What Do I Really Need Before Bringing My Puppy Home?

Everyone has their list of essentials that you need before you bring your new puppy home. I believe in a minimalist approach. Get the items that are truly essential and you can always get more later. To jump to the check list, click here.

1. A scheduled Vet Appointment is absolutely essential. Different breeders have different policies, so it is important for you to know your breeder's policy. I require puppies to be taken to the vet within 5 days of going home for my health guarantee to apply.

   
   

2. Food! Yes, as a breeder, I do send every puppy home with a gallon ziploc bag of food, but I highly recommend that you have food waiting for them at your home. We use Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice All Life Stages Food (https://www.chewy.com/diamond-naturals-chicken-rice-formula/dp/34919) for all of our dogs, from puppies to adult. You are welcome to pick your own brand and formula, but please check https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/ first to ensure that you are feeding your dog well. I also highly recommend the Nuvet Multi-vitamin and increase the length my health guarantee if you are faithfully giving it to your puppy/dog.

   
   

3. Unless you are available to watch your puppy 24/7, I think that kennels are essential. They help with potty training and keeping your puppy safe. This is not a jail cell for your puppy, but their own, private safe space and cave, where they can relax and have some "alone time." This is healthy for them and for you, so that you can take care of essential tasks without feeling the need to supervise your puppy every minute. These are tools to be used at night, etc. not jail cells that your puppy spends the majority of the day inside. I ask all of my potential puppy families how many hours a puppy will be alone everyday, because it is not fair to a puppy to bring them into a home where they will spend the 8 hours of the day in a kennel while their family is at work/school. I do recommend helping to create a special cave for your puppy by providing a small bed and special chew toy that is safe to use without supervision. In a future blog post, I will discuss how to pick a kennel that grow with your puppy.

   
   

4. You can use items that you already have around the house as a food and water dish, but if you choose to do this, please sanitize those items well. As a side note, we use the same cleaners that veterinarians use for sanitizing our food dishes, kennels, etc. these are usually hydrogen peroxide based and safe for animals. We do run food and water dishes through the dishwasher on the sanitize setting frequently.

   
   

   I have tried many a water dish, and this one is hands down my absolute favorite water dish. We also have an automatic waterer outside so that if the dogs are playing outdoors, they always have a clean water supply.

   For food dishes, I prefer stainless steel ones with the non slip coating.
   

5. A collar and leash - you can choose which style and color you prefer. Some dogs do better with a harness than a normal collar.

   
   

6. Dewormer and diatomaceous earth - we deworm our puppies every 2 weeks, but let's face it, puppies are into everything and it is best to continue this protocol until your vet recommends. My vet has us use Panacur.

   
   

   Per my vet's recommendation, I also sprinkle a cup of diatomaceous earth into their food whenever I open a new 40 lb food bag. This is just a natural way to help reduce potential parasites.

Vet Appointment
Food - Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice All Life Stages Food
Nuvet Multi-vitamin
A Kennel sized appropriately for your puppy
A Food Dish and Water Bowl
A Collar and Leash
Dewormer