Have a new puppy? I share a list of all the supplies you need for your new puppy!
Getting a new pup can be exciting and scary. A new puppy is a big responsibility but also very rewarding. Your dog will be part of your family now and I’m sure you want the absolute best for them. How do you know what to get? What food is best? I am sure you have so many questions! The New Puppy Guide will help you figure out exactly what you need. Post contains affiliate links. It just means I make a small commission if you purchase anything through my link. It is no additional cost to you.
New Puppy Guide
Dog Food
Finding the right food for your new puppy can seem like a daunting task. There are so many options! How do you know which one is right? With all the different ingredients, how do you know what is best for your pup? I did a lot of research when picking the right food for my German Shepherd puppy. You may have to try different food to see what your puppy likes. Be sure to check Dog Food Advisor for dog food ratings. I recommend Solid Gold Solid Gold Love at First Bark (available in dried or wet!) or a budget-friendly option from Bj’s Wholesale Club – Berkley Jensen All-Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Holistic Recipe Puppy Food. Be sure to pick up some dog bowls to serve the water and food. Stainless steel is easy to clean, ceramic, or even plastic bowls. Totally up to you!
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Dog Treats
Dog treats are important for training purposes but it is important to be cautious when giving treats to your little pup. Their teeth are not fully developed – “puppy teeth” stage, so be sure to find treats that are made for puppies or are soft and easy to chew. There are chew bones made for puppies that can help with the pain some pups feel. I recommend products that do not contain rawhide. I’ve read articles about the potential danger from rawhide. Having a chew bone around helps re-direct any puppy biting that may be happening! We’re currently going through the nipping stage with our new puppy. Re-direct, re-direct, re-direct!
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Leash and Collar
Finding the right leash or harness is important for your dog. We started with a harness but as our puppy grew bigger we got a leash. She has been doing really well on the leash. We may switch to a harness as soon as we find the right one. German Shepherds are known to have hip issues and we don’t want our pup to get hurt. There are so many different leash and harness styles so pick one that works for your dog.
We bought a regular leash but some people love the retractable leash. Once she is bigger we may start using that. I like that the retractable leashes give you more control. They also let your doggy play for a longer distance.
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Dog Sleeping Arrangements
Having a safe, comfortable place for your new puppy is very important. For example, a crate that has a divider that will grow with your puppy. With puppies, accidents are bound to happen. Training your dog to go pee or poop outside is the key to crate training. If they are sleeping outside of a crate, expect accidents when you wake up in the morning. Puppies cannot hold their pee for too long. We learned right away that we NEEDED a crate for our German Shepherd puppy. When we first got Roxy, she was peeing everywhere and we had no crate so in the middle of the night she would get up and pee. We quickly learned that a crate was necessary until she was fully trained. The crate also works for traveling. We got one that is fully collapsible with a divider. If the pup has too much space in her crate she will do her busy in a corner inside of the crate. Give your pup enough space to stand up and move comfortably.
A doggy bed is great to have around the living room/family room. When our Roxy girl gets bigger we will allow her to sleep on her doggy bed next to us but she has some serious training to do first!
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Grooming
There are many breeds of dog that shed so having a grooming dog brush is important. Using the dog brush daily can help with the shedding. My German Shepherd hasn’t started shedding but I know it is coming! We have the dual grooming brush and use it every to help keep her hair tangle-free! They do sell puppy shampoo but we have not used it as her vet recommended we don’t bathe our German Shepherd puppy just yet. We did pick up some puppy wipes to clean her up when she needs it and a deodorizing spray to keep her smelling good!
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Toys
Chew toys are a must-have! Re-directing puppies that are nipping is a great way to train them. We have different types of toys – squeaky toys, rope-type toys, soft toys, balls, frisbees, and more. You’ll find which toy your pup loves! My German Shepherd loves playing fetch with this squeaky ball which is perfect for teething puppies! You may find that your dog loves chewing on your shoes, socks, and anything else they may find. Be sure to take away what isn’t theirs and give them their toys.
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Training
When you bring a new puppy home, they may not be housebroken. Many people use the pee pee (wee) pads to housebreak their dog. We didn’t personally use them but I know many people do start with pee pee pads to start training their new dog. Training treats are also a great way to start showing your new pup tricks! We taught our German Shepherd how to sit, stay, and off by using training treats. Be sure to grab training treats for pups since they still have their little puppy teeth. Be sure to only give them their training treats when they do the task that you are training them to do. They will quickly catch on! We taught her kids to only give treats when they are training.
Be sure to pick up on your dog’s cues, for example, we learned that our dog will scratch at our patio door when she needs to go out. We also noticed that she would start sniffing around the house when she needed to go. I was taking our German Shepherd out every 30mins to an hour! Now she can hold it for longer! Expect that accidents will happen but just be patient.
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Cleaning
Accidents will happen with a new puppy so be sure to pick up some dog-safe cleaning products and deodorizers. Enzyme cleaners are recommended because they eliminate the odors that dogs tend to smell. Try your best to clean up any accidents your puppy may have right away.
There are so many things that we have to learn and get used to when we bring a new puppy home but it is so worth it. The kids have been doing really well with helping out so it is a plus in my eyes! They will have a best friend forever!
What was your must-have item for your new puppy?
Disclosure: I was provided with some samples of some of the products included above. As always I only share products I personally use and trust. All opinions stated here are my own.
