New Puppy Checklist | Everything You Need for Your New Puppy

Congratulations on your new puppy!

Welcoming your newest family member into your home can be an exciting time! But it can also be overwhelming.

If it's been a while since you've raised a puppy—or maybe it's your first time with a puppy as an adult—it can be difficult to remember everything you need.

Don't worry, we have you covered.

The following checklist covers everything you need to buy your new puppy, so you can start your new relationship off on the right paw (see what we did there?).

At the end of the post, we've included a link to a downloadable PDF of the checklist. That way, you can print it out and take it to the pet store with you.

Let's jump right into the checklist.

Basics

☐ Healthy food

Acana, Orijen, Nulo, NutriSource

To help with house training, feed your new puppy on a set schedule. Water should be freely available.

☐ Water and food bowls

☐ Collapsable water bowl

To take on outdoor adventures, long car rides, or to puppy class.

☐ Pee pad

☐ 6 ft leash

☐ Buckle collar

☐ Harness

Ruffwear, Balance Harness

☐ Poop bags and holder

☐ Basic first aid kit

☐ Bed

Puppies need 18-20 hours of sleep a day. So, make sure you don’t disturb them while they’re snoozing or you'll have a grumpy puppy.

☐ Crate

Think of your puppy's crate as their safe space where they can get away from the chaos of other pets or children.

Enrichment

Mental enrichment is as important as physical exercise. Ensuring that your puppy has the appropriate mental stimulation will help prevent unwanted behaviors—like excessive barking, chewing, and play biting—from becoming problems.

☐ Squeaky toys

Start to teach your puppy to nicely give back their toy by trading it for their favorite treat.

☐ Puzzle or interactive toys

West Paw, Outward Hound, snuffle mat (or make a DIY snuffle mat!)

☐ Chews

Digestible (bully sticks, Himalayan cheese chews, No-Hide)

Non-digestible (West Paw, Playology, DIY chew of a washcloth soaked in reduced-sodium chicken broth and frozen)

Puppies need to chew: they not only explore the world with their mouths, but they may be teething. To keep your pup from chewing on your slippers, provide appropriate chews and rotate them to keep them fun!

☐ Lick mat and spreadable treats

Training Tools

☐ Treat pouch

☐ Training treats (pea-sized)

Lotus, Tricky Trainers, On Cue Training Treats

You can also use your puppy's kibble as training treats.

Focus on rewarding your puppy for what they do right to encourage good behavior.

☐ High-value food

West Paw, Open Farm

☐ Clicker

Grooming

☐ Toothbrush

☐ Toothpaste

☐ Nail clippers

Before you clip your puppy’s nails, gently manipulate their paws to get them used to handling.

☐ Brush

☐ Shampoo (optional)

Download the new puppy parent checklist here.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. We hope this has helped make you feel a little less overwhelmed. Of course, you don't need to buy every single thing on this checklist all at once. You may choose to wait to buy grooming tools until your puppy is a little older (practicing getting your puppy used to handling in the meantime).

And, once again, congratulations!