<p>I will be bringing a new puppy home next month and coincidentally just received a 10% off coupon from Petco. The discount is good on the total purchase, so I thought I’d try to pick up everything I’ll need to get started. Would anyone be willing to help me with a list? So far I have-- collar and leash (what kind?), bed (ditto), toys, food (will check with breeder). What am I forgetting?</p>
<p>i hope you didn’t get the puppy from petco</p>
<p>If you are going to crate train–get a crate that will be ok as the puppy grows.</p>
<p>when we got our lab from a breeder- we bought a crate for training ( and some dogs like sleeping in)
a bed- bought the food the breeder recommended- bowls- several books <a href=“http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/[/url]”>http://www.dogsbestfriend.com/</a>
we also soon bought bitter apple ( didn’twork)
many kinds of chewing things- some she liked some she didn’t
a lot depends on the breed of dog
you wouldn’t buy a crate of tennis balls for a papillion for instance.</p>
<p>a good vet. a puppy training class.</p>
<p>Crate, a couple of toys, the food that the breeder has been feeding, treats, food and water bowls, a puppy kong, bitter apple spray, a brush, a bed or old blankets/towels to put in the crate (personally wouldn’t buy an expensive puppy bed because they will outgrow it quickly or chew it to pieces!), the book The Dog Whisperer, and lots and LOTS of paper towels! Good luck!</p>
<p>A cheap collar- the puppy may outgrow the first one, pooper scooper, Natures Miracle stain and odor remover, some dogs like some type of padding for crate, variety of chew toys, doggie treats, id tag, brush/comb, bitter apple anti chew spray. Food- but not necessarily a lot of one kind- puppy may like one brand better than another. What kind of puppy is it? Also, to the poster who expressed concern about getting a puppy from petco. I don’t think they sell dogs. In our area they have dogs from shelters that they have available on certain days but I don’t think they have puppy mill type puppies.</p>
<p>We just got a puppy last week. We had a lot of stuff from our previous dogs, but this is what I suggest you get or perhaps borrow:</p>
<p>Book: How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With, by Rutherford and Neil, available from Amazon.com or local bookstores can get it in a few days. I am sure there are other books that are just as good.</p>
<p>Crate: I have always crate-trained my dogs and have found that this works well for us. I have a crate that will accommodate my dog at her full size. Then I make it smaller while the dog is a puppy by putting boxes in the back and hanging a towel from the top of the wire crate to cover up the boxes. As the dog gets bigger, you can remove boxes and make the size larger.</p>
<p>We have a crate downstairs in our kitchen area so the dog can be crated where we spend most of our time. They are social and want to know that you are there, especially for a new puppy that is leaving litter-mates and a mother behind.</p>
<p>I also borrowed a second crate for upstairs, so that the dog can sleep in our room. After she was reliably housebroken, we took the bedroom crate away. One of our dogs continued to like to go into the crate and sleep, so we always kept the crate around for her (moving it out of the kitchen to the mudroom area). My second dog hated the crate so we didn’t leave a crate around for him. </p>
<p>One dog liked the rug feel on the bottom, so I used a bathmat (or can use a piece of carpeting) on the floor. My new puppy prefers the plastic crate floor because it is cooler than carpeting. </p>
<p>Dishes: you will need a water dish and a food dish.</p>
<p>Food: You should get food for the puppy ahead of time. Find out from the breeder what the puppy is getting. Buy a small bag because your vet may recommend a different type of food and they you will have to transition the dog to the new food by slowing adding more and more of the new food.</p>
<p>Collar and leash. The nylon ones are inexpensive. I got a small one for the puppy that adjusts, but I know that eventually she will need a larger one. For the full sized dog, I like to use a rolled leather collar. I also have a slim nylon leash. She is too small now to have a larger leash (with a larger heavier clip). Eventually, she will need a heavier leash. </p>
<p>toys. Puppies have very short attention spans and need a variety of inexpensive toys. Mine likes a variety of things, a cheap squeak toy, booda bone in her small size (stringy bones), squeaky stuffed animal type toys, hard plastic nylabones (recommended by my vet but it may not be a favorite of all dogs). I haven’t tried it yet but my vet recommends the Kong toy that bounces around and you can put a treat inside. My new puppy also likes an old athletic sock that I stuffed with newspaper and tied in a knot. You can try a few things and see what interests your puppy. But remember, they don’t stay with anything for long, and they are just as happy with a twig from outside. </p>
<p>Most important thing is to monitor that the puppy is not chewing off pieces of toy or bone that can be swallowed. </p>
<p>Carrying kennel. You need to have something to keep the puppy in when getting her/him from the breeder and to and from vet appointments. If you have someone with you, they can hold the puppy. I ended up getting one of the carrying kennel things – sort of like a crate, but with plastic sides and top – more enclosed than the wire crates. </p>
<p>[When I got my first dog, I was by myself, so I brought a plastic laundry basket to put her in. But she kept popping out so I had to drive with one hand and keep one hand on her to keep her in the basket. Not a good thing.]</p>
<p>Gates, etc. I have used a borrowed baby gate to close off rooms that I didn’t want the puppy to go into until she was housebroken. </p>
<p>Fences: It is good to have an outside fenced area of some sort, especially after the puppy gets too fast that you can’t outrun her.</p>
