pet nail clippers | pet toothbrush | toothpaste
  • ID TAG: Ensure your puppy has an ID tag with your contact information.

For enrichment and training

  • TRAINING TREATS: A variety of treats should be used as rewards, and should take into consideration your own puppy’s preferences in taste, and any health issues such as allergies that require special diets.
  • TREAT POUCH: for containing your treats while on the go.
  • PLAY TOYS: Play Toys are toys that are meant for interactive play between you and the puppy. These are toys such as fetch toys, rope toys, tug toys, or plushies made for dogs. Play toys should be collected and put away after play. From here on, when speaking of toys, I’m strictly speaking of Play Toys.
  • CHEW TOYS: Chew items or chew toys are those that are meant to be left with the puppy to work on with his teeth, usually when he is in confinement. They may be consumable chews such as dehydrated beef tendon or cow ears, or they may be hard rubber chews stuffed with food.
  • PUZZLE TOYS / ENRICHMENT FEEDERS: for mental enrichment, engages the puppy’s senses and encourages puzzle-solving skills.  
  • CLICKER: A training tool that produces a click sound used to provide feedback to the dog when he performs a behavior correctly.
  • LICKMAT: A mat onto which you can smear soft food or edible pastes. Useful for handling exercises.

For cleaning

  • Poop bags and poop scooper
  • Scrub brushes
  • Mop and bucket
  • Enzymatic cleaner
  • Detergent / Disinfectant

For first aid

  • Bandages
  • Adhesive Tape
  • Gauze Packs
  • Scissors
  • Hydrogen Peroxide 3%
  • Povidone Iodine
  • Petroleum Jelly
  • Activated Charcoal
  • Large Syringe w/o Needle
  • Digital Thermometer
  • Muzzle
  • Extra Leash and Collar

Optional equipment

  • Basket muzzle
  • Puppy Pads: Useful for potty training if outside areas are not readily accessible

To help you keep track of the items you need for your new puppy, I’ve prepared a Checklist that you can take with you for reference. And as a BONUS, I’ve included my go-to recipes for training treats as well:

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