As you may already know, I like to research things exhaustively and make lists. Very thorough lists. (see my Baby Registry List for example) So, here is my complete and thorough New Puppy Shopping List! 🙂 I’ll even come back and update this list later on, adding and removing things that we didn’t use or needed and I forgot. Our Shichon puppy comes home in 1 more week; isn’t she adorable??
Everyday Gear:
crate – I found a nice one on Facebook Marketplace. Be sure to get the correct size, and hopefully one with a divider so you can make it smaller for starting out.
car restraint – I’m going to try using this Mighty Paw Seat Buckle, clipped to the puppy’s harness (never to a collar). She’ll be on someone’s lap I’m sure, but this way she’s safe in case of an accident. Update: Cosie tries to climb around quite a bit when someone is holding her. I found a used Snoozer car seat and she settles better in that. We use it along with the Mighty Paw buckle clipped into a seat belt next to the car seat. Whatever you get, take a good look at what you are clipping your dog to. Will it hold in case of an accident, or is it fabric that will tear? I’m not comfortable clipping her just to the Snoozer alone.
harness – Check Marketplace for these too, puppies outgrow them quickly, so you may find someone who has one to pass along. I picked up a couple of them in small sizes rather inexpensively. We started with a size XXS! Plan on taking your pup to the store to try them on and get the best fit. When she is all grown maybe I will get one from Lucy and Co, they’re adorable! Also this one.
coat/clothing – Small dogs can get cold, especially in winter in MI! I ordered a Land’s End squall jacket (on sale and with a gift card), it looks like nice quality. I’ll update on the fit eventually. I’ve also sewn a dog coat from fleece before, its not too hard. Update: the Land’s End jacket is ok, it slides around on her a bit. I just ordered a Canada Pooch slush suit because she gets covered in snowballs when she plays outside. I want a Lucy and Co raincoat but they’re hard to find in stock.
6 foot leash – Something lightweight is good for a puppy. Lupine Pet makes some adorable ones and they will replace the leash if it gets chewed through. (no retractable leashes)
poop bags and dispenser – Earth Rated works well. Update: I like these bags from Amazon better, they open easier and the holder doesn’t have velcro that tears up the leash.
collar – I actually haven’t decided if my puppy will use a collar or not. If we do, it will just be for holding her tags on her, not for walks. I may just clip tags on to her harness somewhere, we’ll see. A harness is much safer for little dogs as a collar can put too much pressure on their little necks. Update: no collar! A harness is fine, I still don’t have tags on her yet though.
tags – Haven’t found one I like yet, and haven’t decided on her name yet. 🙂 Update: Her name is Cosette. We call her Cosie. We’ll be getting tags soon when we do her rabies shot at the vet.
odor remover spray – We have one made by Woolite and it works well. Nature’s Miracle is another brand. (Also, stock up on paper towels!) Update: Nature’s Miracle stinks. We went back to the Woolite brand, maybe we’re just used to the scent of that one.
bells for potty training – Buy some or make your own.
dog bed or pillow – Get something comfy to put in the bottom of the crate, although maybe start out with old towels or blankets until you see how much of a chewer your pup is!
baby gate or exercise pen – You will want a way to gate the puppy into a safe place. Use baby gates to block off the kitchen for example, or use an exercise pen. I am planning to borrow one. Update: I found a used/ good condition exercise pen and its been great! We have it in the corner of our dining area and still use it at six months. I’d say its a necessity for a small dog. Bigger dogs would outgrow it quickly and in that case use the baby gates to create a safe space.
Health and Grooming:
shampoo – Earthbath is great. Kin + Kind or Tropiclean look nice too, although I’ve not tried those. For brushing, I might try a human detangling spray or a small amount of puppy conditioner in a spray bottle diluted with water.
eyes and ears – I’ve heard good things about both Tropiclean Spa Tear Stain Cleanser and Tropiclean ear cleaner. Update: I really like the Tropiclean Spa Tear Stain Cleaner!
brushes – Andis comb, Lil Pals comb and small slicker brush, Greenbone detangling brush, and also a Wet brush brand human brush. I might have gone a little overboard on the brushes, we’ll see. 🙂 Update: yep, overboard. My favorites are the Andi’s steel comb and the human wet brush.
