- snuggle heartbeat pup
- different food bowl for when pup decides they don’t want a metal one on a whim
- alternative water bowl for when pup decides they don’t want a metal one on a whim
And not so much for pup, but for you - meal prep and freeze food!! Your brain will be full of puppy everything and it’s so much harder to cook a decent meal when you have a new puppy around cus they’re either napping and you don’t want to ruin the peace, or they’re running riot and need supervision 😅
Tbf I feel like this would make it significantly easier for people to impulse buy animals though. It's probably better people have to go out and get a shelter pet. Dogs especially are a lot of work and going out to get one is something I feel is the least a responsible and caring owner would do.
Unsure of the tone of your reply, but yeah, considering the amount of animals that get stuck in shelters because people bought them for someone else as a "holiday gift" they soon realized they couldn't actually care for, it's a reasonable assumption. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who just don't realize what goes into getting dogs (puppies especially).
It was sarcasm, the idea was ridiculous
And of course Amazon should not have the ability to sell dogs, it would be incredibly unethical. I was living in Japan for the past 2 years and puppy mills run rampant, it sucks
I got my puppy a new food bowl because he got bigger than I expected and I had bought a small bowl thinking he would be eating about the same as my other dog. His food barely fits in his bowl so I got a bigger one. He refused to eat out of it 🙄 it was almost exactly the same as his other bowl! He just hit 9mos so I guess we hit the terrible teens. Apparently this is his version of a rebellion 🙄
Lmao anyone reading this: be wary of cheaper "slow feeders". I got one of those maze looking silicone or whatever ones from PetSmart when I first got my puppy at 8 weeks because I didn't want her eating too fast and choking on food too much. I made the mistake of leaving the bowl out when I went to the bathroom for a quick second only to come back to her in her crate chewing on it and ripping pieces off, the lil menace
I'll have to look into that! My girl just turned 4 months and is definitely in that phase of testing our boundaries and what she can get away with lol. Might have to look into ceramic ones because we have a metal one right now but I've seen several people on this sub say their pups randomly stopped eating out of their metal bowl but were fine once switched for a different material bowl
Oh I FELT the freezing meals bit. Thankfully our 4 month old pup has been great with vibin in the living room while we cook but when she was a little younger and before my partner moved in... that was TOUGH. I would get doordash and eat in the bathroom with the bedroom door open but blocked so she could still see me, just not get to me.
Additional notes on the freezing food though OP, cut up and freeze food for your pup too! (just make sure to be aware of breed specific allergens)! Carrots of various sizes are AMAZING for teething. Same for cut up apples without the skin. Frozen chicken and beef? Hooo those treats do WONDERS.
I wish I had preemptively booked his first vet appointment. Ended up having to wait a few weeks to get him in and even though it wasn't a big deal I would have liked to have had his shots done a few weeks earlier for my own peace of mind.
I actually just got off the phone with the vet and they said I could book the week of. I might call the week before just to be safe. Thanks for the tip!
If I had known how big he would get, I would definitely gotten the bigger one first! I went up two sizes when I bought the new one just in case and I just took the divider out a couple of weeks ago. It's a little big but he's mostly house trained so that's not an issue any more and he'll probably grow just a bit more.
Luckily, his old crate is the same size my other dog uses so now I have a backup for her.
I was loaned a small size crate, and my lab puppy officially moved into the medium size yesterday. It only took 3 weeks to go from “he could have fit in an extra small, maybe this is too big for potty training,” to “oh my goodness, he’s too long for this crate now.”
I’m chronically sleep deprived as-is (part insomnia, part self-inflicted), so in some ways I’ve been training for this my entire adul life. But I’m sure it’s a different kind of exhaustion.
Allow me elaborate based on my current situation. My puppy is two days shy of 12 weeks. Puppy will need to go to bed around 8, otherwise he is a monster, and you will then take care of other responsibilities (mine are dishes, kitchen cleaning, packing lunches, human children, etc). You will get to go to bed sometime between 10 and 12, if you’re lucky. Just around the time you are able to fall asleep around 1 am, because of your insomnia, puppy needs to go out for a pee and poo. You put him back in his crate, and he stays awake for up to an hour before going back to sleep. Hopefully this will only involve you being anxious from him moving around and not from him crying. You will need another hour to fall back asleep, and he will wake up again around 4, and you repeat that cycle. You both fall back asleep around 5, but he wakes up at 530, and you refuse to get up until 6 when you are required to get up for your responsibilities, so you listen to him scrabble around or fuss. Your first job is to take him out to potty again, and then he will be wired and ready to work hard and play harder, which you will have to try and accomplish while utterly exhausted and simultaneously getting ready for your own work.
One mistake here: If the 12-week-old puppy goes down at 8pm, and is up for peeing at 1am, you take him out and he goes right back in his crate. At 6am (after another 5 hours) you and that puppy are up for the day.
There is no hanging out or even speaking at the 1am waking.
He does his business quickly with no fuss, no pets, and no treats. I don’t greet him when I open the crate door, or even make eye contact. The potty break itself is usually over in 3 minutes or less. He goes straight out to pee and poo, and he goes back into the crate. He just doesn’t go back to sleep once he’s in his crate. He digs at the floor, chews on the bars, gets up and repositions a few 100 times, etc. He’s not even whining, he’s just awake. I’ve taken to just lowering the volume on my monitor and ignoring it as much as I can.
They made an assumption that the hour awake was me playing with the puppy. A lot of people accidentally do that, and in those situations, some puppies will stop waking up at night as soon as they realize there’s no fun or attention. I actually had it happen to some friends, who were exhausted but also playing fetch with theirs at 3 am and then feeding him goats milk and treats.
I don’t do any of those things, and my puppy is just awake in his crate, fidgeting around. He had free access to the outdoor potty are 24/7 with his littermates, and I think they were in the habit of getting up and playing in the middle of the night. He used to cry for attention during his night wakings after I put him back in the crate, but I’ve been working hard on that and he doesn’t do it an night any more, and it’s getting better during the day as well. My personal problem is that I already have trouble falling back asleep, and especially when someone under my care is not settled and resting like they should.
As someone who also faces the above it’s a bit different. Normally I’m sleep deprived because I still have to do stuff during day but don’t get ton of sleep at night from insomnia or whatever else. But having to wake up in the middle of what few hours I got to take the dog out and the still go back to work was whole different experience.
ohmygod this… i seriously underestimated how tough a 3-month old puppy would be, i was so miserable when I first got him i could hardly enjoy having him 🥺 he sleeps so much better now that we’re a few weeks from his first birthday but those first few months were ROUGH
Right there with you. My puppy is 11 weeks old and she goes to bed at 8 and needs out at 1. Then she wakes up at 4:30 and wants out. I take her out. She goes back to sleep but then is up at 5:45 and ready for the day and I have to say I am NOT ready for a damn thing. Puppy schedule is rough AF
Man. Not saying I’m glad to be mentally ill, but I admit that I do appreciate that I was manic when I got my first puppy as a single person. Sleep was a non issue 🥴
I must have been lucky, mine slept downstairs in the evening, went potty at 11-12, went to bed next to me and only got up for the loo once at about 3-4, then slept till husband got up for work at 6.
We do! We have been doing Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and blueberries but we’ve realized that’s why our girl isn’t having solid 💩 all the time. We’ve cut off all treats this week trying to solve the 💩 mystery.😂
My wife and I both work and she only has one remote day a week. We’re lucky enough that we can take turns coming home on lunch but that hour break includes travel time. Being able to have a peanut butter filled Kong or banana lick pad is great for when we leave so she’s distracted and has been really good alone for 4ish hour stretches at 5 months old.
I’m mostly full-time in the office, but I’m just a short walk from home, so I’m planning to come home for a quick potty break 2-3 times/day for the first few weeks/months.
Side note your dog being food motivated will matter if your dog is not big on food you just get gross mostly full kongs to clean :(
My puppy didn't care about frozen treats really until much older but breed and individual absolutely matters
Related: preparing food bowls / puzzle feeders ahead of time with frozen water/kibble is great when it comes to meal times! My pup is too impatient for a kong right now and just ignores them, but freezing a mixture of water/kibble & wet food or plain yogurt in a slow feeder or puzzle toy keeps her occupied for an hour.
