The key to bringing a puppy into your home is to think things through well before the big day.
Most people spend months preparing for the arrival of a new baby. They’re just as likely, however, to bring a baby dog home on a whim, without any preparation at all. Small wonder they find themselves playing catch-up for weeks, months, years, or even “getting rid of” the dog as they struggle to recover from the mistakes made in the pup’s formative months. The wise puppy-owner-to-be puts much thought into pre-puppy preparation.
There’s lots of puppy stuff you’ll need to make your puppy comfortable, happy, and successful as he learns to adapt to your alien environment. Here’s a short list to get you started:
Crate – facilitates housetraining and prevents puppy misbehavior.
Puppy pen/exercise pen – expands the “den” concept of a crate to a slightly larger area.
Tether – intended to temporarily restrain a dog for relatively short periods of time in your presence.
Collar, ID tag, leash, and harness
Seat belt – Use a restraint that fastens to your car’s seat belts and your dog’s harness (never a collar).
Clicker – use as a reward marker.
Treats – A clicker, of course, is nothing without an accompanying reward.
Long line – the long line is an ideal tool to help your dog learn to come reliably.
Kong toys – a chew-resistant (not chew-proof), rubber toy with a hollow center.
Balls, interactive toys, fetch toys.
Grooming tools – Choose combs and brushes appropriate for your dog’s type of coat.
House cleaning tools
For more details and advice on pre-puppy prepartion, purchase Whole Dog Journal’s ebook, Puppy Basics.
