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You’re getting a puppy!!!
Congratulations!!
You’re about to be in for the most fun, hectic, sweet, joyful ride of your life.
But before you bring them home, you’re going to want to get a few things to make them feel safe and comfortable, and make life easy for both of you.
Below is a list of everything you’ll need for your new puppy broken down into categories, as well as links to get these items.
Here’s a preview of the categories:
Puppy Basics
In this first group are things you’ll absolutely need for your new puppy.
Food & Water Bowls
The food bowl will likely be your new puppy’s favorite item.
Check them out on Amazon here.
Collar
Most puppies will require a size small collar.
Leash
And a quick note on retractable leashes: at this point, your puppy will be so small that the retractable leash will probably hold them back, so go with a regular leash like this one.
Harness
Since puppies are still developing physically, and they likely don’t know how to walk on a leash without pulling, a harness like this can keep their neck and throat safe.
Puppy Toys
Perhaps the one thing your puppy will like more than food are toys!
In addition to the fact that your puppy will love to play with their toys, they have very important roles.
Interactive toys, like a ball or tug toy, can help you build a bond with your puppy.
And chew toys, like the Nylabone keys mentioned below, can make sure your puppy is chewing on something they’re supposed to be chewing on (and not your shoes).
To read more about the types of dog toys, check out this article.
Chew Toys
This was by far our puppy Oliver’s favorite toy as a puppy and is perfect for teething puppies.
Plush Toys
This is a plush, squeaky donut that your puppy will love running around the house with.
This one in particular is one of the plus toys we’ve found to be most durable.
Dental Toys
Dental toys help clean your puppy’s teeth and massage their sensitive gums as they go through the teething process.
Interactive Toys
Interactive toys, like ropes, balls, frisbees, etc. allow you to play and bond with your puppy, and are great for teaching or reinforcing commands like drop it, sit and stay.
Puzzle Toys
Puzzle toys, like this Kong toy, will be your best friend.
Put some wet food in the Kong, freeze it, and then give it to your puppy.
This will help with things like crate training and getting rid of pent-up mental energy.
Puppy Training Supplies
Training a puppy is one of the best things you can do to set them up for success later in life.
Below is a list of all the things you’ll want to help you train your pup.
Treats
Small treats like these Zuke’s Minis are perfect for training since they’re low in calories and your puppy will love them.
Oliver has loved the chicken, rabbit, and peanut butter and oats recipes so far, although I think he would love them all if he had a chance to try them.
Long Leash
Long leashes, also known as long leads, are great for adding distance to your training and working on things like recall.
Get this leash from Amazon here.
Click here to learn more about training your golden retriever puppy.
Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook
Getting everything from this list will help you physically prepare for your puppy, but you will also need to mentally prepare for your puppy.
This book will help you know exactly what to do before you bring your puppy home, how to handle the first month (which is the hardest month!), and how to manage the common problem behaviors you’re likely to run into.
Get the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook here.
Housing & Confinement
When you first get a new puppy, you don’t want to give them full access to the house.
Here are a few reasons why:
- They’re in a completely new environment, and the bigger it is, the more overwhelming it can seem. If they’re just kept to a small area, like the kitchen or family room, they can get comfortable quicker than if they had full access to the entire home.
- The more access they have to to the home, the more you need to puppy-proof your home. Puppy-proofing mistakes can be deadly (if your puppy swallows chemicals or socks) and/or expensive (if your puppy chews up your shoes or furniture).
- Stairs can be bad for developing puppies’ joints and dangerous if they fall down them.
- Confinement can not only keep puppies in, but also keep other animals like the cat or dog away from the puppy while they’re getting used to their new home and family members.
If your puppy is not confined, you need to keep an eye on them at all times otherwise they can have accidents or get into things they’re not supposed to.
Now that you see the value in confining your puppy to designated areas, here are some tools to help you with that.
Crate
We recommend this one because it has a divider, which will help your small puppy feel comfortable in it (and help ensure she doesn’t pee in it), and can be broken down quickly.
Do some research on your breed to see what the best size for them is.
For reference, we got our golden retriever the 42-inch crate.
Bed
Make sure that whatever size crate you get, you get the same size bed.
You can check this bed out on Amazon here.
Baby Gate
Baby gates are perfect for restricting access to rooms and/or stairs.
Get this baby gate from Amazon here.
Exercise Pen
Exercise pens are great for confining your puppy to a smaller area while giving them more space to run around in than a crate.
Get this exercise pen from Amazon here.
Puppy Grooming Tools
These next few items are for grooming your puppy.
It’s key to start grooming your puppy early on so that they get used to it as an adult.
Dog Tooth Brush & Tooth Paste
Even though your puppy will lose their baby teeth soon, you’ll want to get them used to getting their teeth brushed so that they don’t mind it as they get older.
Get this toothbrush and toothpaste kit from Amazon here.
Nail Clippers
You’ll be surprised at how sharp your puppy’s nails are.
Check these clippers out on Amazon.
Brush
Most dogs need to be brushed often.
Like the other grooming items in this list, it’s best to get them used to it early.
Check this brush out on Amazon here.
Puppy Shampoo
Make sure to get a shampoo that’s safe for puppies.
Check out this shampoo on Amazon here.
Miscellaneous Puppy Items
These next few items don’t really fit into any of the other categories, but are important nonetheless.
Car Harness
The best way to travel with your puppy will be with them in a car harness or in a crate.
Check this harness out on Amazon here.
Pee Cleaner
You’ll most likely be using this item a lot.
It’s important to use a cleaner that removes odors because if your puppy smells his pee on the carpet, he’ll keep going in the same spot.
Poop Bags
We mostly use plastic bags from the grocery store, but the bag dispenser in this pack has been convenient for when we’re on the go, plus sometimes the grocery store bags have holes in them, and you don’t want to end up with a chocolate-covered finger.
Check these out on Amazon here.
Food Storage Container
This is great for keeping food fresh and in a convenient place (plus keeping the dog food smell in).
Since we get the 30-pound bag of food, we get this container that holds 40 pounds of food.
Check out the storage container on Amazon here.
Conclusion
It’s best to get these items before you bring your puppy home so that everything can be ready for them as they settle into their new home, but if you already have your puppy, you’ll still want to get them as soon as possible.
Have any questions about what you’ll need for a new puppy?
Let us know in the comments below!
P.S. To give your puppy the best chance at growing up into the best dog they can be, check out the Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook.
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Hey Jake!What food do recomend for my 8 week old puppy when he is older?
I have seen a couple of different reasons as to when to spay your pup. One states wait til after 1st heat ( usually after 6 mo’s) another says to do it before 1st heat ( by or at 6 mo’s) to reduce risk of mammoth glands. What age is best?
Hey Ann Marie, check out this article about the effects or early neutering and spaying for golden retrievers: https://www.purinaproclub.com/resources/dog-articles/health/study-evaluates-the-effects-of-early-neutering-and-spaying-in-golden-retrievers
It essentially says wait until after the 1st heat.