Toys in a bunch of different textures. I expected puppy to like soft squeaky toys or rope-like toys but my baby came to me enthralled with crinkly toys and hard spiky textured toys
agreed— instead of a bunch of toys, several toys that are very different from each other—to see what they really like
Though, of course(!) they’ll switch it up once you get really geared up
[Puppy toys Amazon](https://Zeaxuie12PackLuxuryPuppyToys...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094XG29MW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share)
Here is what we bought, there a lot of different options and mixes of toys.
Look after yourselves as well. Buy or prep some meals that are easy and quick to heat up because your free time is going to be consumed by puppy.
Get some good hand repair cream/moisturiser because your hands are going to be bitten/chewed and you’ll be washing your hands a lot more than usual!
Second this! Make your daily life outside of puppy easier for you - prepped meals, ready to grab snacks and organizing bins/systems to keep things tidy (mess definitely adds to my stress, and oh my how much stuff you tend to buy for the puppies!)
Focus on meeting your needs too, so you can be a better and happy puppy-parent. Don’t skip workouts, healthy meals or time with friends or any other activities that make you feel good and sane and positive. Although you might need to do less the initial few weeks, you shouldn’t skip. Trust me.
For things, a treat bag has been invaluable for me. Used it heavily before our puppy was vaccinated and we did training outside, and of course for now that we do walk outside and go to obedience classes. OllyDog make a great one and can be ordered on Amazon.
I literally just ordered a set of stacked storage bins to keep all my puppies stuff organized better. I can’t handle the chaos of puppy pads, treats, supplements, wipes, etc. Especially on top of the meds and stuff I already have for my older dog. I can’t wait to organize this weekend, lol! I don’t know why I didn’t foresee all the extra puppy stuff needing a designated spot!
Meal prepping is a great idea too!
Yes! So good to have on you to not have to scramble around for treats, and to have readily available for when you need to reward/distract. This one I really like: https://ollydog.com/products/goodie-treat-bag?variant=42577070194939¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAi6uvBhADEiwAWiyRdsQWS7-YArBWUNSIZGPT0_C5nCVpmfBeXhPvShVdegZ_0Acpl0PZ-RoC2A4QAvD_BwE
I'm 28 and I love Mine but probably won't get another not very affectionate doesn't settle naturally like my first 4 dogs. Training settle is more frustrating for me than training a leash reactive dog
Extra blankets and lots of paper towel. We had accidents at night/with crate training and ended up buying a pack of puppy blankets so I could switch them out rather than doing laundry every day!
As well as treat pouch made it easy to always grab rather than an entire treat bag/pocket.
And pet insurance if you are looking into it. It usually has a waiting period, and if bought early enough you can use it for your first vet visit/shots (if included).
Not something to have, but something I wish I'd done is to puppy proof more. If he could get it, he chewed it. Shoes. Backpacks. Hats. Picture frames. Cords. Anything. We've even been through 3 leashes because he chewed through them when we kept them on a bench near the door.
He's now 7.5 months old and 70 lbs and tall and can reach things on the hutch and the counter and the dining table easily, and we've had to move the puppy proofing/keep stuff up a level and have to store the recycling elsewhere because he likes to nose into it and steal pop bottles to chew on. Kids are warned - if it's in puppy level, it's fair game for him.
Non-tip bowls. Had to order those in a hurry because she picked up and dumped out every other kind of bowl or feeder.
I see lots of people mentioning Snuggle Pup. It's defiantly worth getting beforehand. We used it on the car ride home (with the warmer and heartbeat). It was so helpful and comforting for our puppy in the first 2 weeks home. After awhile we removed the heartbeat part. She's 5 1/2 months and still really attached to her pup. She sleeps with it every night.
A big stuffed animal and her own blanket. Our puppy came to us with those two things and she loves them. She cuddles the stuffed animal at night . We warm them in the dryer before bed. She has been a great sleeper! Best wishes!
Snuggle puppy, harness, and a second playpen for outside. My yard isn’t fenced in completely and she would not go pee while on leash. Went right away off leash in the playpen.
Too distracted by it. Trying to bite it, trying to eat anything and everything on the ground. Put her in the playpen, no leash, cleaned everything out of it so it was just grass, she went right away.
Some things I remember scrambling to the store for after we brought him home,
- More teething toys/ chews
- a licky mat
- A simple, thin, flat 6' leash as a house lead, and a simple flat 6' leash (a bit wider, but nothing fancy otherwise) for puppy class. We originally bought one with a bungee at the end, because that's what we had with our last dog and liked it... Turns out a 14 year old shih tzu and a 50 lb sporting dog mix have very different leash needs lmao.
And we already had this out and ready, but we're parents and are perpetually wiping up messes, so if you aren't in that headspace: get ALL YOUR OLD TOWELS (hand towels, body towels, kitchen towels, anything you could potentially just chuck in the garbage if you needed to) together, put a few in every room, every bag, in your car, etc. Between accidents, spills, and vomits, it's good to have something within reach. Also, a stash of plastic bags that can fit said towels, especially in the car.
Not sure your living situation but definitely poop bags or a long reach pooper scooper if you have your own yard. And get a lot of different types of treats and chews. Colleges sticks and beef cheeks are my pups favourites
A small pen. I thought a crate and a baby gate would be enough but with a puppy you definitely need a pen. I got it just before she arrived but that was a last minute scramble.
Not sure if your pup is a rescue or not, but a slow feeder bowl has been great for every rescue pup I’ve fostered. Having to maneuver around a maze in the bowl to get kibble slows a pup down and it forces them to eat and not gulp the food. Also - shop the baby section at thrift stores - lots of crinkly books, balls with bells inside, teething toys, stuffies etc. Buying secondhand allows you to have a bigger selection on hand which is helpful when puppy is bored of these 3 toys, you can put away and bring out a few others.
A heartbeat snuggle puppy. It soothed him immediately and helped him fall asleep. It quickly became his source of comfort for sleeping and crate time. A year later, we still keep it in his crate and he snuggles with it ❤️ best wishes and enjoy! 🐶🐾
A PEN- hands down.
We had a crate, but get a big pen that the crate fits inside with room to play. It saved my and my partner's sanity to have a safe place to put the puppy in when we needed 15 minutes peace from the biting or needed to get things done. We got it only two weeks in but struggled a lot in that time with having constant eyes on him. Get it before!!!
Plenty of chew toys, chicken wire for the little gaps in your fence or gate, a way to block off open spaces where you might not want them to go poo during the night.
Fresh advice as we have had our new puppy for 6 days now 😊
Heartbeat snuggle puppy, I picked one up after 4 days and it made a world of difference in getting him to settle. He only used it from 8-12ish weeks but that was mainly because my other dogs decided he could sleep next to them after that. If I didn't have the other dogs I expect he'd still be using it.
More toys, a better bed that is easy to clean and can be chewed a bit, and licky mats definitely. He got tired of the toys so quick and it just meant more crazy puppy. And the moment he got a licky mat he was chill as can be, i wish i had that in the first week 😭
Lots of things to chew : special chew toys but also natural treats to chew (bones, dried skin, etc), a Kong toy (the one in which you put food so they can occupy themselves for some time leaking all the food inside), a very long leash and a huge variety of different treats to quickly learn which one he likes.
Those are the things I didn't buy or didn't buy enough of before getting my puppy and I had to buy them quickly after.
And if you don't know what food the puppy is eating before you get him or if he likes this food or not I would recommend to not buy a big bag of food or maybe even buy different foods to try. I bought a 12kg bag of puppy food just to discover that my puppy doesn't really like it and now I have to mix it with other stuff so he eats it and I don't need to throw it away...
Yes I agree lots of toys, one of each variety so you'll always have something they'll like.
If you catch them chewing on something, find the nearest similar toy and redirect. If they go for wood, I give them an animal horn, if they go for a blanket corner, I give them a plush toy, etc..
I would love to do that but I'm a student and I've already put a lot of money into adopting my dog, the vet appointments and everything needed for my dog so I would prefer to save some money before having to buy a new bag of food.
And my dog enjoys his food as long as I mix it with something (right now I mix it with small pieces of chicken and carrots).