<p>The puppy is a Norwegian Elkhound. We still have the crate that his predecessor traveled (flew) in; it was big enough to stand and lie down comfortably in, but no bigger. Would that be an appropriate size for crate training? (Crate training sounds like a good idea. Is everyone in general agreement on that?)</p>
<p>As a retailer in the pet industry, I would suggest that for quality products, different and unique items, along with friendly, accurate advice and customer service, that you look <em>beyond</em> Petco to your locally owned independent pet supply shop. I constantly shop the competition, including the big box competition, and attend trade shows. I can tell you that the best prices (when comparing apples to apples)are not at Petco, and neither is the best quality. You will definitely get what you pay for. </p>
<p>For example, there are 3-4 different brands of wire crates on the market. I carry one brand – and it’s not the cheap one – but it’s the one that will last your dog a long time (with an included divider panel to make that happen) and not pop wires at the weld points. I carry retractable leads – again one brand – and not the brand that has too many returns for being defective or breaking in the first month. </p>
<p>I agree with staying away from the expensive beds until your puppy is out of the chewing stage – but there are many very gorgeous beds that you won’t find in the big boxes when your dog is ready for the really nice one that matches the family room decor.</p>
<p>And the old Nature’s Miracle is now called Petastic – in a nutshell, one group owned the name, another owned the formula, and they had a fight. The new name of the old formula is Petastic – and it should cost a bit less than NM.</p>
<p>What kind of a puppy are you getting??</p>
<p>Absolutely yes on the crate training … especially for an elkhound. You can probably find a good description of the process on the 'net.</p>
<p>[puppies!so cute!](<a href=“http://www.neaa.net/”>About Breeders – NEAA)</p>
<p>our dog gets this food
<a href=“http://www.whitedogbone.com/acatalog/Merrick_Canned_Dog_Food.html[/url]”>http://www.whitedogbone.com/acatalog/Merrick_Canned_Dog_Food.html</a></p>
<p>Depending on the age/size of the puppy you may want a harness that fits around his middle as well rather than just a collar for his neck, especially if he is just a few weeks old. They are easier to control without harming their little necks.</p>
<p>Ask your vet when he gets his puppy shots about feeding. In the meantime you might look into dog foods - the net is a good source. There are a few excellent foods, and a lot of not-so-great ones. You’ll feel better if you have done a bit of research into their ingredients beforehand. You may find your vet likes Science Diet. They seem to have made inroads with the doctors. It’s good but some dogs aren’t crazy about the taste. My older dog really responded health-wise to Nutro’s Natural Choice. Talk to people you know who have raised dogs and see what they think are the best foods on the market. I believe that the right food can make a big difference in your dogs health over it’s lifetime.</p>
<p>cnp55, I do support our local guys; I buy all of my birdseed (you know what that can cost when you feed year round) and cat food from them. (They have a great deal going with Royal Canin.) Can I send you a pm with a couple specific questions?</p>
<p>Get the book Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson.</p>
<p>Get a clicker and learn how to clicker train. It makes everything SO much easier.</p>
<p>I like leather leashes and collars, because I find the nylon ones make my hands hurt. Flexi leashes are the work of the devil. (My dog actually caused a pinched nerve when she ran to the end of the flexi. I threw it away that night.) If you’re planning on running with the dog or even walking a lot, consider a waist leash. </p>
<p>Congrats on your new puppy.</p>
<p>Thanks for the book recommendations; that is one thing I was wondering about. Any others?</p>
<p>Here was a lifesaver with my puppies:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_6378_Nav_1_N_0_Ntt_pen_sku_253707_familyID_13909.aspx[/url]”>http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_R_6378_Nav_1_N_0_Ntt_pen_sku_253707_familyID_13909.aspx</a></p>
<p>This is a puppy pen. You can set it up in the kitchen, or where ever and the puppy is free to play and move around but not have run of the house. This is of course in addition to a wire crate which pup will be in when you are not home. Once puppy is fairly reliable it can be used to block off any parts of the house you still don’t want him to be in (or stairs). My dogs are 2 and 3 years old and I still whip that pen out once in awhile to block them from an area I don’t want them in!</p>
<p>Having raised many puppies I would suggest this rule of thumb - puppy does not have run of the house (or even a room) without DIRECT interaction (like someone is actually playing with him) until fully housebroken.</p>
<p>Have a great time. Puppies are so wonderful. Be patient and always gentle and they will pay you back a million fold.</p>
<p>Ohhh - Can I make one more suggestion? Reward your puppy EVERY time he comes to you voluntarily. Let him chase you a little bit and then turn around and reward him. You want him to ALWAYS feel safe and happy coming to you. No scolding ever if he voluntarily comes to you! You won’t have any trouble with the “come” command if you practice this from day 1. I have naughty terriers and even they come when I call them!</p>
<p>1moremom: I tried to reply to your PM but your box is full. :)</p>
<p>I just made space. :)</p>
<p>Why not get one from the pound, or the spca, or a rescue dog?</p>
<p>they have puppies and petco…what kind of puppies do they sell, when where they taken from their mothers, do breeders breed for petco?</p>
<p>My dogs have all been rescue and have been wonderful</p>
<p>I kind of like to get people to consider resucing a dog that really needs it</p>