Your New Puppy Checklist - What you need

Are you about to introduce a new puppy into your household? What an exciting time! Just so you’re prepared, here is your new puppy checklist.

First, there’s the new puppy A checklist – the essential things you’ll need to have in place, and then there’s the B list – those things to consider once you’ve got your A list ticked off.

Please bear in mind that the legal requirements mentioned below are from UK perspective, and , but if you live in another country, the law may be different.

Before the list however, let’s consider something important that can’t be so easily ticked off – Your time!

You’ll need to spare plenty of it in order to rear and train your new pup into adulthood!

Obedience training starts as soon as you bring them home – at about eight weeks of age. Leaving the training process until a puppy is older will seriously curtail their ability to learn, so plan and start while young! Good luck and have lots of fun!

The A List

That’s – the crucial stuff, starting off with the least fun and working our way to more fun…

Lead

This is a no-brainer for most of us. A lead is a vital accessory when owning a dog! In fact, most countries have laws about keeping them on leads in public places, and when walking down the street.

There are, however, a multitude of lead options but in general leads are usually going to be one of these types: Standard, Retractable, Harness, Slip, Adjustable, and Chain. The type of lead you get will probably vary according to the kind of puppy you have. One that is flexible, tough, and lightweight will be suitable for most. You may want to also consider the comfort level of the material it is made from.

Click here for puppy and tape leash.

Collar and Tag

As well as a lead, you’ll need these before taking your puppy anywhere. Not only is a collar with a tag recommended for dogs that like to wander, it’s actually a requirement in the UK.

For ID purposes thee tag needs to show:

Your puppy’s name
Your address (in effect this can be your house number plus postcode only).
A contact phone number (yours!)

Click here for collars.

Microchip

Your next obligation is to get your puppy microchipped by a vet or a registered professional This will be your pooch’s unique identifier, which will show when they are scanned.

Note – in the UK there are fines for dogs not on registered databases. To find a list of these click here.

Insurance

The amount of insurance companies and options can be stifling, but it’s a good idea to get insurance for your dog while they are very young. Life insurance will cost a lot more for say, an adopted dog of some years.

If you are unsure where to start, you may like to look at our article on this very matter!

Poo bags

It’s always important to remember to take one or two whenever you go for a walk, as untrained dogs can have a habit of pooing in the very places you don’t want them to.

The trick is to gather up the poo with the inside of the bag, so you don’t get to touch any of it.

If gathering up poo on the pavement, doesn’t strike you as much fun, hopefully the next will be more. Take a look at some options here.

Chews / treats

That’s more like it! There are many different choices of chews to choose from. If your puppy is a heavy chewer, giving them something tough, long-lasting but safe, can help prevent them from gnawing into your slippers or your sofa.

You can even get your own customised and themed boxes sent to your door every month. For more treat suggestions click here.

Puppy Food

As your puppy grows, their dinner will be one of the daily highlights, so don’t forget the food! With the pet industry in ascendance there are new products coming on the market all the time, and no shortage of wet and dry puppy food. The best way of finding out which to stick with is to try some different brands / types on your little one!

Toys

Your new puppy is going to make friends with their favourite toy any time soon. It could be squeaky, it could be fluffy, or it might be both!

As mentioned above, a once a month subscription box should cater to your puppy’s treats and toys needs.

Food bowl and water bottle

It’s unlikely you’ll forget this, but your puppy will need a food bowl. For travelling, especially in hot weather, you’ll need to take a full travel water bottle.

Take a look at some options, including a foldable one here.

The B List

Now you have ticked off the absolute musts, we’re now into the new puppy B checklist. These are the things that can enhance your puppy’s wellbeing and security, while not being absolutely essential.

Crate

Having a crate can be an advantage for both you and your puppy, who’ll be able to identify it as their space. It’s also helpful for when you can’t give your full supervisory attention.

Want to know more about how to crate train? Why not check out our article on this?

Harness / car seatbelt.

If you’re going to be taking your puppy around and about in a car, you should get a car harness / seatbelt. These are relatively inexpensive. The Julius K9 Harness is a bit more expensive than most harnesses, but is of high quality. You can also get a seat belt adapter to attach to it.

Toilet Training Pads

These can be helpful for training your puppy where to go and pee at night. This behaviour is not instinctual, and so you well need to have a consistent training strategy as well.

Brush & Comb

To keep your little one’s coat healthy and groomed, there are a bunch of brushes, combs and de-tanglers to choose form. You can get them made of plastic, metal, bamboo and more, and there are ones to suit all dog types. You won’t need to break the bank to get a couple of grooming accessories. Take a look at a few here.

Shampoo

It’s good to give your pup a shampoo maybe once a month, but you don’t need to do more than than. In fact you shouldn’t do it more often than that, so your shampoo and conditioner purchase is likely to last a while

You can find some shampoo and conditioner options here. Need tips on bathing? Check out our article How to give your dog a good bath..