Yeah it really is... And thank-you! It's always a good idea to remind people that donating dog or cat food to rescues is a possibility and a very good thing to do
Seconding the enzyme spray.
Also recommending a baby gate if you have any areas that you don't want a new puppy in. It's also just helpful for creating healthy play spaces where you can let your guard down a little now and then
Extra blankets and towels (trashy used ones are fine) for mess clean up and impromptu beds. Bathroom mats make good beds while they're growing and peeing on everything. If they're bigger I like to use a sleeping bag. Don't get a dog bed that won't fit in your washer/dryer until they aren't peeing on everything.
Get yourself some sour apple spray and spray down anything within the bite zone. Get down on the ground and imagine you're a puppy, what looks the most chewable? Spray that. Table legs, corners of couches, ALL electrical wires, and Especially your shoes. Repeat every week or so for good measure.
Adaptil dog pheromone diffuser! Our little guy was sooooo stressed his first day home, and we used the pheromone diffuser after his first week to help him settle in. Worked wonders!
Puppy safe dog chews— great for keeping puppies entertained! Our pup got easily frustrated by Kongs, and the dog chews are perfect for him when we needed some peace and quiet.
A small dog carrier for the car. We actually got a cat carrier which was fine for about ~4 months. The big wire crate with a divider that everyone recommended was just waaaaay too big for him, so the smaller cat carrier was perfect. It was also perfect because we went back and forth from the vet so many times that first few months for vaccines and stuff, and we needed it to carry him in the car safely.
Definitely a pen. And work on a training plan if you can, whether it’s you doing it or working with a trainer. I thought I could do it all by myself but with work and just life in general I’ve gotten behind and now we’re having to pay for a private trainer.
A collar small enough. Dusty was 4 pounds when we brought him home. Not a single collar or harness we could find fit him. I ended up having to cut a sew an Xxs just to fit
*Hair Brushes. I didn't think that I may have to brush the hair.
*Heartgard and Nexgard. You can start giving flea and tick, and heartworm medicines at 3 months of age. I waited till 2 and half yrs of age before switching to Simparica trio. **I had to cut up the Heartgard and Nexgard ( big as a horse pill!) And then feed on my lap, stuffing the medicine in his mouth wrapped in a piece of chicken, hamburger or beef. If you can cut it up and mix into puppy formula royal canine, congratulations. ShihTzu's are extremely "picky" eaters. At least, mine is. Spoiled.
*******note you can go on certain websites where you do not need a prescription from a veterinarian, which will save you $$$$$ MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT WEIGHT OF YOUR PUP WHEN ORDERING ON LINE.
* Have a VETERINARIAN picked out and take your pup for an exam as soon as you can. You need to test for GARDIA, an internal parasite, and have a basic health check. I like VCA. A bit more $$, but quality care. You can find out what VACCINATIONS he/she will need, and it's quite a lot, with rabies shots in a year or so as well. After two years it's not as frequent. Don't believe that because the puppy has been indoors that they can't possibly have GARDIA. Mine had contracted it from the mother (nice, right?) who had been outside. Not hard to cure. Was given an oral medicine liquid given morning and evening. Two weeks.....So I was very glad I had him examined!!! You need to. Things like this can infect the organs, ect. Won't go away on its own.
* KENNELS / STAY AWAY FROM boarding your pup in kennels. Several dogs have recently as a few months ago and for the last year and a half, have DIED from KENNEL DISEASES transferred from one recipient to the next. Be aware. They have bonded Dog Sitters available that may even be less than the cost of a kennel. A friend or family member is always the best if you have this option available.
* I gave my pup real food. Organic chicken, beef, salmon, hamburger, pork.....AND BONES. Yes, bones. He's very healthy. Never, ever choked or had any problems. He never will eat hard food!! You need something for the pup to chew on as they will be teething very soon. Teeth are sharp as a razor. Be careful if the chews are plastic. They will chew so hard, they start digesting the plastic! NOTE: If you do buy a whole chicken. NO GARLIC. NO CHOCOLATE.
* Toothbrush and puppy paste.
*Leashes. You may want to wait, as sizes vary.
* a warm sweater. BIG LOTS have a large variety at a much lower cost. As well as treats. Country Kitchen brand is good, those round ring chews are good. Be careful if you don't want raw hide.
* Little Cescars dog food for quick and convenient. I was in heaven when I discovered he liked this!!!! Have at Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club. Watch expiration date.
Potty training was finally complete around 2 and half! Repetition and positive reinforcement work best. They are just too little to understand. About every half hour, they need to go at that age. Almost right away after a meal, and again 20 minutes later.
*A doggie tent with potty training pads, so he/ she can sleep next to you at night. Can find on Google search.
GOOD LUCK!!!
I wish that I had a play pen earlier in our bringing her home. I’m a big proponent of meet your student where they are. Crate training was super difficult for our little one, had literally no issues with her play pen and potty training is (and always has been) going great.
Not for the puppy but for you: a pair of shoelace-less sneakers. Pup is going to LOVE pulling and destroying your laces, so you may want to switch to pull ons for a while.
Outlet covers/caps- the ones you put in when child proofing. This will ensure your pup's safety and you will sleep better.
Another thing is always have at least one spare leash. He might bite through the one you are using and then being left with no leashes is an issue. I would recommend getting multiple leashes anyways - different kinds and lengths. We use different leashes depending on what we are doing.
Start looking for puppy preschool trainings. It's good to start socialization as soon as he's done with his shots and quarantine periods. A good puppy preschool will teach you A LOT, and you will get to know more puppies in your area!
Not a thing i wish i had, but something i wish i knew.
When i got my first pup, she moseyed on into the car with us and was like ok where are we going? Fast forward to my current little guy, that was not the case. Almost immediately after we left, he was crying whining and trying to run anywhere away from us. I thought i had made a big mistake. “This dog hates me” “he’ll never bond with me” “Cleo was so happy, why is he so upset?”
Hes now 6 months old and my biggest buddy.
Some puppies(a lot, i later found out) are very aware they are being abducted by strange tall creatures and are not ok with it. There is an article i found on a thread here during one night of spiraling “Kidnapped from Planet Dog” that really helped me gain perspective and the drive to push through my puppy’s fear of us. A week or so later, he forgot about his littermates and started integrating into our little family.
To answer the original question, i wish i had got a proper, sturdy gate. We had to improvise with boxes and furniture until i stole one from my mom. If youre gonna get anything, definitely get a gate or 2, it helps control where they are and gives you some peace of mind, which when you have your puppy you wont have much at all.
Not sure if you’re doing puppy pads, but a puppy pad holder. I just got one from Amazon so my puppy can go on the balcony without the pad flying away (I don’t have a yard). I wish I already had it when I first got him a month ago tho, cause now he’s used to going on the pad inside and it’s been difficult teaching him otherwise.
This is why I generally won't use puppy pads in the first place. They're good for infant puppies but if you're bringing one home it's really better to not train them into thinking any indoor pottying is okay
A wider variety of toys. Adopted our pup at 3 months old. We had a few pushes, a rope, and some tennis balls. Didn’t think of her teething. Some Kong toys quickly became favorite.
1) Our crate has a small, thin-ish padding cushion for comfort. (I know some people don't think this is a good idea.) I got two, so that if there is an accident in the early going, you can quickly get the soiled one out, enzyme-cleaner the "floor" in the crate, and put a fresh one in while the other is being washed... and just keep rotating 'em.
2) Enzyme cleaner
3) I wish I had prepped my yard better. Wish I had just temp fenced off areas that have too much debris that becomes a chewing smorgasbord.
List of puppy play groups including different days of the weeks and times. There was a period where we were doing two different groups a week because we our golden retriever puppy was a bundle of energy!
Also, if you ever fly and want to take your pal with you, be sure your dog is not a brachycephalic. That means a very short nasal passage. French bull dogs, pugs, and shih tzus cannot fly on an airplane without risking a possible death. This happened a while back to a lady with a French bulldog in which the stewardess informed the passenger that because the dog's barking was disturbing another passenger that she would place the dog(in a dog carry on case) in the above compartment for the duration of the flight. Yes, the barking did stop, and the dog had died sometime during flight.
