New puppies are SO MUCH FUN! They also have some things that will be needed when they are so young and small. This is my recommended Starter Pack for your new puppy.

They need a carrier for travelling home with you and for all of their puppy visits to the vet. This carrier may be outgrown as they mature, just like children outgrow their shoes or need a larger bed. Carriers come in soft fabrics, or sturdy hard plastics. I recommend the firmer plastic ones with an opening in front and in the top — scooping a pooch into a carrier can be hard so having more than one way to access is preferable to me.

They need a place to be safe when you are not home, or a separate place that is theirs alone. I have used wire crates from Midway for years. These crates can also have 2 entrances (front and side) which I like but really only use the front door. Like so many puppy things, this crate may need to replaced with a larger unit later. This crate listing has a handy chart that shows what size crate your adult dog will need, by breed. You will eventually need a pad for your pup’s crate , but wait until AFTER housetraining before using it! Just use old towels or small blankets for now as they are washable and more economical.

Young dogs need a way to help limit their access in your home or your yard outside but still provide enough for space for exercise. Puppy Playpens are a good way to keep them safe. These are usually made with wire or plastic panels that can be expanded as your dog grows. You can put them into different shapes/configurations and they fold away when not in use. I like the ones with a door because climbing over them many times a day is annoying. You can also limit your pup’s access to your home by using a baby gate in your kitchen.

Housetraining is something to keep in mind from day one. Some people like to use puppy training pads with their pup. I prefer the “we go outside every few hours” route. If you take them outside be sure to have them in a collar/harness and on leash before carrying them outside — puppies can move FAST and they don’t know their name yet, so have them on a leash before you leave your house. I do not recommend retractable leashes for puppies — your puppy WILL break it and they have poor recall so stick with a basic leash for now.

And of course, all puppies need food. Any brand of puppy food is fine for most dogs — even plain old Purina Puppy Chow which I have used for decades. I usually add in some wet puppy food. Any bowl is fine, dogs aren’t picky. For water access I use a pail in the crate — and if it gets knocked over I add a carbiner and attach it to the crate side rail. Pails are WONDERFUL for less spillage! Top it all off with some training treats and your puppy’s food needs are covered.

Finally, your puppy will chew on anything it can find to help with teething. Many toys are made with soft puppy teeth in mind, so make sure to find a fun soft puppy chewy toy. And since pups are so fun, get a variety pack of all puppy toys so you can see which are the types of toys your fluff prefers. If your pup is like most pups, they will destroy toys quickly so please throw the torn toys away when they are ripped open. (Don’t leave toys with a young puppy unsupervised)

Welcome to the fun world of puppies! Enjoy the next few months as your puppy grows to adulthood — take a lot of pictures, they grow really fast, and I hope these suggestions help you in your next sleepless month 🙂

Happy Dogging!