Puppy shopping list

[FinallyFreeFromItAll]

I'm getting cavalier king charles puppy in 7weeks and feeling like I did when pregnant with PFB. I know it is ages away really but I feel the desperate need to start writing lists and shopping!

So what would you say were your main puppy essentials? Also what would you say was the best thing you bought (essential or not)?

If you've had a cavalier pup, sizings would be really appreciated too.

Crate, puppy pads, disinfectant wipes, puppy pads, kitchen roll, puppy pads, vetbed ( buy a large piece and cut to size of the crate it can be washed at 95 deg and dries quickly) and if I haven't already mentioned them puppy pads!
Cleaning up is relentless and the pads just make it quick and easy at night. I found Amazon were cheapest as was vetbed fleece.
We started with a small cheap crate but puppy ( now 4.5 months) no longer needs it indoors and has outgrown it, we have invested in a more robust crate for the car that can double up as sleeping crate if necessary.
Earplugs may be useful for the first few nights.

Cavaliers are lovely dogs, beautiful temperaments. Try to get a feeding bowl that is narrower at the top so ears flop on the outside rather than in its dinner. Maybe buy it a soft toy and leave with breeder until you collect pup, so it can cuddle into something that smells of its litter mates?

Grooming - my cavvie hated combs or slicker brushes, but was fine with one of those double-sided brushes.

So jealous!

I've got a KCC puppy who is now 6months! So much work but totally worth it! I didn't use the puppy pads because my pup avoided them for peeing and liked to snuggle into them and rip them up! Ended up using sheets of newspaper! I got a 30" crate from a website called Cage World that came with a divider to make it smaller. Also got a crate cover, doggy blankets and kongs for inside. I also bought a (pricey) heat pad that u put in the microwave. A great site is Zooplus. A lot cheaper than Pets At Home!!! A play pen and pet gate (like a baby gate) were used a lot, and still are. The pen can be used as a room divider. KCC pups are very likely to have separation anxiety so I bought a Thundershirt and Adaptil plug-in to help with that. Vetbed is great stuff! You can cut it to size if you get a larger piece. I spent an absolute fortune online before I took my pup home and the only items that I shouldn't have bought were things that you need to measure your dog for. I bought a collar online and a car harness that were too big, but I've since replaced them with correct sizes. I would also buy a few crates - one for the car, one for your bedroom (the dog should sleep in your room to begin with) and one in the living room or wherever you plan to have the crate long-term. They are quite cheap and it means you don't need to move the crate around all day or when you travel. It also gets them used to napping in different rooms. A dog carrier to take him to the vets, ID tag, treats, a good dog food (I use KCC specific Royal Canin food), training lead, collar, dog bowls, soft bed or cushion, the list is endless!!!!! I still buy stuff for mine all the time!!! Good luck!

Thanks guys.

So we have

• Puppy pads/newspaper - lots
• Disinfectant wipes
• Kitchen roll
• Vetbed
• Crates - sgv how is the 30" now your cavalier is getting older? Lots of sites suggest the 24" for them but other sites the 30". I wasn't sure which size to go for.
• Food bowl that's narrower at the top
• Double sided brush
• Soft toy or blanket to leave at breeders +Treats +Lead and collar - sgv what size was right when you first got pup? Would a 20-35cm collar fit?
• ID tags
• Food - we got given a voucher by the breeder for free bag of Royal Canin Mini Junior (what pup will be weaned on.

Those thundershirt things are interesting.

Earplugs may be useful for the first few nights. - I'm going to have pup in my room, in a crate. Do you think he'll still cry?

Oh and toys I was thinking:

• Kong - the original shape but in puppy? Or the puppy bone one? Or both?
• Nylabone - I've seen these suggested a lot online - how do you rate them?
• Rope toy?
• Cuddly toy

I'm another that would recommend a heat pad there amazing for pups such a good comfort and there are these mr muscle pads that are for pet urine in carpets they are brilliant

Biological washing powder to clean up pee patches and a crate were my two puppy essentials. Mine has no interest in nyla bones or kongs, he favours McDonald's toys and juice bottles but can be pursuade that squeaky teddies are a good idea.

I missed the heat pad off my list. I did mean to add it. I've got one somewhere that belonged to the rabbit. I'll have to dig it out.

Those Mr Muscle Pads look amazing! I'm definitely going to try them out.

favours McDonald's toys and juice bottles but can be pursuade that squeaky teddies are a good idea

What's bad is, you could apply that exact sentence to my 1yr old DDaughter!!!

I have a 1year old boy who's a total enabler, thinks giving the dog plastic to recycle is hilarious.

I've had CKCS nearly all my life, on my 8th and 9th ATM. they're great and lovely dogs with children.

I disagree that the puppy needs to sleep with you to begin with, start as you mean to go on, so not with you unless that's what you want in the long run. Mine sleep in the utility room.

As for being prepared puppy pads and kitchen roll, along with one of the flash automatic mops (makes cleanup so much quicker).

I've currently got a 12 week old Labrador puppy (as well as 2 CKCSs) and for her the bitter Apple 'no chew' spray has been essential - but I'd wait and see if your puppy is a big chewer before you decide to buy!

Don't forget to take plenty of photos and video, they grow so quickly!