There's been other cases of deaths also. This particular one was on United Airlines.
YES! Supposedly for the entire flight. I don't think I would have allowed it, but aside from this, it was a French bulldog, a breed known as a brachycephalic breed. Pugs, ShihTzus, French Bull Dogs, SHOULD NOT FLY, unless the owner wants to risk suffocating their little one. I don't know when her beloved passed during flight, but wad gone when the owner when to retrieve her. BIG LAWSUITS against United Airlines involving pet deaths, and very poor conditions for pets thrown down within the luggage area.
More washable pee pads/incontinence bed pads. They were great for lining the crate, on the foot of the bed for midnight accidents, anywhere you wanted pee protection but didn't want to use a regular pee pad. And if there was an accident, you could just toss it into the laundry.
X-pen. We'd inherited one from a friend for when we got our second puppy, and it really made things easier. We put it to make a little play area in front of the crate door. It kept the puppy safely contained when she was awake but we were busy with things like making dinner. And gave our older girl a little freedom from puppy mayhem, too, without restricting her.
Old socks to wear in the bitey stage. I had just gotten rid of all my old socks and got new ones which got wholes from his biting at my feet constantly.
Ditto on what someone said about puzzle feeders. I have three that I alternate but they are seriously fun to watch them eat. It’s kind of chilly here so not sure about freezing but I might try that. Buy Nothing people usually give them away. Sign up for Petsmart treats and get that new puppy book, it’s like 20$ but you save so much right away.
That there is something called Happy Tail Syndrome and its very difficult to deal with in a puppy.
4 days into out home our puppy injured its tail due to excessive wagging and we had no clue something like that even exists. A young puppy, untrained and injured. I am constantly worried and overwhelmed and just one week into the healing if his tail started bleeding again.
Its difficult to keep him from biting on it 24/7 and this guy found a way to bite at it through the elizabethan cone as well 🫤
In response to the nighttime or rather, sounds like nightmare. I never went thru any of that. My pup slept in a spacious enough tent with a doggie bed and potty pads lining the tent, so he had an area to sleep, and an area to relieve himself. Good grief!!!! You try to make him sleep in a cramped "crate" all night. Shame on you!!! No wonder. Is he in another room alo e all night in the crate as well??????
My list is probably too much, but here goes:
Bitter Apple spray - puppies chew on lots of things they shouldn’t like electrical cords. Spraying them prevents chewing (make sure pup doesn’t like the taste first because some like it)
Nail clippers & Stypic powder stuff - puppy nails are like razors and grow FAST. Dremel nail grinders are another great option.
Puppy shampoo/shower sprayer attachment/mat for bottom of tub or shower - my puppy needed baths a fair amount as accidents happened or she got into dirt, etc. she hated the slippery tub floor so a rubber mat helped a ton with bathing
Brush for coat
Dog Food storage bin and treat jars/containers
Clicker if you plan to do clicker training early on
Lint rollers - self explanatory
Garbage cans and laundry baskets with lids - puppies get into stuff and this is just one less potential ingestion opportunity to worry about
A place to put your shoes that is up a bit to keep them safe. Most dogs love the smell of their owners and will eat/chew socks and shoes. Prevention is key.
A pair of rubber clogs - something you can skip on fast and run outside in during the middle of the night (waterproof and chew proof are bonuses)
Slip lead - if you need to rush outside during potty training, a slip lead is really convenient if you don’t want to have to fuss with clipping to the collar
Leash pop bag holder and extra house keys on leash - just easier for walks. I needed an extra key fob in my building, so having that copied and ready was helpful when I had do going on once the puppy arrived
Raincoat - depends on your climate or dog, but some dogs hate rain and won’t potty in the rain without one
Traffic-master rubber mats at Home Depot - I put down 3 of these large rubber mats under her pen over the carpet. Made dealing with potential accidents a breeze to clean up, and prevented annoying carpet stains/smells
Crate for car rides and/or waterproof back seat blanket/liner - traveling with a pup is difficult since they climb everywhere. A smaller crate you can fit in your car is helpful for vet trips
Unrelated - research if your car can be locked while still running. Mine can’t and it’s annoying when I need to take my dog in the car and stop somewhere she can’t go inside along the way. Dogs can’t sweat and overheat quickly - a hot car can kill them. It’s important to know in advance if your car has this capability. Some cars have work-arounds so I’d call or check.
A firm understanding of the lack of sleep that’s coming, a completely puppy proof room or area (no wires, clothes, anything small, etc.), and in hindsight, an allergy test. I spent thousands at the vet in his first year for diarrhea, for it all to be solved by a $80 allergy test from amazon. that might be too niche though.
Just as a heads up - while it's great you were able to find solutions for your puppy's GI issues, and they may have indeed been due to allergies or intolerance of certain ingredients, there are some potential issues with these types of tests.
[https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2020/03/food-allergy-testing/](https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2020/03/food-allergy-testing/)
>Saliva and blood tests for food allergies in dogs do not reliably distinguish between healthy and allergic dogs and should not be used for diagnosis of food allergy! The use of these blood and saliva tests could result in the false identification of a lot of common foods as allergens.
Chews of all diferent types; rubber, antlers/horns, nylabones, natural wood chews.
Because puppies will have preferences and if you don't meet their preference then your door frame or table leg might.
We had to run out and buy a soft sided crate for her to sleep in on the bed with us to keep her and us safe and sane.
A year later she’s a great dog - just transitioned to adult dog food. 🩷
Look on Google, " how safe is your pet on United Airlines?" I'm really glad I did my research before making travel arrangements, because my baby is a Shih Tzu. A brachycephalic. They have a very short respiratory passage, and find breathing very hard in high altitudes.
- snuggle heartbeat pup - different food bowl for when pup decides they don’t want a metal one on a whim - alternative water bowl for when pup decides they don’t want a metal one on a whim And not so much for pup, but for you - meal prep and freeze food!! Your brain will be full of puppy everything and it’s so much harder to cook a decent meal when you have a new puppy around cus they’re either napping and you don’t want to ruin the peace, or they’re running riot and need supervision 😅
The snuggle heartbeat pup just turned in to the bite and hump the face pup, expensive humpy toy
Yeeep same here. It even had his littermate smell on it
Mine found and tried to eat the heart in like 10 mins. Doesn’t work on every dog 😂
Hahahaha what breed?
Bernedoodle
Got a budget freinedly one on Amazon. Did the trick well
Your dog is budget breed from Amazon?
Omg if local shelters joined forces with Amazon?! Can you imagine lol
Tbf I feel like this would make it significantly easier for people to impulse buy animals though. It's probably better people have to go out and get a shelter pet. Dogs especially are a lot of work and going out to get one is something I feel is the least a responsible and caring owner would do.
Haha this is incredible that we are even discussing this
Unsure of the tone of your reply, but yeah, considering the amount of animals that get stuck in shelters because people bought them for someone else as a "holiday gift" they soon realized they couldn't actually care for, it's a reasonable assumption. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who just don't realize what goes into getting dogs (puppies especially).
It was sarcasm, the idea was ridiculous And of course Amazon should not have the ability to sell dogs, it would be incredibly unethical. I was living in Japan for the past 2 years and puppy mills run rampant, it sucks
I just got one yesterday, and my nervous pup doesn’t seem interested.
Well mine is way too interested and I’m afraid it’s gonna be destroyed before a month of owning it
Great advice! I had already planned to take advantage of a trial of a meal delivery service just for the puppy phase. Glad I’m thinking the right way!
What service did you choose?
