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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

What would you need for a new dog?

21 replies

SmileAndNod · 12/09/2015 07:09

So. After a very long time, we may be getting a puppy - don't want to get over excited, as generally life is a bit crap to me and things never turn out the way I hoped.

Anyway, after we lost our old boy five years ago, I gave all of his stuff to the dogs trust vowing I would never again own a dog and go through the heartache of losing another.

So here we are, wondering what we would need to buy. On my list I have:
Collar, lead, harness, id tag, poss flexi lead
2 bowls, food (once we know what they are fed), scoop, mat
Poop scoop and bags
Crate & poss extra one to keep in car, vet bed, blanket, bed for living room, toys - Kong and what type?
Dog towel, shampoo, brush / mitt
Check out vets, insurance, book training classes, tidy & check garden.

I'm sure that there is something we've forgotten. Can anyone help come up with a list?

Thank you

OP posts:

JeffreysMummyisCross · 12/09/2015 07:36

How exciting!

Your list seems quite thorough, but just a couple of points. First, why the harness? Ideally, you'll be teaching the pup to walk to heel and on a lead. Uunless you have a specific breed, harnesses are for if you've failed in teaching this as I did with one of mine

Do get a good disinfecting and deodorising fluid. deodorising is important, as otherwise the pup will keep weeing in the same place.

Re. bed. Get a plastic one. Easier to clean, and more chew-proof. Beware of bedding that can be eaten. There have been cases of dogs damaging themselves or worse with the stuffing from their bedding.

Lots of tough chew toys. Avoid rawhide.

Lonecatwithkitten · 12/09/2015 07:39

It's a very good list, but I would take the flexi lead off. They can cause terrible injuries (including finger amputations) and should be avoided. If you end up needing a long lead there are line leads that are much,much safer.

Original poster

SmileAndNod · 12/09/2015 17:48

Thank you, I had no idea about the flexi leads.

I had a harness on my list as everyone I notice seems to have one these days, I thought it was to stop pulling but I will look into that further. I'm not envisioning being able to let the dog off the lead ever, even though we are going to training classes.

Are there any chewing toys that you could recommend? And deodorising liquid?

It's been such a long time since I've had to think of doggy things...

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TheoriginalLEM · 12/09/2015 17:50

money, lots of money.

Original poster

SmileAndNod · 12/09/2015 18:00

Yes. In not underestimating vets bills LEM - our old dog had two ops well in excess of 2k and that was nearly 20 years ago.

I miss him so much but this week I've found three of his collars in cupboards just there staring at me which I don't even remember keeping - and I've been in those cupboards loads of times in the years that he's been gone. It's just weird and maybe a bit woo

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Twooter · 12/09/2015 18:01

Why aren't you planning on letting him off the lead?

Original poster

SmileAndNod · 12/09/2015 18:14

Would love to, but would also like them to come back and not disappear into the countryside for a few hours forever. They are notoriously difficult to recall, I've been told

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TrionicLettuce · 12/09/2015 18:25

Training stops pulling and you can train a dog to walk nicely on lead just as easily in a collar or harness.

I personally much prefer harnesses to collars. There are a lot of delicate structures in their necks and although my lot do walk nicely on lead I can't 100% guarantee they'll never lunge or pull against the end of the lead. In the event that they do (or in case I ever need to hurridly pull them away from something) I'd rather any pressure be distributed round their chests and shoulders than concentrated entirely round their necks.

Simple Solution make good products for cleaning up after puppies. Their Urine Destroyer is great stuff, as is the Stain & Odour Remover.

Twooter · 12/09/2015 18:26

I'm guessing you're getting a beagle? I don't think you've said?

Twooter · 12/09/2015 18:27

Not trying to rain on your parade, but would you not get more pleasure from a dog you could let off the lead?

Original poster

SmileAndNod · 12/09/2015 19:24

Yes it is, twooter.

