Bringing Home Puppy

Bringing home a puppy for the first time can be daunting! We’re here to ease some of that stress. We’ve compiled a list of supplies that can help you transition your puppy into your home. 

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Picking Up Your Puppy:

Getting Prepared

Feeling nervous? That’s totally normal! It never hurts to do a little investigating before embarking on a new journey. For that matter, there are a few books we recommend new puppy parents peruse to set them up for success. These are: The Puppy Primer and Puppy Socialization: What It Is and How To Do It and Meet Your Dog: The Game-Changing Guide to Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior

Setting Them Up for Success

First things first. We recommend popping an Adaptil collar onto your puppy as soon as you get them in your arms. We also recommend putting an Adaptil plug-in into an outlet in the area your puppy will be spending the most time in. This has been researched and supported for use in helping puppies acclimatize to their new home during the first month they are there. Make sure it is sitting snuggly on their neck as their body heat helps emit the soothing synthetic pheromone that it is impregnated with. 

Safety First

Next, you’ll want a collar, leash, and harness set up for your puppy. Throughout the trip, you may need to offer them potty options, and depending on where you are you might want to have a failsafe to avoid puppy exploring unwanted areas.  We recommend a martingale collar, the petite size usually fits most small puppies. This collar tightens so that it can’t slip over the puppy's head but not enough to constrict their neck. For teeny pups, we recommend the Coastal X-Small Standard Adjustable Harness or the Zee. Dog H- Harness. For larger pups, we love the PetSafe 3 in 1 or the Freedom Harness. Make sure to read the sizing charts when purchasing collars and harnesses for your new pup. When in doubt, you can always purchase a few size options and then return whichever you don’t use. For a leash, we recommend the simple PetSafe Nylon 6 ft option to get you started.

Traveling in Style

For travel, you will need a carrier to safely transport your puppy from the breeder or rescue to their new home. We recommend the airline-approved Sherpa bag in case you will be flying. Bring extra Wee Wee Pads to use throughout travel, as you don’t want to be setting your puppy down in a highly trafficked area. It’s also a good idea to pack Fragrance-Free Wipes in case your puppy has an accident during the trip. Don’t purchase scented wipes as puppies are super sensitive to smells. Poop bags will also be helpful in cleaning up any messes. Bring a soft toy like Lambchop and a hard Puppy Chew Toy in case your puppy needs something to nibble on but don’t worry about feeding them too much unless you have a long travel day. Their stomach is probably going to be a bit sensitive due to the stress of transitioning. Do bring a Collapsible Water Bowl to offer your puppy water throughout the trip.

Setting Your Puppy Up In Its New Home

Once you have made it from point A to point B with your pup, it’s time to get settled in. Puppies need to have their own spaces to unwind and rest as well as space to play safely and engage in their new environment. We recommend that your puppy have a place to sleep such as a MidWest wire crate or the Diggs Revol Crate. Make sure to check the size chart for these. Your puppy should be able to grow into the crate, so there should be plenty of space for them to move about. You can also purchase a Crate Cover to give your puppy more security when in the crate. For added comfort, you can place a Snuggle Puppy or Aromadog Fleece Toy in the crate with your puppy to help them settle. Your puppy may also get thirsty in the crate so you might want to pick up the Midwest Snap’y Fit Crate Bowl so they always have access to water. For bedding, we recommend using old towels or a designated Blanket. You want to use easily washable bedding at least until the puppy is more reliable with their bathroom habits. When the puppy does have an accident be sure to wash the bedding and clean the area with Nature’s Miracle enzymatic cleaner. 

Management Strategies

When not asleep your puppy will also need a safe place to play and hang out. We recommend using a Foldable Metal Playpen or a Plastic Playpen as a movable containment option. You can also use a Walk Thru Babygate or a Freestanding Dog Gate that can be moved around as necessary. 

Engage Their Brain

Lastly, you’ll need some stuff to keep your dog occupied when they’re enjoying a little quiet time in the crate or pen. We like to use food-based enrichment items that engage your dog’s brain and help them destress and settle. We encourage you to feed your dog all of their meals out of work-to-eat (WTE) toys. If you are feeding your dog dry kibble the Paw 5 Snuffle Mat or the Bob-a-Lot are great options for encouraging natural foraging behaviors. If your dog enjoys wet food we love stuffing the Toppl or Kong. Fun Feeders and Lickimats are also great for increasing brain engagement during mealtime.

Chew It Out

We also love to give our dogs long-lasting chews to keep them occupied. These are especially helpful for puppies when they start teething! Our go-to options are Bully Sticks given in a Qwizl holder or Himalayan bones given in a Bonehead holder. You want to make sure to use a holder to avoid your puppy ingesting the small ends of the chew. These chews should always be given to puppies with supervision. For less long-lasting chews we recommend Whimzees, Teething Rings, or No-Hide Stix.

Reinforcement Drives Behavior

You might want to grab some treats as well to begin rewarding your puppy for good behavior such as pottying outside. For medium-value treats, we like meaty, smelly options. Crumps’ Naturals are a great bite-sized option for when you want small-sized treats. We love treats made from single protein sources like the Vital Essentials Nibs and treats that are mostly mess-free like the Ziwi Peaks. You can also fill the Brezza Food Storage Pouches or these Squeezable Silicone Travel Bottles with peanut butter for easily dispensed licks of treats.

Miscellaneous Puppy Stuff

When Life Gets Messy

Life happens and puppies are messy. Whenever your puppy needs a light bath we recommend using a gentle product such as Earthbath Puppy Shampoo. You should also do your best to brush your puppy daily to avoid them developing matted hair. The Hertzko Pin Brush has coated tips that protect your puppy’s sensitive skin when brushing. Grooming is a perfect time to deliver PB to your puppy via their LickiMat to build a positive association with the whole process!