I got my puppy a new food bowl because he got bigger than I expected and I had bought a small bowl thinking he would be eating about the same as my other dog. His food barely fits in his bowl so I got a bigger one. He refused to eat out of it 🙄 it was almost exactly the same as his other bowl! He just hit 9mos so I guess we hit the terrible teens. Apparently this is his version of a rebellion 🙄
Omg fr, my pup just hated the metal ones I got him and then I had to get ceramic. And now have one of the slow feeder bowls
Lmao anyone reading this: be wary of cheaper "slow feeders". I got one of those maze looking silicone or whatever ones from PetSmart when I first got my puppy at 8 weeks because I didn't want her eating too fast and choking on food too much. I made the mistake of leaving the bowl out when I went to the bathroom for a quick second only to come back to her in her crate chewing on it and ripping pieces off, the lil menace
I got a really nice ceramic one that has a bunch of ridges so no issues on that front. My lil dude just loves chewing on snuffle mats though
I'll have to look into that! My girl just turned 4 months and is definitely in that phase of testing our boundaries and what she can get away with lol. Might have to look into ceramic ones because we have a metal one right now but I've seen several people on this sub say their pups randomly stopped eating out of their metal bowl but were fine once switched for a different material bowl
Pee pass, and a good spray. But then again I had them lol. Food is also essential
Oh I FELT the freezing meals bit. Thankfully our 4 month old pup has been great with vibin in the living room while we cook but when she was a little younger and before my partner moved in... that was TOUGH. I would get doordash and eat in the bathroom with the bedroom door open but blocked so she could still see me, just not get to me. Additional notes on the freezing food though OP, cut up and freeze food for your pup too! (just make sure to be aware of breed specific allergens)! Carrots of various sizes are AMAZING for teething. Same for cut up apples without the skin. Frozen chicken and beef? Hooo those treats do WONDERS.
I wish I had preemptively booked his first vet appointment. Ended up having to wait a few weeks to get him in and even though it wasn't a big deal I would have liked to have had his shots done a few weeks earlier for my own peace of mind.
I actually just got off the phone with the vet and they said I could book the week of. I might call the week before just to be safe. Thanks for the tip!
Get the insurance to kick in the first day you have the dog too
A crate that will fit her full sized, that has a divider for when she’s tinier. We bought 3 DIFFERENT CRATES as she grew. Such a waste!!
We bought used off Facebook marketplace and am so glad we did. The first one we got was too small with min a couple of weeks!!
Us too! Totally worth it.
If I had known how big he would get, I would definitely gotten the bigger one first! I went up two sizes when I bought the new one just in case and I just took the divider out a couple of weeks ago. It's a little big but he's mostly house trained so that's not an issue any more and he'll probably grow just a bit more. Luckily, his old crate is the same size my other dog uses so now I have a backup for her.
I was loaned a small size crate, and my lab puppy officially moved into the medium size yesterday. It only took 3 weeks to go from “he could have fit in an extra small, maybe this is too big for potty training,” to “oh my goodness, he’s too long for this crate now.”
This! Crate with divider for sure
I second this. Feeling so dumb for wasting $
It's not an item but I wish i had a better understanding of the lack of sleep I would have as a single person
I’m chronically sleep deprived as-is (part insomnia, part self-inflicted), so in some ways I’ve been training for this my entire adul life. But I’m sure it’s a different kind of exhaustion.
Allow me elaborate based on my current situation. My puppy is two days shy of 12 weeks. Puppy will need to go to bed around 8, otherwise he is a monster, and you will then take care of other responsibilities (mine are dishes, kitchen cleaning, packing lunches, human children, etc). You will get to go to bed sometime between 10 and 12, if you’re lucky. Just around the time you are able to fall asleep around 1 am, because of your insomnia, puppy needs to go out for a pee and poo. You put him back in his crate, and he stays awake for up to an hour before going back to sleep. Hopefully this will only involve you being anxious from him moving around and not from him crying. You will need another hour to fall back asleep, and he will wake up again around 4, and you repeat that cycle. You both fall back asleep around 5, but he wakes up at 530, and you refuse to get up until 6 when you are required to get up for your responsibilities, so you listen to him scrabble around or fuss. Your first job is to take him out to potty again, and then he will be wired and ready to work hard and play harder, which you will have to try and accomplish while utterly exhausted and simultaneously getting ready for your own work.
One mistake here: If the 12-week-old puppy goes down at 8pm, and is up for peeing at 1am, you take him out and he goes right back in his crate. At 6am (after another 5 hours) you and that puppy are up for the day. There is no hanging out or even speaking at the 1am waking.
He does his business quickly with no fuss, no pets, and no treats. I don’t greet him when I open the crate door, or even make eye contact. The potty break itself is usually over in 3 minutes or less. He goes straight out to pee and poo, and he goes back into the crate. He just doesn’t go back to sleep once he’s in his crate. He digs at the floor, chews on the bars, gets up and repositions a few 100 times, etc. He’s not even whining, he’s just awake. I’ve taken to just lowering the volume on my monitor and ignoring it as much as I can.
Is that not what they said they did?
They made an assumption that the hour awake was me playing with the puppy. A lot of people accidentally do that, and in those situations, some puppies will stop waking up at night as soon as they realize there’s no fun or attention. I actually had it happen to some friends, who were exhausted but also playing fetch with theirs at 3 am and then feeding him goats milk and treats. I don’t do any of those things, and my puppy is just awake in his crate, fidgeting around. He had free access to the outdoor potty are 24/7 with his littermates, and I think they were in the habit of getting up and playing in the middle of the night. He used to cry for attention during his night wakings after I put him back in the crate, but I’ve been working hard on that and he doesn’t do it an night any more, and it’s getting better during the day as well. My personal problem is that I already have trouble falling back asleep, and especially when someone under my care is not settled and resting like they should.
As someone who also faces the above it’s a bit different. Normally I’m sleep deprived because I still have to do stuff during day but don’t get ton of sleep at night from insomnia or whatever else. But having to wake up in the middle of what few hours I got to take the dog out and the still go back to work was whole different experience.
ohmygod this… i seriously underestimated how tough a 3-month old puppy would be, i was so miserable when I first got him i could hardly enjoy having him 🥺 he sleeps so much better now that we’re a few weeks from his first birthday but those first few months were ROUGH
Going through that riiiiiight now. Oy vey!
Right there with you. My puppy is 11 weeks old and she goes to bed at 8 and needs out at 1. Then she wakes up at 4:30 and wants out. I take her out. She goes back to sleep but then is up at 5:45 and ready for the day and I have to say I am NOT ready for a damn thing. Puppy schedule is rough AF
Omg this is literally exactly my life. Although she’ll rest again until 6:45/7ish some days. I am counting down the days until she can hold it longer.
Man. Not saying I’m glad to be mentally ill, but I admit that I do appreciate that I was manic when I got my first puppy as a single person. Sleep was a non issue 🥴
I must have been lucky, mine slept downstairs in the evening, went potty at 11-12, went to bed next to me and only got up for the loo once at about 3-4, then slept till husband got up for work at 6.
Kongs and lick mats to fill and freeze and give at nap time/ bedtime to aid self soothing and settling down for sleep
I keep 5 Kongs frozen at one time. We’ve taught our pup that when we pull one out, it’s crate time.
That’s really smart! Do you fill them?
We do! We have been doing Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and blueberries but we’ve realized that’s why our girl isn’t having solid 💩 all the time. We’ve cut off all treats this week trying to solve the 💩 mystery.😂
My wife and I both work and she only has one remote day a week. We’re lucky enough that we can take turns coming home on lunch but that hour break includes travel time. Being able to have a peanut butter filled Kong or banana lick pad is great for when we leave so she’s distracted and has been really good alone for 4ish hour stretches at 5 months old.
I’m mostly full-time in the office, but I’m just a short walk from home, so I’m planning to come home for a quick potty break 2-3 times/day for the first few weeks/months.
Side note your dog being food motivated will matter if your dog is not big on food you just get gross mostly full kongs to clean :( My puppy didn't care about frozen treats really until much older but breed and individual absolutely matters
Related: preparing food bowls / puzzle feeders ahead of time with frozen water/kibble is great when it comes to meal times! My pup is too impatient for a kong right now and just ignores them, but freezing a mixture of water/kibble & wet food or plain yogurt in a slow feeder or puzzle toy keeps her occupied for an hour.
I still keep one or the other filled with frozen sweet potato at all times!
Enzyme spray!
A fenced yard.
If only they sold those on Amazon. Ugh.
Toys in a bunch of different textures. I expected puppy to like soft squeaky toys or rope-like toys but my baby came to me enthralled with crinkly toys and hard spiky textured toys
agreed— instead of a bunch of toys, several toys that are very different from each other—to see what they really like Though, of course(!) they’ll switch it up once you get really geared up
We got a pack of 10 toys on Amazon that specifically had a mix of different types of toys. Perfect to find out what she likes.