I'm not sure tbh. I've had dogs that can run free, and those that needed to be on a lead add they couldn't be trusted. Loved both just the same and I like to think they had equally good lives (well the free range one had to be pts aged 8 due to cancer, other one lived til nearly 18, but you know what I mean)

We've done alot of research to find out what the breed involves. Anyway, we might be able to train ours with lots of perseverance and bribery

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YouCant · 12/09/2015 23:02

Puppy pen...We had one, it saved our sanity a few times when pup needed more room than they had in their crate but still too naughty to be left with free run of the house!

overthemill · 12/09/2015 23:06

What breed? I might have missed this but letting a dog off the lead to run is so great. Unless you are confined to a town. Ours almost always comes back unless there is a bitch on heat and then he just finds his way home ( we are rural no sheep and a huge nature reserve so it's all very safe). A harness stops him pulling but he rare,y does that now he's a grown up. I second no flexi and a training class, maybe agility too.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 12/09/2015 23:12

Definitely get The Happy Puppy Handbook. It is brilliant. Honestly. Covers just about everything you'll need.

WhoAteMyToast · 14/09/2015 12:57

Agree - get a harness (our very strict dog trainer insists we walk on a harness and train in a collar). Poo bin, brush.

The extra, non vital things we have bought as we have gone along have been door matts, light towels to wipe down when muddy, training treats, treat bag.

limesoda · 14/09/2015 15:30

With toys, I would get a few cheap ones and see what they like. Our beagle doesn't really do fetching games, and thinks the sole purpose of toys is to destruct them as quickly as possible. The best toys seem to be those meaty flavoured plastic/rubbery bones, a tennis ball on a bit of rope and a soft fabric bone with a squeaker from sainsburys of all places. His other absolute favourite thing in the world in an old milk carton with some treats in and then squashed so the treats are hard to get out. Prefers that over his kong any day....

Original poster

SmileAndNod · 14/09/2015 18:02

Ooh you have a beagle limesoda! They're not the most popular dog round these parts are they?!

Had never thought of an empty milk carton with treats, that is a genius idea, will be doing that.

Again the harness thing, I just assumed that it was the thing these days as my DBs puppy used one through training classes. Also our breeder advised something like a harness / halti to stop any pulling during one of our initial visits (way before we knew if any puppies would ever arrive)

Have ordered the puppy handbook from Amazon. I'm slowly putting together a wish list and investigating insurance policies and local vets.

We should know a bit more in about five weeks when we can hopefully visit

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QueenieBaxter · 16/09/2015 11:29

We have a beagle puppy! We love her to bits, we have had her 4 weeks and she has settled in really well! We have no regrets at all! Lots of people warned us against them but I had one years ago and have such happy memories of her, I have always wanted another.
Limesoda, ours is also a destructive chewer, we can't leave anything on the floor! She loves the meaty nylabone chews, and plastic bottles! I hadn't thought to put treats in them, that's a great idea as she also loves kongs.
It's lovely to hear from other beagle owners as they don't seem to be a popular choice!

Original poster

SmileAndNod · 16/09/2015 13:12

Am v jealous. I bet she's gorgeous. Feel free to tell me about her and post lots of photos . I know they can be noisy, a bit mad, stubborn just like my children-- but we still want one !

How did you go about settling her in? Glad to hear of a beagle pup and owner doing well. I'm struggling a bit today. Today's just the kind of day I need a dog.

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Twooter · 16/09/2015 16:14

Sorry, didn't mean to be negative. Just a bit worried in their rise in popularity as they are dogs who love to run yet are virtually never let off ( with good reason). I know they are lovely dogs.

QueenieBaxter · 16/09/2015 20:36

She is gorgeous! She's not too noisy yet! She is proving easier to train than we expected as she is so totally food driven! She settled in really well, although she cried quite a bit for the first week or so in her crate at night. She loves her bed now though.
She is such a comfort- I have been so happy since having her! Snuggling her totally gets rid of the blues!
The only negative so far is that she is a bit nippy, especially with the children. She gets really excitable a couple of times a day and it's then that we really have to watch her and keep the children away.
We have only been on small walks around the block but there are a couple of fields with enclosed fencing that we can let her free in. We did used to let our old beagle off the lead but I'm aware this isn't possible to do with many.
I've never posted a photo before but will have a go!

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