Your Ultimate Puppy Starter Kit | 7 Essentials You Must Have For Your New Puppy

Bringing home a new puppy is exciting, but it also comes with the responsibility of ensuring they have everything they need to thrive in their new life. Just like preparing for a new family member, creating a welcoming and nurturing space for your puppy involves first gathering the essentials. From creating a cozy sanctuary for naptime to ensuring they have the proper gear for walks and feeding, each item plays a crucial role in your puppy’s well-being and development. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the must-have essentials every new puppy owner needs to ensure your puppy’s journey into their home is filled with comfort, safety and love.

1. Crate/Kennel

A crate or kennel is one of the most helpful things you can get for your new puppy. Not only does it provide your puppy with a safe space to spend alone time (like a bedroom), but also allows you to take a break from your adorable (but exhausting) new friend. Using a crate gives you a massive headstart in housetraining as puppies naturally avoid soiling in living and sleeping areas as well as chewing by managing the items your puppy has access to.

The crate should only provide enough space for your puppy to stand up, turn around, and lay down. You can either purchase a small crate and upgrade as your puppy grows, or purchase a crate appropriate for your dog at their expected full-grown size. Small crates can be helpful as they can be moved around to different locations in the house for convenience. Purchasing a larger crate, however, will prevent you having to upgrade later down the line. Most crates come with a divider specifically for making the crate size adjustable to fit your growing puppy.

There is a huge variety of crate styles such as wire, soft-shelled, airline, and decorative. The best options for most people are either wire or airline style as they are readily available, affordable, durable, and easy to clean. Airline crates are more enclosed for safety and help your puppy feel secure, but they are also bulky and not very portable. Wire crates often collapse for easy transport, but are also more open air. Utilizing a blanket or sheet over the wire crate will help make it feel more enclosed. Choose the one that best suits your lifestyle.

2. Puppy Food

Selecting a high quality food is essential for your developing puppies health. Select a kibble that is designed specifically for puppies as the nutrient ratios and calorie requirements for puppies are different from those of adult dogs.

While you can homemake your puppy’s food (learn how here), it is much more convenient, and in many cases safer, to purchase a high quality kibble or dry food that is professionally designed to meet your puppies nutritional requirements.

When selecting a kibble for your puppy, stick with well established brands that have veterinary nutritionists on staff. Recommended brands are Purina Pro Plan, Hill’s Science Diet, and Royal Canin among others.

3. Leashes

A suitable leash for your puppy is not only helpful, but in many places required by law to bring your puppy in public. Even owners who train their dogs to be off-leash will need one with them in case of emergency.

Some puppies appear to already be trained to stick close to you when you first bring them home, but don’t be fooled! Young mammals naturally stick close to adults until they get to be old enough to venture into exploring their curiosities. For puppies, this is usually around 5-6 months old.

While there is no shortage of options when it comes to leashes, the classic 4-6 foot flat leash is still the best. Don’t be tricked by fancy mechanics and leashes that claim to let your dog have more freedom (*ahem* retractable leashes). These will not only break but give you absolutely zero control of your dog when you need it. Remember, you cannot out-purchase good training and clear communication.

In addition to the everyday short leash, a longer 30-50 foot leash is also useful for those owners who want to take their training to the next level. A long leash provides you the ability to give your dog the sense of freedom while still giving you some amount of control while in the off-leash training process.

4. Collar & I.D. tag

A good collar and I.D. tag are essential should your puppy ever get lost or wander too far from home. There’s a huge variety of color, styles, and materials when it comes to collars including nylon, leather, fabric, and rubber each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Avoid metal or tightening collars as these are not suited for everyday wear.

Fit of your puppy’s collar is important. Most collars are adjustable so purchase within a range. The number one mistake is having a collar that’s too loose that slips off easily. As a rule of thumb, a collar should be tight enough that you can comfortably fit two fingers underneath while your puppy is wearing it.

In addition to a collar, an I.D. tag is a vital part of your puppies safety. Style is up to you and your tastes, but make sure to include your dog’s name, your phone number, and even your address. Avoid big box stores that laser cut your information into the tag. Ordering online gives you many more options with machine etched wording. Laser etched tags rub off easily and fade over time.

