What to buy before picking up your new puppy

Puppy essentials checklist

Floppy ears, swishing tail and endearing puppy-dog eyes – it won’t be long before your new best friend arrives. Puppies will need some time to adjust to their new environment, so it’s important to make sure you have everything you need.

Preparing for a puppy involves a lot of planning to help them feel comfortable when they arrive. Whether it’s a cosy bed to snooze on or grooming supplies to maintain their floofy fur, gather all the essentials and nice-to-haves with a new puppy checklist.

Puppy food and drink

Puppies need nourishing puppy food to help their development. Your breeder may provide you with food your pup has been eating or advise you on what to feed them. It’s best to stick with the same food for at least two weeks, as a rapid change in diet can upset your puppy’s stomach. Make sure they always have fresh water available too.

• Treats
• Fresh water
• Wet food and dry kibble
• Stainless-steel food and water bowls

Puppy bedding 

From midday naps to late-night snores, your puppy will need a comfortable bed to sleep in. Beds should be placed in a quiet corner away from busy areas of the house so they can get some well-earned rest. 

• Soft blankets
• An appropriately sized bed
• Easy to clean bedding

Puppy safety essentials

Whether you’re going walkies or relaxing at home, you’ll need to create a pup-friendly environment for your little explorer. Curious pups are fluffy balls of energy that can get their paws on anything if given the chance. 

• Car restraint/car crate
• Baby gates or exercise pens
• Crate (a requirement for some breeders)

Puppy accessories

It’ll be a while before your dog ventures past the garden gates, but accessories are a crucial part of your puppy checklist. These will keep your pup safe and easily identifiable. Just beware that they will quickly outgrow some of these at first.

• Dog coat (for winter)
• Adjustable harness
• Collar and identity tag with your contact details (this is a legal requirement when out in public)
• Double-ended training lead (extendable, retractable or long line)

Puppy toys

For puppies, it really is all fun and games. Toys are fun and enriching, keeping your pup entertained, helping with their teething and providing mental stimulation. Include the following toys in your puppy shopping list:

• Balls
• Soft toys
• Chew toys
• Frisbees
• Tug toys
• Treat dispensing toys

Puppy hygiene essentials

Toilet breaks will be frequent for your pup. They’re unlikely to be fully toilet trained when you get them, which can mean a potential accidents in and out of the home. With puppy hygiene essentials, you can keep your pup clean.

• Poo bags
• Puppy pads
• Cleaning products
• Paw and coat wipes
• Dental products (dog-specific toothbrush and toothpaste)
• Grooming and bathing products (brush, comb, dog-specific shampoo)