Preparing for Your New Puppy – the shopping list every new puppy owner needs
Bringing home a new puppy is incredibly exciting — but when you start looking at everything you could buy, it can feel a little overwhelming!
The good news is that you really don’t need to buy everything you see in the pet shop. Your puppy needs a few essentials, a safe place to rest, some appropriate things to chew and play with, and lots of patience while they learn about their new world.
Here are some of my recommended puppy essentials to help you get ready for those first few weeks.
Click the yellow text links to buy.
Creating a Safe Space
Play Pen
A play pen can be a really useful part of your puppy’s early days. I like to think of it as your puppy’s bedroom — a safe, comfortable area where they can relax, sleep and enjoy appropriate activities.
A play pen is particularly useful when you can’t give your puppy 100% supervision. Rather than allowing your puppy to wander around the house getting into mischief, you can give them a safe area containing their bed or crate, water and a few suitable toys.
It can also help with teaching your puppy that they don’t have to be constantly entertained or following you around.
Important: Always remove your puppy’s collar before leaving them in a crate or play pen, as collars can potentially become caught.
PVC Wipe-Clean Tablecloth
A wipe-clean tablecloth underneath your play pen can make puppy life considerably easier! Puppies are messy — accidents, water spills, food and muddy paws are all part of the fun.
A wipe-clean surface protects your flooring and makes those little accidents much easier to deal with.
Baby Gates
Baby gates are another fantastic management tool. They allow you to give your puppy access to parts of the house while still controlling where they can go.
Remember, management isn’t about restricting your puppy — it’s about setting them up for success.
Crate
To crate train or not to crate train, that is completely up to you. When shopping for a crate, don’t buy one that will fit your dog when they are fully grown, buy an appropriate size for your puppy. The puppy should have enough room to stretch out, stand up, turn around but not enough room to have their friends over for a puppy sleep over. Don’t forget the crate bed too. Link to buy: https://amzn.eu/d/0hU1Re8k
Crate Bed
Don’t forget something comfortable for your puppy to sleep on inside their crate. Check the measurements carefully before ordering.
Travel Crate
A fabric crate can be useful for car journeys or travelling once your puppy is comfortable with being in a crate.
Again, check the size carefully before purchasing.
A Separate Dog Bed
Even if you decide to crate train, I recommend having a second bed that your puppy can use when they are out of their pen.
I also love teaching puppies a “Go To Bed” cue. It’s a really useful skill that can help your puppy learn to settle while you are eating dinner, working, answering the door or simply getting on with things around the house.
When choosing a bed, think about your puppy, rather than just your home décor! It’s very tempting to choose something that looks lovely in the sitting room, but your puppy needs to find it comfortable too.
The linked bed is a medium size and should be suitable initially, but always check the measurements for your individual puppy.
Food and Water
Bowls
You don’t need anything complicated. A simple stainless-steel food bowl and water bowl are perfect.
Collar, Harness and Lead
Your puppy is going to be wearing equipment they may never have experienced before, so introduce everything gradually and positively.
I recommend starting with a lightweight collar and lead that is comfortable for your puppy.
A well-fitting harness is also an important piece of equipment for lead walking. Take your time introducing it and make sure your puppy is comfortable wearing it.
Collar & Lead Set: Link to buy
Harness: Link to buy
Don’t forget that puppies grow quickly, so check the fit of collars and harnesses regularly.
Toilet Training Essentials
Puppy Toilet Pads
Some owners find puppy pads useful during the early stages of toilet training, particularly where getting outside quickly isn’t always possible.
However, if possible, I recommend using them as a short-term management tool rather than relying on them long term. Your puppy will need plenty of opportunities to learn where you would like them to toilet.
Cleaning Solution
Accidents are inevitable when you bring home a puppy. Having a good cleaning product ready means you can deal with accidents quickly and effectively.
Poo Bags
You can never have too many poo bags!
Stock up before your puppy arrives and keep some in your coat pockets, training bag, car and near the door.
Toys
You don’t need to buy your puppy a whole toy shop — a small selection of different types is plenty.
I like providing toys with different textures, sounds and ways of interacting. This gives your puppy opportunities to explore different sensory experiences and discover what they enjoy.
Think about:
- Soft toys
- Different textures
- Toys that make different sounds
- Tug toys
- Balls
- Appropriate puppy chews
- Toys that can be stuffed with food
Always check the manufacturer’s age recommendations and supervise your puppy with toys and chews.
Regularly inspect toys and throw away anything that becomes damaged or could be dangerous.
Here are a few examples:
Remember: you absolutely do not need all of these! Choose a few different options and see what your puppy enjoys.
Chew Toys
Puppies explore the world with their mouths, and chewing is a perfectly normal part of puppy development.
Provide appropriate puppy-safe chews and always supervise your puppy with them.
Throw chews away as soon as they start to deteriorate.
Interactive Food Toys
Kongs, Toppls and Licki Mats
If I could recommend a few things that every puppy owner should have, interactive food toys would be high on my list.
Kongs, Toppls and Licki Mats can give your puppy something appropriate to do while also encouraging licking, chewing and problem-solving.
They can be particularly useful for:
- Keeping your puppy occupied
- Encouraging calm behaviour
- Creating positive associations with their pen or crate
- Helping puppies settle
- Making mealtimes more interesting
Remember to choose the appropriate size for your puppy and supervise them when using new products.
Puppy Grooming
Puppy Shampoo
At some point your puppy will find something absolutely disgusting to roll in. It’s practically guaranteed!
Choose a shampoo specifically designed for puppies. Human shampoo can be too harsh for a dog’s skin.
It’s also worth introducing grooming, handling and bathing gradually so these experiences become normal rather than something your puppy only experiences when they desperately need a bath.
Identification
Identification Tag
Your puppy should have an identification tag on their collar with the details required by law.
It’s a good idea to get this organised before your puppy comes home, so you’re ready from day one.
The Most Important Thing You Can Buy Your Puppy…
It isn’t a crate.
It isn’t a fancy bed.
It isn’t the latest interactive toy.
It’s time.
Your puppy is entering a completely new world. Everything is unfamiliar — their new home, new people, new smells, new sounds, new routines and eventually all the exciting things outside the home.
You don’t need to rush them through puppyhood.
Give them time to sleep, explore, watch, sniff and learn. Help them feel safe. Teach them the skills they’ll need for life, and remember that good puppy training isn’t about creating a perfect puppy — it’s about building a confident, optimistic dog and a relationship
that will last a lifetime.
And don’t forget: you don’t need to buy everything on this list. Start with the essentials, get to know your puppy, and then buy the things that genuinely help your puppy thrive.
Get in touch today
to find out how I can support you through the early stages of puppy ownership and help you build a calm, positive relationship with your dog.
A Final Reassurance
Right now, your puppy might feel like chaos on four legs. But this stage doesn’t last forever. With time, patience, and the right support, things get easier and if today feels hard that’s okay, it’s just part of the journey.
📸 Share Your Training Journey!
Tag @Happipup or use #TrainWithHappipup on Instagram to show off your progress. We love seeing our pups learn and grow with love!