As an alternative to an I.D. tag, many collars online come with a metal plate attached to the collar that has all your contact information. This prevents any noisy jingling from your puppy’s collar when they move around or scratch while you’re sleeping.

Microchips are also a good alternative to an I.D. tag; however, keep in mind that a microchip is not a gps tracker. In order for it to be useful, your puppy must be brought into a rescue or veterinary clinic and scanned. Microchip information also must be registered and regularly updated should you move or your phone number change. A large number of dogs are found every day with microchips that contain no or wrong information about the owner, rendering them useless.

5. Dog Bed

While not a necessity, a dog bed is highly recommended for your new puppy. A bed provides your puppy a safe and comfortable place to rest that belongs to just them. It offers better support for their growing bodies compared to hard floors, which can be uncomfortable and may even cause joint issues over time. Dog beds also help to keep your puppy warm, especially during colder months or if your home has tile or hardwood floors that tend to get chilly. Most dog beds are usually machine washable or come with removable, washable covers, making it easy to keep them clean and free of dirt, hair, and odors. This provides an alternative that is much easier to maintain than your furniture.

There is a huge variety of beds available, and the best idea is to try out several or take your puppy to the store with you to pick one out themselves. A few features to look for in a bed are walls to help your puppy feel secure and give them a place to lay their head, comfortable stuffing on the floor of the bed like memory foam or the similar, and soft materials that can be warm in the winter but not too hot in the summer.

6. Harness

Harnesses are essential for taking your dog out in public and on walks. They provide better control of your dog and reduce strain on their neck and trachea. They also prevent your dog from slipping out of their collar should they get scared or stressed.

There are several different types of harnesses each with their own uses. There’s pack harnesses with large storage pockets on the sides that you can use on hikes, safety harnesses with seat belts for riding in the car, tactical harnesses with handles to control or maneuver your puppy, and harnesses for everyday use on walks. Pick whichever ones are suitable to your lifestyle with your new dog.

Not all harnesses are created equal, however. For harnesses in everyday use, “no pull” is not a magic solution for loose leash walking. It is best to avoid harnesses that clip in the back as these will naturally encourage your dog to pull to go against applied pressure. Additionally, Y-shaped harnesses that go between your dog’s front legs should also be avoided as they will rotate when pressure is applied blocking your dog’s movement while they are walking.

The best choice for everyday use is the PetSafe Easy Walk harness. This harness clips in the front and goes across the chest allowing you to steer your dog much more fluidly while also discouraging any pulling. They are also a safer option as the front clip will take any pressure off your puppy’s trachea and instead put it on their neck and back muscles.

7. Food Bowl Kong & Water bowl

Now that we covered food, your puppy needs a way to eat it. While the normal inclination of new puppy owners is to feed their puppy out of a bowl, a chew toy like the classic Kong is a much better alternative. You can read more about how and why to use a Kong in “How To Use the BEST Kept Secret in Dog Training” but basically, feeding your dog through a hollow chew toy uses a technique called autoshaping during which you can train your dog to be quiet, calm, and above all happy while in the crate, bed, or just alone in general.

Truly, you should only feed your dog through a food bowl once they are perfectly behaved (in other words…never). As an alternative to feeding them with a chew toy, you could (and should!) also feed them by hand by using their food for training or by spreading their food loose on the floor of the kennel. You can also provide more mental stimulation by using puzzles, a snuffle ball, or even just by rolling the food in a towel. Your own imagination is the limit here.

Even though your puppy doesn’t need a bowl for food, it does need one for water. It’s recommended that you buy as big of a bowl as you are willing to fit in your puppy’s water area. It’s also beneficial for your puppy to buy one that has a stand to elevate the bowl while your puppy drinks, especially if your puppy is going to grow into a medium to large dog. Using an elevated bowl helps prevent health issues like bloat (gastric torsion) among others. Most elevated bowl stands are designed to fit two bowls, so look for a stand that can fit one large bowl.

To Summarize…

From the versatile crate that serves as a safe haven to the nutritious food that fuels their growth. These items are essential for any new puppy. Whether you’re navigating the pet store aisles or browsing online, understanding the significance of each item – including the crate, food, leash, collar and I.D., dog bed, harness, Kong, and water bowl – will allow you to provide the best possible care for your newest family member and best of friends.