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Getting a puppy can be exciting and overwhelming all at the same time.  I have included a checklist you can download to get the full list of things that will help you get through the puppy stage. 

In this article, I will give you a list of my top 5 most necessary items that I would consider detrimental to surviving a puppy.  

1.Treats, Treats and more treats!

I have a pouch that I carry around to make sure I always have a reward. And at the beginning, yes, I give a treat when my puppy does what is expected of her. Once they get older, you can go back and forth between giving a treat and praise only so they don’t know if they are going to get a treat or not. This prevents them from not listening when they know you don’t have a treat. I also act like a crazy person and yell “good girl!!” and hug and kiss her. Make it a show. All those quotes you read about dogs living their lives for you is true. So make it worth their while and be extra, to show that you appreciate them obeying and basically submitting to you. I recommend small treats so you aren’t overfilling them. You can also buy regular treats and break them up into smaller pieces. 

2. Kennel- BUY A KENNEL!

If you do nothing else, buy your puppy a kennel and kennel train them. This can be hard and tiring depending on your breed, but it will be better for you and it is a great way to ensure your puppy’s safety if you can’t watch them. Most dogs will not use the bathroom where they sleep so for kennel size, you should get a kennel that they can stand up in without their head touching the top and do a full circle comfortably. Any bigger than this while they are potty training and you risk sleeping on one side and peeing and pooping on the other side. You should never let your puppy out of the kennel while they are barking. This encourages them to bark to get out and for most people, I would assume that is an unwanted behavior. I use the kennel for bedtime, naptime and when you can’t watch your puppy. Always make sure to put your puppy outside to use the bathroom before leaving them in the cage. 

3. Leash and collar

A collar and a leash are great for getting your puppy used to walking around on a leash. Before 18 weeks of age, I am not taking my puppy for walks in the neighborhood; however, you can practice leash walking in your yard (as long as you have not had a sick puppy in the grass recently) and around the house. Around the house is perfect for potty training also because you get to know your puppy’s signals when they have to use the bathroom, and can get them out quickly as opposed to letting them run loose without supervision. I like this leash because it’s not longer than 6 feet which is great for keeping your puppy close and eventually safely controlling contact with other dogs.

4. Safe Toys

Toys are great for playing, mental stimulation and enrichment. Make sure your toys are not too small for your puppy because they can choke. Toys that you can fill with treats are great and are a good way to tire your puppy out when it’s hard to get outdoor playtime. Rope toys are great physical activity as well. My only advice is for behavior purposes, never let your puppy be the one to end the game of tug- of- war. You take the toy away at the end of the game. Here are some of my favorite toys.

For your squeaky toys lover- this moose toy is great. It’s durable for most normal chewers. My lab that eats tennis balls in 5.7 seconds flat took a while on it.

For enrichment- This stuffable feeder is better than the kong ones because its more open and easier tclean.

For “rough” playtime- These rope toys are durable. My girls have the same ones from their puppy days.

5. Vet Visit

Lastly, vet visits are sooo important! I cannot stress this enough. Your puppy should have vaccines at 8 weeks to start and then every 2-4 weeks for three to four more visits. You should never take your puppy out until 2 weeks after the 4th set up puppy vaccines and this is because it takes about 2 weeks for your puppy to be fully protected after that last vaccine. Your first visit will also include a check of your puppy’s stool to make sure we are clear of parasites and a good vet will also get your puppy started on flea and heartworm prevention as soon as they are big enough. These should be given for the life of your fur baby to prot