In this post, I’m going to tell you the 10 items you NEED before getting a puppy, speaking from my own personal experience! Having any pet is a big responsibility, but it is so incredibly fun and rewarding. Being a dog mom is my favorite thing in the world. Getting Bentley was a spur of the moment decision so I was extremely unprepared to bring her home. These are the things I purchased immediately or wish I would have.
#1 Food and Water Bowls + Placemat
The need for food and water is pretty widely understood but the bowls you put them in can really differ! There are so many cute and affordable options at TJ Maxx, Homegoods, and Amazon. However, my biggest suggestion is to avoid bowls that have the bone shape in the bottom, dogs tend to go crazy over that! Some puppies go crazy over food so you may want to try out the puzzle food bowls that keep the dog from eating too much at once. Otherwise, they could throw up from eating too fast! You definitely want to get a placemat for the pup’s bowls as well because food and water get all over the floor during meal time. We have wood floors and the water ended up staining our floor so the placemat was a game changer to keep our floors looking nice.
#2 Cute Collar and ID Tag
The collar is where you really get to show your personality as well as your dog’s! This was so much fun for me and I still buy Bentley new collars every so often because I love changing her “outfits.” I got Bentley a hot pink collar and a matching name tag when she was little. It had her name, my contact info, and a lot of rhinestones! This is so important because if she ever got lost, whoever found her could contact me to let me know where she is. This can be a key indicator that your dog isn’t a stray.
#3 Slip Lead
A slip lead is a type of leash that offers more control for your dog. It goes around the dog’s neck instead of clipping onto their collar. The slip lead gets tight when they pull, so it is a negative reinforcement. When they are walking next to you calmly, the lead is loose. This is a positive reinforcement for their good behavior. These leads are widely used by dog trainers and are highly effective for obedience drills, without hurting your dog. I think it is one of the most effective training methods that will last. There are so many training videos on Youtube that use them! I will link some later in this post.
#4 Poop Bag Holder + Hand Sanitizer
If you live in a neighborhood or urban area, this is a MUST. People go CRAZY in my neighborhood if you don’t pick up your dog’s poop. So, I always keep a poop bag dispenser on Bentley’s leash in case she has to go. Also, nobody wants to step in a big pile of poop while they’re out on the town, so it’s useful when I take her to restaurants or to the dog park. I always feel so gross after picking up Bentley’s poop so I also keep a mini hand sanitizer attached to her leash so I can clean my hands. This has been helpful during the pandemic too, in case I touch any door handles or other high-traffic items while we are out.
#5 Crate to Fit Your Dog’s Adult Size
The size of your dog when it is full grown should influence what crate you buy. It will look strange at first because your pup looks so small in there, but you will be thankful when they are fully grown! Most crates come with a divider so you can close a section off when they’re little. You will want to do this because puppies won’t pee where they sleep. But, if they have too much room in their crate, they will pee on one side and sleep on the other. This will teach them they can go in their crate, which is NOT ideal!!
#6 Bed to go Inside the Crate
A dog’s crate is their home! So make it comfy! I always add blankets and toys when I put Bentley in her crate so it feels more comfortable for her. But then, I found beds and crate mats that fit into the crate sizes perfectly!! So now, she has a really fluffy pillow in there and she sleeps on it throughout the day, even when she doesn’t have to go in there!
#7 Antlers
There has been lots of bad reviews about rawhide bones and dog health over the past several years. So, several dog owners are looking for other alternatives for their dogs to chew. I was one of those! I did some research and discovered that deer antlers are the absolute best thing your dog can chew on! They are so helpful for their teeth, lets them utilize their natural instincts (they hunt based on smell that is in the antler), and last for SUCH a long time. Bentley had her first one for over a year! So, contact your local country boy and have him find you a deer antler! If you don’t have a resident deer hunter close by, you can find elk antlers online and they are just as good!
#8 Training Treats
Training treats are small pieces that fit in a bag or in your pocket. These are great to use with puppies in their training sessions because you can give a quick reward without many calories. If they do something good, reward them with these treats because they can eat them quickly and stay focused on the training session. It is best to train your pup before they eat breakfast, after all, dogs are food motivated and they are more likely to do what it takes to earn a treat on an empty stomach, rather than after they eat a meal. You can carry training treats with you anywhere to reward good behavior on the go.
#9 A Training Plan
You can’t use training treats without a training plan!! I think this is so important from the very beginning because puppies pick up habits as soon as you bring them home. So, knowing how you want to train your dog BEFORE you get them is key. This is something I wish I had done with my dog, but with lots of training last summer, she’s shaped up to be a pretty good girl. There are tons of free resources out there and I’m linking the Youtube channel I used so you can try them out too! If you want to utilize a dog trainer, that’s totally fine, just make sure you take the time to learn their process so you can work on it at home. Training time is serious bonding time for you and your dog. You want to make sure you are spending the most time working with them out of anyone. The person who spends the most time training a dog usually has the most discipline and control with that dog.
Scottie Dennis has excellent YouTube videos on training dogs, specifically retrievers. I always find myself going back to his videos when we have something to work on.
#10 Patience and Love
Lastly, you need to have an extreme amount of patience and love for your dog. To me, they are one of the greatest gifts and I couldn’t imagine my life without Bentley now. However, the puppy stage is challenging. You just have to have patience and know that it takes time for them to learn and develop, just like it takes time to learn how to parent a puppy. You may catch yourself questioning your decision when you haven’t slept in days or when your pup pees on your bed, but remember to look into their beautiful eyes and see a spirit that loves you more than itself. Dogs are the greatest blessing, remember that!