I got this cute container at Meijer to keep all the grooming things in so I can have them handy:
nail clipper – Safari small nail trimmer.
styptic powder -necessary to have on hand for when you accidentally clip their little nails too short. A pinch of it quickly stops the bleeding.
toothbrush and toothpaste – PetzLife is all natural and breaks down tartar even without tons of brushing.
scissors and clippers for home grooming – I have the Wahl KM10 clippers, the guide comb attachments, and a curved scissors with blunt tips for trimming near her eyes. I did order Geib Gator thinning shears as well, but I’m not quite skilled enough to use those yet. Yes, this equipment is EXPENSIVE, but so is grooming. I was determined to do it myself and spent lots of time watching videos on how to do it. So far I’ve groomed Cosie completely myself and am having fun with it.
If you have a dog that needs grooming and you don’t plan to do it at home you’ll still need a scissors to trim hair from around their eyes. Cosie also needs her fur trimmed in between her paw pads or it grows so long that her pads can’t grip well.
flea and tick spray – We treat our yard with something natural like Wondercide. I also spray Wondercide on my dogs when we are headed to an outdoor area where they might pick up fleas or ticks.
first aid/ medications – I’m still working on this. Will let you know what I come up with!
Food and Treats:
food – Some brands to consider: Orijen, Stella and Chewy, Tiki dog, Halo, Canidae, Wellness, Petguard Lifespan, Holistic Select. We’ve used Orijen for years with our labrador, its pricey, but top quality and she’s been very healthy. They’re coming out with a small breed formula I’ll be trying out when puppy is on adult food. Update: So far we’ve used Stella and Chewy – she loves the meal mixers – and we just opened up a bag of Orijen puppy food. It might be her favorite thing ever. I plan to do a post soon with more details about food and treats we like.
training treats – Wellness soft puppy bites, Beef liver bites, Stella and Chewy’s meal mixers
chews – Benebone, Nylabone puppy (I’m on the fence about both of these. I don’t like my puppy chewing on plastic, but puppies DO need to chew… elk antlers, yak cheese, lamb horn are all natural options, but they can be too hard and break teeth. I’ll update when we see what works best.) Update: Cosie never loved the Benebone. She likes her Nylabone; I steal it from her and trim off pieces of plastic whenever she starts to get some loose. She also loves a lamb’s horn and elk antler. I’m going to pick up some Tasman brand Buffalo chews soon as I’ve heard they can be a good option.
treat toys – Kong puppy, West Paw tux, and toppl get used around here almost daily. You’ll want a couple of Kongs so that you can stuff them and have them ready in the freezer. Trust me, they buy you some time by keeping your busy puppy occupied! Planet Dog Snoop is another fun toy.
food scoop – This one is sturdy and has a nice size handle.
container for food – Something like this or we have this smaller one that I keep in my pantry.
treat container – so cute! Update: I love this little container. Its super easy to open and seals tightly.
food and water dishes – Look for a high quality stainless steel. Plastic can harbor bacteria, and some metal bowls have been found to contain lead or be radioactive. Basis Pet look like a nice brand, although pricey. I chose these and like them.
dog treat molds – Something like this. Check Pinterest for all kinds of fun recipes. I use these to freeze raw goats milk or pumpkin or all kinds of healthy things! (Look for another blog post on food/ treats coming soon.)
Toys:
JW holey ball – comes in different sizes. I’m planning to take my puppy in to the pet store and see which size is best for her.
small tennis balls
Kong Wild Knots bear
Kong Wubba
homemade fleece “rope” toy – We made a bunch of these in small and large sizes. We’ve sold some to friends and family in order to raise money for our puppy. 🙂
Chuckit – awesome fetch toy, you don’t have to pick up the slobbery tennis ball! Get the right size for your pup.
ZippyPaws burrow toy – These come in all different styles, I like this cookie jar one.
Lickimat – this is awesome for distracting Cosie while I clip her nails or give her a haircut.
puzzle toys – Trixie and Nina Ottosson both make a variety of games in several difficulty levels
Training:
Baxter and Bella – This is an awesome online training course! Highly recommended. Contains lessons, how to videos, printable checklist and much more. Totally walks you through the process of training your dog and you get lifetime access. Use the code HEALTHY25 for 25% off and train your dog right from home!
From Needles to Natural by Dr Judy Morgan – I have this book on the way to me, it looks like a great resource.
101 Dog Tricks and 101 Dog Tricks For Kids by Kyra Sundance – these are fun books, we have them from the library right now
training dumbbell, training leash 30′ (This is good for letting Cosie get some exercise in our large unfenced backyard.)
maybe get at some point: dog life jacket, Coolaroo bed, paw washer cup, and definitely a plush cake for her first birthday!
There you have it! I feel like I’m kind of showing all my crazy here, but maybe this is helpful to someone. 🙂 Enjoy your puppies!