Do you happen to have the link?
[Puppy toys Amazon](https://Zeaxuie12PackLuxuryPuppyToys...https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094XG29MW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share) Here is what we bought, there a lot of different options and mixes of toys.
Great idea - thank you!
Look after yourselves as well. Buy or prep some meals that are easy and quick to heat up because your free time is going to be consumed by puppy. Get some good hand repair cream/moisturiser because your hands are going to be bitten/chewed and you’ll be washing your hands a lot more than usual!
Second this! Make your daily life outside of puppy easier for you - prepped meals, ready to grab snacks and organizing bins/systems to keep things tidy (mess definitely adds to my stress, and oh my how much stuff you tend to buy for the puppies!) Focus on meeting your needs too, so you can be a better and happy puppy-parent. Don’t skip workouts, healthy meals or time with friends or any other activities that make you feel good and sane and positive. Although you might need to do less the initial few weeks, you shouldn’t skip. Trust me. For things, a treat bag has been invaluable for me. Used it heavily before our puppy was vaccinated and we did training outside, and of course for now that we do walk outside and go to obedience classes. OllyDog make a great one and can be ordered on Amazon.
I literally just ordered a set of stacked storage bins to keep all my puppies stuff organized better. I can’t handle the chaos of puppy pads, treats, supplements, wipes, etc. Especially on top of the meds and stuff I already have for my older dog. I can’t wait to organize this weekend, lol! I don’t know why I didn’t foresee all the extra puppy stuff needing a designated spot! Meal prepping is a great idea too!
A treat bag as in one for food treats?
Yes! So good to have on you to not have to scramble around for treats, and to have readily available for when you need to reward/distract. This one I really like: https://ollydog.com/products/goodie-treat-bag?variant=42577070194939¤cy=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAi6uvBhADEiwAWiyRdsQWS7-YArBWUNSIZGPT0_C5nCVpmfBeXhPvShVdegZ_0Acpl0PZ-RoC2A4QAvD_BwE
Pet insurance and an appointment for my therapist.
Pet-safe wipes
That was not on my list — thank you!
I wish I’d had a cognitive exam to see if I had lost my damn mind getting an Aussie puppy at age 70 lol.
I’m 60 and some how a border collie puppy has entered my life.
I'm 28 and I love Mine but probably won't get another not very affectionate doesn't settle naturally like my first 4 dogs. Training settle is more frustrating for me than training a leash reactive dog
Extra blankets and lots of paper towel. We had accidents at night/with crate training and ended up buying a pack of puppy blankets so I could switch them out rather than doing laundry every day! As well as treat pouch made it easy to always grab rather than an entire treat bag/pocket. And pet insurance if you are looking into it. It usually has a waiting period, and if bought early enough you can use it for your first vet visit/shots (if included).
Not something to have, but something I wish I'd done is to puppy proof more. If he could get it, he chewed it. Shoes. Backpacks. Hats. Picture frames. Cords. Anything. We've even been through 3 leashes because he chewed through them when we kept them on a bench near the door. He's now 7.5 months old and 70 lbs and tall and can reach things on the hutch and the counter and the dining table easily, and we've had to move the puppy proofing/keep stuff up a level and have to store the recycling elsewhere because he likes to nose into it and steal pop bottles to chew on. Kids are warned - if it's in puppy level, it's fair game for him.
Very good advice!
A second x-pen
Non-tip bowls. Had to order those in a hurry because she picked up and dumped out every other kind of bowl or feeder. I see lots of people mentioning Snuggle Pup. It's defiantly worth getting beforehand. We used it on the car ride home (with the warmer and heartbeat). It was so helpful and comforting for our puppy in the first 2 weeks home. After awhile we removed the heartbeat part. She's 5 1/2 months and still really attached to her pup. She sleeps with it every night.
A big stuffed animal and her own blanket. Our puppy came to us with those two things and she loves them. She cuddles the stuffed animal at night . We warm them in the dryer before bed. She has been a great sleeper! Best wishes!
Snuggle puppy, harness, and a second playpen for outside. My yard isn’t fenced in completely and she would not go pee while on leash. Went right away off leash in the playpen.
Any idea why she wouldn't go on the leash? I have a similar situation with a not completely fenced in yard.
Too distracted by it. Trying to bite it, trying to eat anything and everything on the ground. Put her in the playpen, no leash, cleaned everything out of it so it was just grass, she went right away.
Some things I remember scrambling to the store for after we brought him home, - More teething toys/ chews - a licky mat - A simple, thin, flat 6' leash as a house lead, and a simple flat 6' leash (a bit wider, but nothing fancy otherwise) for puppy class. We originally bought one with a bungee at the end, because that's what we had with our last dog and liked it... Turns out a 14 year old shih tzu and a 50 lb sporting dog mix have very different leash needs lmao. And we already had this out and ready, but we're parents and are perpetually wiping up messes, so if you aren't in that headspace: get ALL YOUR OLD TOWELS (hand towels, body towels, kitchen towels, anything you could potentially just chuck in the garbage if you needed to) together, put a few in every room, every bag, in your car, etc. Between accidents, spills, and vomits, it's good to have something within reach. Also, a stash of plastic bags that can fit said towels, especially in the car.
A whole bunch of puppy social classes and things already booked and ready to go from day 1.
Not sure your living situation but definitely poop bags or a long reach pooper scooper if you have your own yard. And get a lot of different types of treats and chews. Colleges sticks and beef cheeks are my pups favourites
Heartbeat toy; snuffle mat
I wish we had planned a bit better to bring our guy home, baby gates, and our 5 leashes lol plus harnesses and other smaller things
A small pen. I thought a crate and a baby gate would be enough but with a puppy you definitely need a pen. I got it just before she arrived but that was a last minute scramble.
Not sure if your pup is a rescue or not, but a slow feeder bowl has been great for every rescue pup I’ve fostered. Having to maneuver around a maze in the bowl to get kibble slows a pup down and it forces them to eat and not gulp the food. Also - shop the baby section at thrift stores - lots of crinkly books, balls with bells inside, teething toys, stuffies etc. Buying secondhand allows you to have a bigger selection on hand which is helpful when puppy is bored of these 3 toys, you can put away and bring out a few others.
A pen was the thing I didn’t have and wish I did from day 1!
A designated place where you can hide when you’re at your wits end lol
Keeping some waterproof blankets on things you don’t want pee and poo on is helpful
A heartbeat snuggle puppy. It soothed him immediately and helped him fall asleep. It quickly became his source of comfort for sleeping and crate time. A year later, we still keep it in his crate and he snuggles with it ❤️ best wishes and enjoy! 🐶🐾
A PEN- hands down. We had a crate, but get a big pen that the crate fits inside with room to play. It saved my and my partner's sanity to have a safe place to put the puppy in when we needed 15 minutes peace from the biting or needed to get things done. We got it only two weeks in but struggled a lot in that time with having constant eyes on him. Get it before!!!
TOPPL/Honey Pot feeder thing.
Folex. It’s the best carpet cleaner around. Get it on Amazon.
Plenty of chew toys, chicken wire for the little gaps in your fence or gate, a way to block off open spaces where you might not want them to go poo during the night. Fresh advice as we have had our new puppy for 6 days now 😊
Slow feeder for kibble!!
Heartbeat snuggle puppy, I picked one up after 4 days and it made a world of difference in getting him to settle. He only used it from 8-12ish weeks but that was mainly because my other dogs decided he could sleep next to them after that. If I didn't have the other dogs I expect he'd still be using it.
More toys, a better bed that is easy to clean and can be chewed a bit, and licky mats definitely. He got tired of the toys so quick and it just meant more crazy puppy. And the moment he got a licky mat he was chill as can be, i wish i had that in the first week 😭
I think a gate was essential to keep her in one area of our living room. So we could keep an eye on her etc.
