Preparing for a puppy

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As so many of you are about to get puppies and have got in touch to ask what I bought for Teddy’s arrival, I thought it might be a good idea to put put a list together here on the blog.

1. The Happy Puppy Handbook by Pippa Mattinson – The very first thing I bought was this book. It was recommended to me my best friend who got her fox red lab a month before we got Teddy. It has been my bedtime reading for the last few weeks and has been completely brilliant. She also recommended The Perfect Puppy by Gwen Bailey.
2. A crate if you plan to crate train. We bought this double door one from Amazon Basics which will allow Teddy to grow. (It’s 30inches which is the recommended size for a small dog) I have used the divider to make it smaller while Teddy is still a puppy. It’s really easy to build as it folds right down and there are no parts to put together. If you get stuck- watch this really handy tutorial on youtube. The book explains the benefits of crate training.
3. Vet Bed – Teddy was given some vet bed that smelt of his mum and the breeder, and I bought some more just incase he had any accidents in his crate. (So far so good!)
4. A daybed – We use the crate at night but he likes to sleep in a day bed in the kitchen during the day. I bought this bed from Amazon
5. Poop bags – I bought these. They smell so lovely and are leak proof and biodegradable. I also picked up a small outside bin with a lid from Wilko to leave in the garden.
6. Disinfectant – Our breeder recommend Agricide – it comes in different scents and I bought baby powder. I made up a spray bottle so that I can spray and hose down the (fake) grass after his number 2s! I tend to leave the wees (outside) as it’s important that he can smell it. So far Teddy hasn’t had a single accident indoors, but we watch the clock and his signals (they are so easy to read!) You can buy much smaller bottles of disinfectant, I just really liked the smell of Agricide! Of course if they wee inside you have to eradicate any trace of smell with disinfectant so they don’t return to that place again.
7. Toys – We bought a variety of toys for Teddy, but his favourites are the Kong (he loves a carrot or a treat inside it) and the cows hoof. (Fairly gross but he LOVES it. You do have to scoop out the inside for puppies as it can make them sick) We bought the hooves from Pets at Home. He also has a couple of cuddly toys, a rope and some teething rings. (All from Pets at Home)
8. A lead – We bought this one. We haven’t used it yet, but I am told it’s a good idea to get them used to a lead in the garden as soon as you can.
9. Food and Treats. It’s likely that your breeder will give you a pack of the food your puppy is on. Otherwise, find out what they are feeding him/her so you can stock up. Teddy is eating James Wellbeloved dry food (mainly for treats) Nature Diet Wet Food and raw beef/veal. Treatwise, there are so many lovely brands of natural treats, but I have bought these so far. I suspect I will try a few different brands over the coming months.
10. A cooling mat – this is not an essential item, but our kitchen can get very warm in hot weather, so we bought a cooling mat (there’s a heatwave on it’s way) He seems to love it.
11. A pet carrier for the journey home/vet trips – this will depend on the size of your puppy. I was given one by a friend but this one is very similar.
12. If you are getting your puppy in the winter, it might be a good idea to put a hot water bottle in their crate at night-time for the first few days. We haven’t needed this because it’s been so warm and vet bed is cosy enough. We do also cover the crate with a dark throw. We placed a ticking clock in the crate, which is said to mimic their Mum’s heartbeat. Who knows if it works but Teddy didn’t make a peep on the first night.
13. Feliway Classic Plug- in is a good idea if you have cats. A few people recommended Adaptil for a new puppy, but Teddy has been so chilled we haven’t needed it.

I hope this list is helpful and I hope that I haven’t forgotten anything! Do leave a comment if you think I have.

Love,

Chloe (& Teddy!)

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