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So, you just got a puppy… Congrats! There’s simply nothing like the love (and smell) of an adorable little pup. The velvety soft fur, tiny little shark teeth, and infinitely kissable pink bellies will endear you to them no matter how much they upend your life. And upend your life they will.
Now that I’m on the other side of puppyhood, I can tell you with certainty that it’s all worth it, but getting a puppy with a few hours’ notice was definitely not one of my (or my fiancé’s) most thought-out decisions. After only five days of living together for the first time, we spontaneously took the plunge into dog ownership when we met the sweetest little French bulldog. We obviously couldn’t resist him, and before we knew it, we were following a clumsy little canine alien (later named Oswald, or Ozzie for short) around our apartment. We very soon realized that we had absolutely zero supplies to keep him alive and entertained.
The good news is, anything you could ever need for a new puppy can be delivered right to your door in about 30-45 minutes. And if you’re like us — completely unprepared for this new phase of your life — or even if you’re as prepared as you could be, you’ll probably end up needing some gear to keep up with your rambunctious little pup. Below, I’ve gathered a list of all the things I wish I knew to order before we brought Ozzie home, so you’ll be better prepped for puppyhood than we were.
To Order Immediately
Collar and/or Harness
Of course, your puppy will need a collar for identification and a harness for stress-free walks, but if you’re stumped on what brand or material to go with, anything from Wild One is a safe bet. If you start spending time at the dog park you’ll likely notice plenty of stylish dog owners outfitting their dogs in head-to-toe Wild One gear, but I’ve also been consistently impressed with the quality. The harnesses are made with soft-but-strong fabric and nylon so dogs prone to pulling won’t hurt themselves, and the collar is made from poly-coated nylon that’s really durable and easy to wipe down if it gets dirty.
Leash
You’ll obviously need a leash to go with the collar or harness, and you can either mix and match colors or go monochrome. I’m partial to the lilac and cocoa colorways, but all the Wild One colors are adorable. I particularly love that this leash has multiple snap hooks at both ends. This helps to quickly adjust the length of the leash, which particularly comes in handy when we’re out to eat and need to hook Ozzie onto a chair. It’s made with the same poly-coated nylon as the collar, and I find it’s got just the right amount of grip — no match for even the most spontaneous lunge toward a pigeon.
Poop Bags and Holder
Poop is just a fact of life with a puppy, and you’ll need bags right away for picking it up outside on your first walk. I like the Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags in the lavender scent for long walks where you might not run into a trash can right away; plus, you’ll need a poop bag holder to attach them to the leash.
Cozy Puppy Bed
Cuddling your new puppy on the couch and in your bed is a given, but dogs do love to have their own space to retreat to. You’ll want one with strong fabric that’s tough for a puppy to destroy, and look for one that has bolstered sides for your puppy to feel safe and cuddled inside.
Dog Bowls
I loved the idea of adorable ceramic dog bowls or a mid-century wooden feeding stand, but after a few years I’ve come to the realization that easy-to-clean is the name of the game. A stainless steel feeder that includes a water and slow-feeder bowl that will keep puppies from scarfing down their kibble too quickly.
Training Treats
We went through a lot of training treats in the first few months of puppy rearing. Ozzie, being a French bulldog, is particularly stubborn, but even easily-trained breeds require tons of positive reinforcement to form good habits. I love Bocce’s Bakery and Merrick training treats (and Ozzie especially loves anything with salmon) because they’re made with only a few simple ingredients and no creepy by-products or fillers.
Potty Pads
Take my advice: Pick all your expensive rugs off the floor and put down potty pads instead. We went through more rugs than I care to admit while potty training, and I wish I had been more generous with the leak-proof pads.
Paper Towels
You can never have too many rolls of paper towels when dealing with a puppy. They splash water all over the floor and traipse plenty of dirt into your house (not to mention: accidents), so I highly recommend stocking up on paper towels before you’re left in the lurch.
Stain and Odor Remover
Buy. This. Stuff. In. Bulk. As someone with a sensitive sense of smell, I can assure you that urine odor lingers on the floors and in upholstery like nothing else, so you’ll want a stain and odor solution with an “enzymatic” formula. That’s because urine crystalizes and clings to fibers as it dries, and it’s nearly impossible to remove without a cleaner that’s specifically formulated to break down those nasty little crystals. The smell of enzymatic cleaners can be overpowering, though, so pro tip: Spray a bit of white vinegar on the area along with the cleaner and it will neutralize the scent.
To Add to Your Second Order
Potty Bells For the Door
While your puppy will eventually learn that sitting or scratching at the door will signal their need to go out, bells that hang on the doorknob reinforce this training just a bit more by associating the bells with going outside, plus you’ll be better able to hear when they want to go out.
Upholstery/Carpet Cleaner
While it’s not technically an immediate must-have, an upholstery cleaner like Bissell Little Green is now something I could never live without. When we got Ozzie, we had a white couch (ha!), and it definitely would not have lasted as long as it did without this kind of cleaner. I use it constantly for the rugs, and it’s a miracle worker for any stain — dog-related or not. An enzymatic cleaner is, once again, helpful for urine spots, but I often just use a few drops of an upholstery cleaner (even laundry detergent will do in a pinch) for other household stains.
Puppy Gate / Play Pen
Getting a dog during the pandemic definitely led to some separation anxiety issues, which, lucky for us, manifests in destruction. Most puppies are prone to a certain level of chewing, tearing, and soiling, though, so a convertible pet gate is invaluable for safely containing your puppy while you’re not home.
Bitter Apple Spray
I’ve read many reviews on bitter apple spray, and while some dogs don’t seem fazed by it, it certainly prevents a lot of puppies from chewing on things like shoes, walls, and furniture.
Tearless Puppy Shampoo
Just like the tear-free shampoo you had when you were a kid, there’s tearless puppy shampoo that prevents painful stinging if it gets in their eyes during your puppy’s first bath.
Dog Wipes
One thing I always have on hand is a pack of gentle wipes — they come in handy all the time for wiping dirty paws and cleaning skin folds, plus any unmentionables that can cling to behinds or otherwise. I love lavender-scented ones for a bath-between-baths, but there’s also an unscented version for dogs with super sensitive skin.
PHOTO CREDIT:
Photography: Paul Quitoriano
Prop Styling: Gerri Williams
Art Direction: Sarah Ceniceros Gomez