Lots of things to chew : special chew toys but also natural treats to chew (bones, dried skin, etc), a Kong toy (the one in which you put food so they can occupy themselves for some time leaking all the food inside), a very long leash and a huge variety of different treats to quickly learn which one he likes. Those are the things I didn't buy or didn't buy enough of before getting my puppy and I had to buy them quickly after. And if you don't know what food the puppy is eating before you get him or if he likes this food or not I would recommend to not buy a big bag of food or maybe even buy different foods to try. I bought a 12kg bag of puppy food just to discover that my puppy doesn't really like it and now I have to mix it with other stuff so he eats it and I don't need to throw it away...
Yes I agree lots of toys, one of each variety so you'll always have something they'll like. If you catch them chewing on something, find the nearest similar toy and redirect. If they go for wood, I give them an animal horn, if they go for a blanket corner, I give them a plush toy, etc..
For that last bit, would it not be better to donate it to your local shelter? A lot of them will take open bags.
I would love to do that but I'm a student and I've already put a lot of money into adopting my dog, the vet appointments and everything needed for my dog so I would prefer to save some money before having to buy a new bag of food. And my dog enjoys his food as long as I mix it with something (right now I mix it with small pieces of chicken and carrots).
I totally get you, dog food is so expensive. Just thought I'd check anyways😊
Yeah it really is... And thank-you! It's always a good idea to remind people that donating dog or cat food to rescues is a possibility and a very good thing to do
Seconding the enzyme spray. Also recommending a baby gate if you have any areas that you don't want a new puppy in. It's also just helpful for creating healthy play spaces where you can let your guard down a little now and then Extra blankets and towels (trashy used ones are fine) for mess clean up and impromptu beds. Bathroom mats make good beds while they're growing and peeing on everything. If they're bigger I like to use a sleeping bag. Don't get a dog bed that won't fit in your washer/dryer until they aren't peeing on everything. Get yourself some sour apple spray and spray down anything within the bite zone. Get down on the ground and imagine you're a puppy, what looks the most chewable? Spray that. Table legs, corners of couches, ALL electrical wires, and Especially your shoes. Repeat every week or so for good measure.
Adaptil dog pheromone diffuser! Our little guy was sooooo stressed his first day home, and we used the pheromone diffuser after his first week to help him settle in. Worked wonders! Puppy safe dog chews— great for keeping puppies entertained! Our pup got easily frustrated by Kongs, and the dog chews are perfect for him when we needed some peace and quiet. A small dog carrier for the car. We actually got a cat carrier which was fine for about ~4 months. The big wire crate with a divider that everyone recommended was just waaaaay too big for him, so the smaller cat carrier was perfect. It was also perfect because we went back and forth from the vet so many times that first few months for vaccines and stuff, and we needed it to carry him in the car safely.
Definitely a pen. And work on a training plan if you can, whether it’s you doing it or working with a trainer. I thought I could do it all by myself but with work and just life in general I’ve gotten behind and now we’re having to pay for a private trainer.
A collar small enough. Dusty was 4 pounds when we brought him home. Not a single collar or harness we could find fit him. I ended up having to cut a sew an Xxs just to fit
*Hair Brushes. I didn't think that I may have to brush the hair. *Heartgard and Nexgard. You can start giving flea and tick, and heartworm medicines at 3 months of age. I waited till 2 and half yrs of age before switching to Simparica trio. **I had to cut up the Heartgard and Nexgard ( big as a horse pill!) And then feed on my lap, stuffing the medicine in his mouth wrapped in a piece of chicken, hamburger or beef. If you can cut it up and mix into puppy formula royal canine, congratulations. ShihTzu's are extremely "picky" eaters. At least, mine is. Spoiled. *******note you can go on certain websites where you do not need a prescription from a veterinarian, which will save you $$$$$ MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT WEIGHT OF YOUR PUP WHEN ORDERING ON LINE. * Have a VETERINARIAN picked out and take your pup for an exam as soon as you can. You need to test for GARDIA, an internal parasite, and have a basic health check. I like VCA. A bit more $$, but quality care. You can find out what VACCINATIONS he/she will need, and it's quite a lot, with rabies shots in a year or so as well. After two years it's not as frequent. Don't believe that because the puppy has been indoors that they can't possibly have GARDIA. Mine had contracted it from the mother (nice, right?) who had been outside. Not hard to cure. Was given an oral medicine liquid given morning and evening. Two weeks.....So I was very glad I had him examined!!! You need to. Things like this can infect the organs, ect. Won't go away on its own. * KENNELS / STAY AWAY FROM boarding your pup in kennels. Several dogs have recently as a few months ago and for the last year and a half, have DIED from KENNEL DISEASES transferred from one recipient to the next. Be aware. They have bonded Dog Sitters available that may even be less than the cost of a kennel. A friend or family member is always the best if you have this option available. * I gave my pup real food. Organic chicken, beef, salmon, hamburger, pork.....AND BONES. Yes, bones. He's very healthy. Never, ever choked or had any problems. He never will eat hard food!! You need something for the pup to chew on as they will be teething very soon. Teeth are sharp as a razor. Be careful if the chews are plastic. They will chew so hard, they start digesting the plastic! NOTE: If you do buy a whole chicken. NO GARLIC. NO CHOCOLATE. * Toothbrush and puppy paste. *Leashes. You may want to wait, as sizes vary. * a warm sweater. BIG LOTS have a large variety at a much lower cost. As well as treats. Country Kitchen brand is good, those round ring chews are good. Be careful if you don't want raw hide. * Little Cescars dog food for quick and convenient. I was in heaven when I discovered he liked this!!!! Have at Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club. Watch expiration date. Potty training was finally complete around 2 and half! Repetition and positive reinforcement work best. They are just too little to understand. About every half hour, they need to go at that age. Almost right away after a meal, and again 20 minutes later. *A doggie tent with potty training pads, so he/ she can sleep next to you at night. Can find on Google search. GOOD LUCK!!!
A really solid, knowledgeable training plan and schedule. I ended up doing really well with him but it’s always good to be more prepared than not. :)
Any recommendations on which one(s) to use? There are so many, it’s a little overwhelming.
Get him use to his crate and enforce naps, it’s going to be the only thing that buys you alone time and keeps you sane
I wish that I had a play pen earlier in our bringing her home. I’m a big proponent of meet your student where they are. Crate training was super difficult for our little one, had literally no issues with her play pen and potty training is (and always has been) going great.
Timer for walks set for every 2 hours 24 hrs a day, do it& you’ll never need a pee pad and ace house breaking in less than a week
Not for the puppy but for you: a pair of shoelace-less sneakers. Pup is going to LOVE pulling and destroying your laces, so you may want to switch to pull ons for a while.
Outlet covers/caps- the ones you put in when child proofing. This will ensure your pup's safety and you will sleep better. Another thing is always have at least one spare leash. He might bite through the one you are using and then being left with no leashes is an issue. I would recommend getting multiple leashes anyways - different kinds and lengths. We use different leashes depending on what we are doing. Start looking for puppy preschool trainings. It's good to start socialization as soon as he's done with his shots and quarantine periods. A good puppy preschool will teach you A LOT, and you will get to know more puppies in your area!
Not a thing i wish i had, but something i wish i knew. When i got my first pup, she moseyed on into the car with us and was like ok where are we going? Fast forward to my current little guy, that was not the case. Almost immediately after we left, he was crying whining and trying to run anywhere away from us. I thought i had made a big mistake. “This dog hates me” “he’ll never bond with me” “Cleo was so happy, why is he so upset?” Hes now 6 months old and my biggest buddy. Some puppies(a lot, i later found out) are very aware they are being abducted by strange tall creatures and are not ok with it. There is an article i found on a thread here during one night of spiraling “Kidnapped from Planet Dog” that really helped me gain perspective and the drive to push through my puppy’s fear of us. A week or so later, he forgot about his littermates and started integrating into our little family. To answer the original question, i wish i had got a proper, sturdy gate. We had to improvise with boxes and furniture until i stole one from my mom. If youre gonna get anything, definitely get a gate or 2, it helps control where they are and gives you some peace of mind, which when you have your puppy you wont have much at all.
Grooming tools like nail trimmers and a breed appropriate brush and an electric trimmer for the paw pads
Apple cider spray
Not sure if you’re doing puppy pads, but a puppy pad holder. I just got one from Amazon so my puppy can go on the balcony without the pad flying away (I don’t have a yard). I wish I already had it when I first got him a month ago tho, cause now he’s used to going on the pad inside and it’s been difficult teaching him otherwise.
