What Supplies Do Puppies Need?

Bringing a new puppy home can be an exciting and memorable event. Being prepared in advance can help to ensure that your puppy has all of the supplies necessary to begin its new life with you. Do your shopping in ahead of time so that you can have everything set up and in place for your new pet’s arrival.

  1. Food

    • Treats should be given to your puppy occasionally.

      Purchase a specially formulated dry food for your puppy, as well as several cans of wet puppy food to feed sparingly. High-quality puppy foods contain bone meal, vitamins, minerals and proteins, and they are designed to be nutritious and easy on a puppy's developing stomach. Ask your veterinarian or breeder for recommendations. Puppies eat two to three times per day and should be given access to fresh water at all times, so purchase both water and food dishes as well. You can also purchase treats for your puppy, as long as they are formulate for puppies and are not too hard for their sensitive, developing teeth.

    Bedding

    • Your puppy needs a secure, safe place to sleep.

      Your puppy will likely miss its mother and siblings for the first few days, and providing a soft, warm place for them to sleep will help with this transition. If you are planning to use a crate, purchase a crate and a soft cushion for your puppy to use beginning on its first night home. You should also purchase a soft-sided sleep bed and a small blanket. Soft, waterproof, washable cushions, blankets, beds and removable covers that are easy to clean help to keep a puppy's sleeping area sanitary, comfortable and flea free. Some puppies benefit from burrowing puppy beds with a top to surround the puppy in layers of warmth as they sleep. Other puppies, particularly those who are not accustomed to warm climates, do well with waterbed puppy mattresses.

    Training and Hygiene

    • Housebreaking a puppy takes time and patience.

      Puppy pads for housebreaking are essential for the new puppy owner. Like diapers for human babies, puppy pads are absorbent, leak free and provide a soft and comfortable surface on which your puppy can relieve itself. Some puppy pads are also washable and reusable, making them eco-friendly as well. A brush or a comb, toenail clippers, and puppy shampoo and conditioner as well as a soft absorbent bath towel are also grooming must-haves. To keep your puppy from chewing on your furniture, purchase a bitter apple or other discouraging but harmless spray.

    Play and Excercise

    • Puppies require stimulation and activity.

      Most puppies are too young to walk on a leash at first, but purchasing one in advance, along with a collar with proper identification tags, will help to make trips to the veterinarian and other excursions safer for your puppy. Balls, chewy toys and other small dog toys will help to keep your puppy active and allow you to bond with them through play. Durable but soft rubber balls and toys that are designed to be filled with treats are good choices. For puppies that tend to become attached to their toys, small, soft stuffed animals can provide them with a feeling of security.