What Supplies Are Needed for a New Puppy?

• Choosing a Food

  Puppy foods are higher in protein than adult dog foods, so it is important to make sure you get your puppy a quality puppy food. There are foods made for specific breeds, such as large breed puppy food and active breed puppy food. Another aspect of puppy food to consider is corn, soy, wheat and other fillers. These fillers are not a natural part of a puppy's diet and are hard for your puppy to digest, and a lot of dogs have allergies to them. Look for puppy foods that have good protein sources, such as chicken and chicken meal as the primary ingredients. Your puppy will need to eat three or four times a day, but you do not want to have food available at all times. DogTime recommends getting your puppy used to eating on a schedule by feeding her at set times throughout the day. Another good reason not to free feed is your dog should get used to you being there and handling her bowl and her food when she is fed. This will discourage her becoming protective of her bowl and aggressive around food. When choosing a puppy food, pick up some treats. Treats can be used to re-enforce good behavior and are a good tool in training. Pick something small and meaty for training purposes--small so the puppy does not fill up on them and meaty so they are a good lure to distract your puppy from bad behavior and toward good behavior. You can give her treats to create a good association with activities you are trying to socialize her to, such as her collar and leash, traveling in the car, going to the veterinarian and being handled.

• Grooming Supplies

  You will need grooming supplies for your puppy. For your puppy's coat, you will need a dog shampoo and a dog brush or comb. Start with a nice mild shampoo for your puppy. Your puppy's coat will need a regular brushing. Frequency of brushing depends on his coat, but every coat will need some brushing to be healthy. There are different brushes designed for different coats. For a puppy coat, you can start with a simple dog brush, but if your puppy will have a higher maintenance coat when he matures, you may have to also invest in an undercoat brush. A shedding blade is an efficient grooming tool for any coat and comes in different sizes. For your dog's nails, you will need trimmers. If your puppy's nails become too long, it can effect the way he walks and cause damage. You will also need a toothbrush and dog toothpaste for your puppy. Regular teeth brushing will keep your puppy's teeth healthy and keep his breath fresh. Regular brushing also prevents plaque and tartar from building up on your puppy's teeth and causing periodontal disease. Not only will grooming keep your puppy healthier but also it will teach your puppy how to be handled. One step in having a well-socialized dog is to handle your puppy frequently. Grooming will help accomplish this. A puppy who is regularly handled will be used to you touching his coat, paws and teeth and will not fight it when he is an adult dog.

• Other Considerations

  For the sake of socializing and training your puppy, some supplies you might consider are training halters, clickers, books and puppy socialization classes. Head collars, such as the Gentle Leader are training tools designed like horse harnesses. This head collar will keep your puppy more focused by directing her attention and keeping her from pulling. Chest harnesses, like the Easy Walk Harness, fit around your puppy's chest and attach to a leash at the front--unlike traditional harnesses in which the leash attaches at the top of the dog's back. These chest harnesses are also designed to keep your puppy from pulling on her leash. Clickers are re-enforcement tools. When you give your puppy a treat, you click the clicker, and with time, your puppy starts to associate the sound of the clicker with the treat. You can start substituting the clicker sound for the actual treat, which makes long-distance rewarding possible. Having a book or two on puppy development and socialization as well as puppy training is never a bad idea with a new puppy. Puppy socialization classes are classes designed to give your puppy a chance to meet other puppies, thereby getting her used to other dogs and preventing her from becoming a dog who will fight with other dogs. Most socialization classes also teach owners how to socialize their puppies by handling them and exposing them to new experiences in a positive way. These classes should also get owners and puppies started on the road to puppy training.

• Finally

  Always clean up after your puppy whether it is in your home, in your yard or at the park. To clean up after your messy new puppy, invest in a pooper scooper for the yard and a bottle of enzyme cleaner in case an accident occurs in your house. Enzyme cleaners neutralize the smell of urine, thereby keeping your puppy from re-using a spot where he had an accident. Picking up after your puppy in the yard and at the park will help stop the spread of parasites and bacterias found in puppy feces and will ensure that walking in the grass is a pleasant experience.

References & Resources

• Pet-Dog-Cat-Supply-Store
• Don't Shoot the Dog; Karen Pryor; 1999
• Training Halters and Harnesses
• Brushing Dog's Teeth with Electric Toothbrushes
• DogTime
• Training-Dogs Checklist