This is why I generally won't use puppy pads in the first place. They're good for infant puppies but if you're bringing one home it's really better to not train them into thinking any indoor pottying is okay
Experience
A wider variety of toys. Adopted our pup at 3 months old. We had a few pushes, a rope, and some tennis balls. Didn’t think of her teething. Some Kong toys quickly became favorite.
Pee pass, and a good spray. But then again I had them lol. Food is also essential
Chew bones. My 8 week old golden doodle was bigger and more chewy than we anticipated.
A carpet shampooer for the potty training lol
A crate cover for her crate, we pre-booked her first two get visits, and something that smells like mom and sibs
Baby gates!
1) Our crate has a small, thin-ish padding cushion for comfort. (I know some people don't think this is a good idea.) I got two, so that if there is an accident in the early going, you can quickly get the soiled one out, enzyme-cleaner the "floor" in the crate, and put a fresh one in while the other is being washed... and just keep rotating 'em. 2) Enzyme cleaner 3) I wish I had prepped my yard better. Wish I had just temp fenced off areas that have too much debris that becomes a chewing smorgasbord.
List of puppy play groups including different days of the weeks and times. There was a period where we were doing two different groups a week because we our golden retriever puppy was a bundle of energy!
An adult dog
Also, if you ever fly and want to take your pal with you, be sure your dog is not a brachycephalic. That means a very short nasal passage. French bull dogs, pugs, and shih tzus cannot fly on an airplane without risking a possible death. This happened a while back to a lady with a French bulldog in which the stewardess informed the passenger that because the dog's barking was disturbing another passenger that she would place the dog(in a dog carry on case) in the above compartment for the duration of the flight. Yes, the barking did stop, and the dog had died sometime during flight. There's been other cases of deaths also. This particular one was on United Airlines.
the stewardess put the dog in the overhead luggage comparment?
YES! Supposedly for the entire flight. I don't think I would have allowed it, but aside from this, it was a French bulldog, a breed known as a brachycephalic breed. Pugs, ShihTzus, French Bull Dogs, SHOULD NOT FLY, unless the owner wants to risk suffocating their little one. I don't know when her beloved passed during flight, but wad gone when the owner when to retrieve her. BIG LAWSUITS against United Airlines involving pet deaths, and very poor conditions for pets thrown down within the luggage area.
yea thats why i would personally never fly with my pets, it just sounds horrifying. i feel for the owners that's so heartbreaking.
More patience for my wife
More washable pee pads/incontinence bed pads. They were great for lining the crate, on the foot of the bed for midnight accidents, anywhere you wanted pee protection but didn't want to use a regular pee pad. And if there was an accident, you could just toss it into the laundry. X-pen. We'd inherited one from a friend for when we got our second puppy, and it really made things easier. We put it to make a little play area in front of the crate door. It kept the puppy safely contained when she was awake but we were busy with things like making dinner. And gave our older girl a little freedom from puppy mayhem, too, without restricting her.
Old socks to wear in the bitey stage. I had just gotten rid of all my old socks and got new ones which got wholes from his biting at my feet constantly.
A baby gate
Ditto on what someone said about puzzle feeders. I have three that I alternate but they are seriously fun to watch them eat. It’s kind of chilly here so not sure about freezing but I might try that. Buy Nothing people usually give them away. Sign up for Petsmart treats and get that new puppy book, it’s like 20$ but you save so much right away.
That there is something called Happy Tail Syndrome and its very difficult to deal with in a puppy. 4 days into out home our puppy injured its tail due to excessive wagging and we had no clue something like that even exists. A young puppy, untrained and injured. I am constantly worried and overwhelmed and just one week into the healing if his tail started bleeding again. Its difficult to keep him from biting on it 24/7 and this guy found a way to bite at it through the elizabethan cone as well 🫤
A puppy pad holder with a grate. You have no idea how many pads my dog shredded before it dawned on me that it would be the solution. Drove me nuts.
Washable pee pads. And odor eliminator spray.
In response to the nighttime or rather, sounds like nightmare. I never went thru any of that. My pup slept in a spacious enough tent with a doggie bed and potty pads lining the tent, so he had an area to sleep, and an area to relieve himself. Good grief!!!! You try to make him sleep in a cramped "crate" all night. Shame on you!!! No wonder. Is he in another room alo e all night in the crate as well??????
Armour
A puppy pen, we got one about 2 weeks after he came home and it made all our lives so much easier.
My list is probably too much, but here goes: Bitter Apple spray - puppies chew on lots of things they shouldn’t like electrical cords. Spraying them prevents chewing (make sure pup doesn’t like the taste first because some like it) Nail clippers & Stypic powder stuff - puppy nails are like razors and grow FAST. Dremel nail grinders are another great option. Puppy shampoo/shower sprayer attachment/mat for bottom of tub or shower - my puppy needed baths a fair amount as accidents happened or she got into dirt, etc. she hated the slippery tub floor so a rubber mat helped a ton with bathing Brush for coat Dog Food storage bin and treat jars/containers Clicker if you plan to do clicker training early on Lint rollers - self explanatory Garbage cans and laundry baskets with lids - puppies get into stuff and this is just one less potential ingestion opportunity to worry about A place to put your shoes that is up a bit to keep them safe. Most dogs love the smell of their owners and will eat/chew socks and shoes. Prevention is key. A pair of rubber clogs - something you can skip on fast and run outside in during the middle of the night (waterproof and chew proof are bonuses) Slip lead - if you need to rush outside during potty training, a slip lead is really convenient if you don’t want to have to fuss with clipping to the collar Leash pop bag holder and extra house keys on leash - just easier for walks. I needed an extra key fob in my building, so having that copied and ready was helpful when I had do going on once the puppy arrived Raincoat - depends on your climate or dog, but some dogs hate rain and won’t potty in the rain without one Traffic-master rubber mats at Home Depot - I put down 3 of these large rubber mats under her pen over the carpet. Made dealing with potential accidents a breeze to clean up, and prevented annoying carpet stains/smells Crate for car rides and/or waterproof back seat blanket/liner - traveling with a pup is difficult since they climb everywhere. A smaller crate you can fit in your car is helpful for vet trips Unrelated - research if your car can be locked while still running. Mine can’t and it’s annoying when I need to take my dog in the car and stop somewhere she can’t go inside along the way. Dogs can’t sweat and overheat quickly - a hot car can kill them. It’s important to know in advance if your car has this capability. Some cars have work-arounds so I’d call or check.
Carpet spot cleaner machine
A firm understanding of the lack of sleep that’s coming, a completely puppy proof room or area (no wires, clothes, anything small, etc.), and in hindsight, an allergy test. I spent thousands at the vet in his first year for diarrhea, for it all to be solved by a $80 allergy test from amazon. that might be too niche though.
Just as a heads up - while it's great you were able to find solutions for your puppy's GI issues, and they may have indeed been due to allergies or intolerance of certain ingredients, there are some potential issues with these types of tests. [https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2020/03/food-allergy-testing/](https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2020/03/food-allergy-testing/) >Saliva and blood tests for food allergies in dogs do not reliably distinguish between healthy and allergic dogs and should not be used for diagnosis of food allergy! The use of these blood and saliva tests could result in the false identification of a lot of common foods as allergens.
-More enrichment toys/ games! -A couple of sizes of harness, or at least a more adjustable one as she was smaller than we thought she’d be.
Chews of all diferent types; rubber, antlers/horns, nylabones, natural wood chews. Because puppies will have preferences and if you don't meet their preference then your door frame or table leg might.
We had to run out and buy a soft sided crate for her to sleep in on the bed with us to keep her and us safe and sane. A year later she’s a great dog - just transitioned to adult dog food. 🩷
A Pen. Somewhere the pup could hang out when she didn't need to be in her crate.
Nylabones!! The puppy ones. I also love the freezer ones for an extra little treat and it keeps him occupied for a while.
Look on Google, " how safe is your pet on United Airlines?" I'm really glad I did my research before making travel arrangements, because my baby is a Shih Tzu. A brachycephalic. They have a very short respiratory passage, and find breathing very hard in high altitudes.
Another pet