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Puppy Supplies |
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Here's a checklist of puppy supplies to have on hand on the exciting day when your new pup comes home. (You can print this page out from your browser, by choosing File-Print.) Further down the page, there's a list of things you may want to add later and suggestions for a good online store for puppy supplies. Books and DVDs puppies are described on other pages of the site-- use the menu to find them. The very best DVD is the wonderful Sirius Puppy Training, in my opinion! The link takes you to my review of it. Puppy Supplies to Have at FirstIf you are about to bring home an older puppy or dog, this list will also be useful. My ____ Puppy food: If you get no other puppy supplies beforehand, be sure you have some food! Buy some of what you are planning to use, and also ask whoever you are getting the puppy from if you can bring some of their kind home. Ideally, get yourself a bag to start with of whatever they use. Puppies' stomachs can get upset by a switch, so when you do switch, it's best to do it over several days to a week, gradually using less of the old and more of the new. This is also a good idea for any new dog. ____ Food and water bowls -- stainless steel holds up best. I'm still using some I bought a long time ago. ____ A piece of cloth that the breeder, shelter worker, or other person you are getting the puppy from has rubbed on the puppy's mother, littermates, or the person too, so that it will have their smells on it. This can be very comforting to the puppy as it goes to a new life! ____ A flat cloth collar that will fit with about 2 inches
of room to spare, not enough that the puppy can wiggle out of it.
Measure your puppy's neck with a tape measure and then add the 2
inches.
SitStay.com ____ An ID tag to go on the collar. Even if your puppy doesn't have a name yet, it's a good safety measure to get that ID on. ____ A short leash, usually 6 feet. ____ Nature's Miracle or other enzyme cleaner to neutralize
any urine that gets onto floors or carpets. The enzymes greatly
reduce or eliminate the odor that would draw the pup back to the
same place for the same purpose. SitStay.com ____ A crate (see my page about crates) or some baby gates or other way to create a small area the puppy will be in when you are not able to watch the puppy. ____ Bedding for the crate, something easily washable. You can start out with old towels. There are examples of crate beds on my crate page.) ____ There are puppy pads that can be used to help with potty-training. (See my page on potty training dogs for how to train your puppy.)
____ If you want to use rawhide bones, only get good quality ones and only let the puppy have them when someone is watching. We once had a very laid-back veterinarian, who wasn't fussy at all about things -- but he didn't recommend rawhide bones, as he had done surgery several times to remove large chunks of rawhide that had swollen up in dogs' stomachs. ____ A hot-water bottle filled with warm water and wrapped in old towels can keep the puppy happier at bedtime, as can a ticking clock. These are time-honored methods for soothing a new puppy... not only puppy supplies!
____ Some kind of flea control product approved for puppies if you live in a flea-ridden area and it's flea season. Ask your breeder for advice, if you have a breeder to ask. Your veterinarian should know too. Puppy Supplies You Can Add as NeededYou may want to get some of these puppy supplies right away, but you could wait too. ____ A longer retractable leash, a Flexi or other brand.
____ Clickers for clicker-training. ____ Dog toothbrush and toothpaste. Those sharp little pearly whites won't suffer if they aren't brushed for a little while, but it's an excellent habit for later. I like the kind of little toothbrushy thing that fits over my finger. ____ Ear cleaner ____ Dog shampoo, a gentle one good for puppies ____ A bed for use outside the crate. Beds that contain cedar chips are nice, as the chips smell good and tend to repel fleas. Look for a bed with a removable outer liner that you can throw in the washing machine. It's also nice to have a way to get into the chips part of the bed, so you can add fresh cedar later. Small dogs often like the type of bed often sold for cats, that wrap around them. ____ A way to confine the puppy while it is in your vehicle. This can be its crate, if the crate fits in the back. It can be a smaller crate -- I use my cat crate for my small dog. Just holding a dog in a passenger's lap isn't safe. There are barriers and other devices. ____ A Doggie Dooley is nice if you have a yard. It's kind of like a mini-septic tank. You dig a hole, insert the thing, and then you put your dog's poop into it. We had one in Olympia, Washington, and it worked nicely despite the clay soil and heavy rains. I think we used an enzyme to help the poop break down. ____ A storage bin for the dog food that comes in big bags. We have used large Rubbermaid bins and we once had a nifty bin that attached to a wall. ____ Microchip, tattoo, or other permanent ID -- ask your veterinarian. Where to Get Puppy SuppliesBuying online is often more convenient than running around town. SitStay.com Please don't support stores that sell puppies by buying puppy supplies from them. I'll start crying if I think about how those puppies are raised.
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A puppy Kong (I have a
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Grooming tools: nail clipper or Dremel tool, dog brush and
comb, any special tools for the breed you are getting. You
may want styptic powder to stem bleeding if you cut too close
with the nail clipper. That's one of the reasons I like the Dremel
cordless... I've never gone too close, and I've been using it
for about 12 years. That's a Dremel Minimite and its charger
at left, and you can find it, with more details, at 
____
One or more ways to clean up the poop that your puppy will
producing regularly. If you will be walking your puppy in neighborhoods,you
can use a little waist pack and some plastic bags from the grocery
store (my habit when I am in a city). Also, for yard use, a long-handled pooper
scooper is
very useful. 
____
A halter-type collar... Halti and Gentle Leader are the
two brands I've used. I liked them both. A halter is useful to
help your puppy learn not to pull when on leash, and to give
your arms some help if the puppy does pull. 
