The New Dog Parent Checklist: Everything You Need from Day One

You’re about to introduce a new four-legged bundle of fun into your family. Honestly, is there anything else quite as exciting?

While it is an undeniably wonderful experience bringing a new puppy or dog home, you’ll want to make sure that your home is ready for their arrival. This ensures everyone (dog included) is relaxed, calm and happy when you introduce your new pet.

To get things started on the right foot, there are some key items to account for.

Essential puppy supplies

Bedding

If you’re bringing a young pup home, they’ll need their own place where they can feel safe and secure. Remember that puppies have recently left their mother and litter mates, which can be a huge adjustment for them.

You’ll want to have a comfy and warm dog bed ready that they can snuggle into and feel safe. This helps ease their transition from their mum and litter to being in a new setting.

If you’re bringing an older dog into your home, bedding still matters. They may not be at the stage where they’re transitioning from a litter to a life with you, but a new setting can still be overwhelming for them. So, similarly, offer them a nice warm bed and even throw in a couple of dog-friendly pillows and cushions, too.

Food and water station

Whether you have a puppy or an older dog joining the family, let them know from the outset where they can expect to be fed and find fresh, clean water.

Puppy training pads

For a puppy, you’ll want to start their toilet training from the moment they arrive. Indoor training pads encourage your buddy to go to the toilet in the one spot, until they're old enough to be taken outside.

Just remember to be patient during this time as accidents will inevitably happen. So, make sure you’ve got a pet-friendly cleaner on hand for when they pee or poop outside of their designated training pad area.

Toys

Dogs of all ages benefit from having toys on hand. For puppies, toys provide ample stimulation, which keeps them entertained and lessens the likelihood that they’ll help themselves to your favourite pair of shoes. That said, it’s still a good idea to keep your shoes out of reach as puppies have an exceptional amount of energy and will often try to get into anything that’s unattended.

For older dogs joining your home, you won’t have to worry about them going after your personal belongings as much, but toys are still essential to their happiness. But because older dogs are well-suited to interactive play with you (and going out into the yard), you can invest in a bunch of fetch-play and tug-of-war style toys.

Puppy play pen

For puppies, a proper play pen is a worthy investment. It gives your pup a chance to get outdoors and enjoy what it has to offer without having the overwhelming freedom of the entire backyard to get lost in.

Preparing your home for a puppy

Generally, if you’re bringing an older dog home, you usually won’t have to do as much with preparing your home for their arrival unless you know of some minor behavioural issues or sensitivities they may have, or if you have other pets in your home - such as a cat, bird, fish, and so on.

However, when bringing a young puppy home, there are several steps to take to make the space safe for them and you.

Lounge room

• Ensure all cords and electrical cables are out of the puppy’s reach as they may be tempted to chew on these.
• If your puppy’s going to spend a lot of time in this room, provide them with a mat, bed or crate so they have a designated place of their own.

Kitchen

• Keep all cupboards and drawers secured.

Bathroom/laundry

• Keep all chemicals properly stored out of reach and with the caps on.

Backyard

• Ensure there are no gaps in the fences or other areas where the puppy could potentially escape.
• Remove chewable items left on the ground or at puppy height.
• Ensure your backyard is free of toxic plants.

Other pets

If you have other pets in your home, introduce them to your new puppy (or dog) in a safe manner. For birds or fish, simply keeping them secured should be enough. However, if you take your bird out of their cage from time to time and allow them to explore the house, you’ll want to ensure this is done under supervision at all times.

Introducing puppies and cats often requires a slow, progressive approach. Cats take time to warm up to other pets, so steadily expose your cat and dog to one another and gauge their behaviour to determine if they’re okay to be in each other’s presence.

The time an introduction takes can greatly depend on the demeanour of both the cat and puppy, so make sure not to rush it.

Finally, if you already have another dog living with you, you’ll often find it can be easy for them to develop a healthy relationship with a new puppy or dog. However, it’s still worth taking a steady approach and seeing how they respond over time.

Remember that when bringing your puppy home for the first time, they’re going through a big change. Act calmly and speak quietly, be gentle and prepared for your puppy to mourn the loss of their old family for a few days.

With continued care, affection, and attention, your latest addition to the family will feel like part of your family before you know it.

Ready to prep your home for a new puppy? Check out the selection of puppy essentials at Petstock today.