16 week old pup owner here. Kitchen roll and biological washing powder are great for cleaning up accidents. No need for fancy sprays. Will your pup have had his vaccinations when you get him? We used a puppy sling from Amazon (I kid you not!) for the weeks before she could go down on the ground. Great for socialising when I walked my older dog and gave me my hands free for poo picking etc.
I prefer a soft harness on a puppy rather than a flat collar. The Puppia soft harnesses are great.
This is my first crate trained dog and wow what a difference. We have smaller ones for car and bedroom and a big one in the living room which she uses if we need to go out during the day.
Have you looked into puppy classes? They vary a lot. Look for someone who does fun reward based stuff. There are still a lot of old school dominance based trainers out there. Have fun

used a puppy sling from Amazon (I kid you not!)

- I cannot express enough shock that they actually exist!!!!!!!! I thought that amazon ad with the dog with a broken leg in a baby style carrier was a joke! I didn't think they actually existed for dogs but I've just been on amazon and there's all sorts of styles, even backpacks!

Avoid puppy pads. All they achieve is to confuse the pup because you are effectively telling it that it can pee indoors sometimes. This makes training a two stage process and therefore it takes longer.
Sounds daft but don't let pup see you cleaning up accidents in case they interpret that as you taking an interest in what they have done

I have 3 CKCS! You've got a good list going. The bowls you need are called Spaniel Bowls and it stops their ears from dangling in their food/water. I'm not sure whether you can get them small enough for tiny pups though? I just had some little puppy bowls when I first got them. Collar and lead I used P@H puppy Buttons and Bear ones when they were little, pups necks are tiny.
Little Kongs are good for teething and frozen baby carrots or carrot sticks.

My Cavs were all easy to house train, 2 of them stopped having accident during the day after a week. Just remember to take your puppy our every time s/he wakes up after a nap, eats, drinks, stops playing or starts walking around sniffing the floor. They soon pick it up.

I used puppy pads at night and while I nipped out.

Welly I was going to have pup sleep in my room long term - in a crate whilst a pup and just in a bed by mine once old enough to trust not to chew or wee in the room.

Have made a note of bitter apple spray.

Kaffiene I've looked up and found 3 local trainers through KC website and was going to ask if i could go and view their lessons.

MustBeThin I will be over the moon if pup can be that easily house trained! Fingers crossed.

What spaniel bowls do you use for your adults?

Buttons and bear collar i s 20-30cm so the one I like the look of should be fine.

Would a 50cm by 40cm rectangular bed with soft sides be big enough once pup is full grown? Or would I need to go up a size?

I'd say that size bed would be big enough, all 3 of mine pile on top of each other and fit into tiny spaces mine usually sleep curled up and only really stretch out when hot and they get on the cold floor. I got my Spaniel Bowls from crufts but I think P@H do some plastic ones I'll see if I can find a link.

www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/cane-spaniel-bowl

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Another person saying don't use puppy pads, you're just making trouble for future you.

Crate. Bed. Multiple blankets/mats - mine is taught to sit on a mat when I ask which is very handy in the kitchen when you don't want them underfoot.
Groom kit. Brush. Toothbrush and paste. Clippers. Shampoo. Sacrificial towel.
Collar. Lead. Tags. You might want a cheap set for puppy pick up and buy properly once pup is growing.
Car kit.
Lots of toys, enough to rotate the toys and still have an interesting selection out at any time. An occupied dog is less likely to chew your furniture:
Multiple nylabones in different shapes and flavours. I liked the puppy keys set when they are little. We also have a knobbly dinosaur that proved popular and a few other shapes. I have a benebone too, for variety, but I can't recall if your pup would be too small for that straight off.
Food stuffing items - kongs, white sterile bones, etc. I'd get a couple of kongs and bones and a selection of the interesting shaped stuff. Good for giving pup with dinner in if you go out or need quiet.
A selection of other toys, you can go cheap here but do get a variety. I'd hit up somewhere like Tk Maxx and see what's available. You'll want a rope toy, a couple of throwing toys (frisbee, balls, etc), a couple of cuddling toys, squeaky stuff (you can buy silent squeaking stuff now) and interesting shapes/textures. If you can toys that combines elements are good eg rope toy with ball on it, squeaky toy in unusual shape, etc.
I'd say we have a couple of dozen toys at any time and rotate every few days with perhaps six out at a go. Though he keeps his comfort sharks all the time and always has two chewables minimum at any given time. We inspect toys into and out of our box and anything potentially dangerous gets binned at that point.

We have 5 month old lab pup who has been a dream to house train. Puppy pads were great initially we didn't need to retrain because we also trained outside in tandem. Once she was big enough we introduced her to our dog flap and we haven't looked back. She only really used the pads at night preferring to go outside. We use the pads now to dry her feet when it's wet, we have a cream tiled floor so wet days are a nightmare. She also tends to tear up the pads now if we leave them out too long, it's almost like she's telling us she no longer needs them.
As for crying at night I don't think it matters where you put them they will cry. If you read up on crating the instruction is to not close the crate until they are have accepted the crate as their den/safe place this may take a few days.

Thanks all

Catinthecorner I didn't even know tk maxx did dog things!! Will definitely have to go have look. Plus you've helped me justify spending even more on toys

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As for crying at night I don't think it matters where you put them they will cry. If you read up on crating the instruction is to not close the crate until they are have accepted the crate as their den/safe place this may take a few days.

Oh no if pup cries I'll be crying too . I'm hoping he'll crate fine from the start as the breeder does begin crate training with them, so it won't be an alien concept. Fingers crossed. Otherwise I can see me sleeping on kitchen floor until pup will be happy to be shut in and thus able to come to my bedroom.