If anything good has come out of the year 2020, it’s that many families finally had the time to add a fur baby to their families due to decreased vacations & more time working from home. I brought home my first puppy this year & want to share the items you ACTUALLY need to be prepared to welcome home this new member of your family & make your transition to “Pawrents” easier.
Are you ready to be a “Pawrent”??
Before deciding to adopt a dog, make sure your lifestyle, schedule & budget can accommodate it. You don’t want to bring home a lovable puppy, only to find out that you can’t afford it or are too busy to give it the time & attention it deserves. Having to re-home a puppy after getting attached could be heartbreaking; especially if you have children; so be sure to be honest with yourself about if you can realistically handle the responsibility of a puppy.
Are Dogs expensive?
Many people don’t think that dogs are expensive (especially if you adopt from a local shelter), but even if you’re not spending thousands of dollars on a pure-bred dog from a breeder, dogs still can get expensive in their daily needs & bills. Some of the costs that are associated with having a dog are:
- Dog Food & Treats
- Veterinarian Bills ( I highly recommend getting pet-insurance, I’ll elaborate later in this post)
- Grooming (depending on the breed, this can be expensive)
- Dog Walker or Doggie Day Care (if you don’t work from home)
Is pet insurance worth it?
I did a lot of research on pet insurance before bringing my puppy home. Most pet insurances cost about $25-$50/month based on the plan you get. Many pet insurance companies don’t cover pre-existing conditions, so it is best to get your pet insured as young as possible to prevent paying high vet bills if your dog is hurt or gets sick. Puppies especially have a way of getting into trouble & can easily run up a vet bill for tests and procedures. Some people opt to make a savings account for pet related costs, but after hearing stories of friends who had veterinarian bills that were thousands of dollars, I decided that pet insurance was the best choice for us. I opted for a plan that includes “wellness checks” so annual vaccines and check ups are covered as well.
What do I need to have for my puppy when I bring it home?
Just like a baby, it’s so easy to be sold on every fun item you see at the pet store or online for your fur-baby. But to save you some money & stress, these are the items that I felt were MUST HAVES when I brought home my dog:
- An appropriately sized dog crate: I was never a fan of the idea of dog crates, but after doing a lot of research, it seemed that this was the best way to get a puppy trained quickly & also give them a “safe space” within their new home. Crates aren’t very expensive, I ordered this one which was under $20.
- A Cozy Dog Bed: When I purchased my dogs bed, it was honestly because I thought it was cute because it was furry… but when she came in the house and found her bed she was so happy in it. I actually bought a second one so I leave one in her crate, and one where she likes to sleep during the day.
- A Snuggle Pup: The Snuggle Pup is a stuffed animal that has a sound box inside that has a heartbeat sound. Put this in your pups crate at night to calm them down (it sounds like their moms heartbeat) & keep them from crying while transitioning to sleeping in their crate in their “New home”. I made sure to have this on hand before bringing my dog home, and she never had a night where she cried while in her crate. This is probably the best $40 I spent in preparation of bringing my puppy home.
- Bully Sticks: I will warn you now, these dog treats STINK (& they’re literally made of a Bulls private parts), but dogs LOVE them. The trade off of the stinky and odd dog treat is that dogs will learn to chew this and not acquire bad habits of eating your shoes, trim on the walls, carpet, or other items that you don’t want to be ruined.
- Training Bells: You want to start potty training your dog the day you bring it home. I ordered these inexpensive bells to hang on our door handle to teach our pup to ring the bell when she needs to go potty. Starting the day I got her, I would tap her nose on the bells before taking her outside to relieve herself. Within a week she caught on and would ring the bell if she wanted to go out & she had very few accidents in the house… I attribute it to the bell training. She is now 6 months old and has mastered the art of ringing the bell to let us know she wants to go out.
- A Dog Carseat: This is something many people overlook, but even if you’re not taking your dog for joy rides, you will have to bring them to places like the vet or groomer. Having them sit on your lap when you drive can be unsafe for both you and the dog. I tried a few carseats when I got Paisley, but this one was the easiest to put in the car & take out, & also lets the dog look out the window & attaches to their harness to keep them in place if you stop short.
- Toys: I might have purchased too many toys for my pup, but 2 or 3 is more than enough to keep a new dog entertained. Think squeaky toys & balls. These are some of my pups favorite toys:
- Waste Bags & Dispenser: You don’t want to be unprepared if your dog leaves a little surprise on one of your neighbors lawns… so having waste bags readily available in a dispenser on your leash is the best way to prevent being rude & not picking up after your dog.
- Stain & Odor Eliminator: Your new pet will DEFINITELY have some accidents while getting used to their new home. it’s best to be prepared with a product that will deter them from having an accident in the same spot again while also keeping your home clean.
Checklist of other items you will need when your pup comes home:
- A collar (be sure to order the correct size. If you are taking home a small puppy, you might want to purchase a small sized cat collar instead of a dog collar)
- A harness: Again, with a small puppy, you might want to purchase a more affordable cat harness to use until your puppy grows a little bit.
- ID Tag: I made sure to have an ID Tag ready on a collar before I got my puppy so that I could put it on her right away. If you are waiting to name your pup until you get them, maybe consider getting a more affordable tag with your contact information just in case.
- Leash: Don’t forget a leash so you can walk your pup!
- Food & Water Bowls: I found some cute bowls at Target, but you can pick whatever style dog bowl fits your home decor or budget. You can also find a bunch of options at TJ maxx, Marshalls, & other stores.
- Dog Food: If getting a puppy from a breeder, it’s best to start off with the food that your dog was eating there, and then ease them into the brand of food you wish to feed them regularly.
- Training Treats: Make sure you have healthy dog treats available that you can use for teaching tricks and rewarding your pup for doing good things (like going potty outside!)
- Blanket: I bought a cozy sherpa throw blanket at TJ Maxx to use as the dogs blanket so she had something else to snuggle in.
- Misc. Items that I found useful: medicated ear wipes, doggie boots & jacket for cold weather, brush & grooming kit.
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What I bought & wasn’t impressed with…
I went a little crazy purchasing everything I could find for my pup, but there were some things that were unnecessary, so I’m going to share them so you don’t waste your money as well!
- Bitter Apple Spray: For some reason my dog LIKED the taste of this stuff… I don’t know how because I actually tasted it and it was AWFUL. Some people do swear by it, but for me, it was a waste of money.
- Wee-Wee pads & Holder: I initially thought I would use these, but decided that I didn’t want to confuse my dog that she can go potty inside. I think this is why we were able to get her housebroken so quickly. In my opinion, if you are able to avoid using wee-wee pads you will make potty training (and your life) a lot easier in the long run.
Is there any thing I forgot on these lists? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: This Blog post is not sponsored, but does contain affiliated links for which I can earn a small commission for. There is no extra cost to you for shopping through these links. I do appreciate it when you use my links to shop because it helps cover the costs associated with maintaining this blog.
