Shopping List For a New Puppy
My Vizsla, Cash, just sired his first litter and the puppies will be going home in early January. They are in Vancouver, BC, so I won’t get to see them but I’m sending them some of my usual new puppy tips plus a shopping list!
Cash and Tiaga puppies at two weeks. Notice the one boy on his back surrounded by girls? Just like his daddy!
Is anyone in your life expecting a new puppy? Here are some of my top recommendations for new puppy owners. These also make a great “Puppy Shower” gift basket! You can find most of these on the store page of my website.
Toys: This is the fun part! Go ahead and get that great stuffed animal that makes everyone laugh. I love the super long ones with a bungee in the middle. These keep puppy teeth at one end and children’s fingers at the other. And then we have the super important practical stuff for puppy to chew on: a puppy sized Kong toy, a Nylabone Just For Puppies, a small elk antler, dried beef tendons etc.
Clean up supplies: Nature’s Miracle Enzymatic Cleaner is a must! You are going to need lots of this so just go for the gallon with the motorized squirter. If you are making a gift basket, poop bag are always a good gag gift!
A New Puppy Basket sent home by breeder Lindsay Fetters with her most recent litter
For wee wee pad training small breeds, I love the “Puppy Apartment” sold online by Modern Puppies.
Books: I like to send new puppy owners home with a copy of Sophia Yin’s “Perfect Puppy in Seven Days.” It’s a great introduction to the idea of setting up puppies for success rather than waiting for them to make mistakes and punishing them.
Treats: Wellness Soft Puppy Bites are easy to find and break up nicely into tiny pieces without crumbling. I also like to include some high end grain free treats like Vital Essentials Beef Nibs or Yummy Chummies Grain Free.
Leashes and Collars: I leave these out if I’m making a gift basket because I think this is one thing new puppy owners want to buy for themselves. Please do check for secure closures. I’m seeing more leashes and collars with cheap clasps that don’t hold or are easily detached.
Tags: Brand new puppies need I.D. right away! Personally, I love flat collar tags. They don’t make noise and they don’t get hung up in crates, the gaps between the boards on your deck etc. Boomerang makes tags that will fit on different collar styles. This is a very thoughtful thing to add to a friend’s puppy basket. If you are in a hurry, you can print out a tag at one of the pet superstores.
Crate Pad: You don’t want to buy a nice dog bed yet. Trust me, it will get peed on and chewed up! What you do want are at least two flat, washable crate pads. The smoother it is and the less edges (raised parts etc) it has, the less interesting it will be to chew on. I don’t suggest using a towels or woven blankets because if chewed on they create long threads which can cause an obstruction if swallowed.
Have fun shopping! You could make a similar basket for a friend with a new adult rescue dog. If you put together a cute new puppy/dog basket, be sure to share it with us at the On Good Behavior Facebook page!
You’ll know you’ve got your timing down when your conversation with your dog goes from “What did you do?!!!” to “Don’t even think about it!
