Essential Items For Your New Puppy

So it"s the big day: you"re finally getting a puppy! You will be welcoming a new member of the family into your house and it"s important that you have all the necessary things to make them feel right at home. There are several items which are essential to help your puppy settle in and these are listed below:
Crate
This is important for house breaking your puppy. It is the puppy"s own personal space and provides somewhere for them to go and feel safe. This means that you can put the puppy in the crate at night and he is less likely to urinate until you take him out again the next morning.
It is also good for giving you, the owner, peace of mind. If you need to go out for a bit, you can leave your puppy in his crate safe in the knowledge that he is not rampaging around the house or getting into fights with any other pets you might have.
Collar
Collars are a must for any dog. Not only are they the only way to attach a leash, but if your puppy gets lost they can help identify who he is and where he came from. Collars can be tricky with young puppies and it is important that you introduce them to their collar as soon as possible. They might only be comfortable wearing it for a few hours at first so try and be patient. Collars with bells or extra attachments that make a noise could scare the puppy so you could perhaps remove those to begin with.
It is worth considering buying an identity tag for your dog"s collar. Usually this would contain the dog"s name and your phone number so that if your puppy ever got lost, whoever finds him can contact you.
Leash
Leashes are very important for going out on walks. They are also very useful if you are trying to toilet train your puppy and don"t have a secure garden. There are many different types of leashes available so if you"re not sure which one will be right for your puppy it is worth getting some advice from a professional.
Food and water bowls
This might sound quite obvious but they are absolutely essential for making your puppy feel welcome! It is a good idea to find a permanent position for them before the puppy gets home. That way, he can start to get used to where things are in the house and won"t have to deal with unnecessary change while he is settling in.
Food
It is recommended that new puppy owners have food ready and waiting for their dog when he gets home. The kind of food you will need will depend on the dog"s age if you"re unsure about what to buy have a chat with your vet beforehand.
Bed
Even if you want to buy a crate for your puppy, giving him his own bed inside will help him feel more secure. If you can take a blanket or towel from the pet store or breeder that already has familiar smells on it this will be even better.
Dog-friendly cleaning spray
Assuming your dog isn"t house-broken, there will be accidents while you are training him. Even if he is, the stress of moving might make him more likely to mess inside the house in the first couple of weeks. Finding a dog-friendly cleaning spray is highly important. It can help to put newspaper down in his crate but you will still need the spray to get rid of the smell so he isn"t tempted to urinate there again.
Toys
Puppies are incredibly playful animals. In fact, most of what they will do during the first year or so is play or sleep. Giving him toys to play with as soon as you bring him home will make him feel more welcome and introduce him to the "pack", i.e. the rest of the family. Playing with your puppy is a great way of bonding with him.
Kongs are good toys as they can be filled with delicious treats and keep your puppy busy for hours! Soft toys are also good as they will not harm the puppy"s delicate mouth. However, be careful with toys that have stuffing and never buy playthings that have eyes or other bits that could fall off. Your puppy could choke on these and the consequences are potentially life-threatening. Keep checking your puppy"s toys regularly to make sure they are in good condition and your puppy should have a great time!