What do I need for new rescue dog?!

[Coppercreek]

So we are picking up our new rescue dog next week!!

He is a large breed and despite owning many dogs over the years my mind has gone blank as to what I need!

So can anyone help me make a list an advise best place to buy them from?

So far I have

Crate - XL
Blankets
Bed - XL
Toys
Bowls
Harness - XL
Short lead
Long line

Am I missing anything?

Insurance
dog tag
chews
harness
collar

Chews (I got a great selection of natural dog treats from a local business which were really useful in the first month)
Kong
Flea treatment
Old towels for drying feet/putting in the car
Poo bags

So exciting - what breed is he and what's his background?

Worm treatment
A couple of wee pads just in case the stress causes accidents

You may want more than one bed so you can have a few around the place.

Re the harness, don't buy that until he arrives as the measurements can be hard to get right with a big breed. My smaller lad takes a bigger harness than the larger one because he's stockier.

Poo bags.
Something to secure him in the car.
The same type of food that the rescue is currently feeding him so that you can switch him over to a new type of food gradually (if you are changing it).
Grooming tools, e.g., a brush, nail clippers and shampoo.
Toothpaste and toothbrush.
Food toys.
Dog urine cleaner for any accidents.
Extra blankets to cover the crate.
A stair gate if you want to limit where he can go in the house.
A treat pouch.
A Clicker, especially if the rescue have already clicker trained him.

I would recommend that you initially use a double ended lead so that you have 2 points of contact; his harness and his collar. That way the lead will still be attached to his collar if something spooks him and he slips his harness (or vice versa).

Would the rescue be willing to give you something that already smells of him, such as a blanket that has been in his kennel? (In non-Covid times I would suggest that you drop a blanket off at the rescue and ask them to put it in with him).

Photo!!

Poo bags and high quality treats - I like the dried meat ones from Treats2sit4. Whatever food they've been on, even if you think its rubbish - just let them settle in on it for a month.
Otherwise I'd just see how things go, unless they are a sighthound in which case you'd need a coat for them

I say this on all threads about what to get for a new dog:
you need a brass slide tag like this for a buckle collar or a steel one like this that can be bent over a collar that has a clip rather than a buckle.

Unlike hanging tags on split rings, they only get lost if the whole collar gets lost, and if you're really concerned about theft, you can always have your phone number on the visible side and a note saying 'other info on reverse', so that no one can see the address without taking the collar off.

Here he is!

He is a pointer x - 8 months old. In his little life he has been from Romania to Scotland to Wales and now to us in England. He is a big softy. No idea what he is crossed with!

We have bought so far

Bed
Crate
Crate mat
Dog poo bags and dispenser
Natural chews (pig ears, beef Jerry and pigs feet)
Puppy training treats
Poop scoop
Food bowl
Water bowl
Lead
Long lead
Harness
Collar
Tag
Insurance
Toys
Food (he has been on raw food so continuing with that and moving over slowly)
Travel water carrier
Kong

Already got lots of blankets and old towels. Have I missed anything?

The crate and crate bed and harness are coming from his Foster home so they smell like there and I know the harness fits.

He's just been flea treated. So I am missing pee pads, shampoo, nail clippers (though we always get that done at the groomers) and brush

He's a handsome boy, I hope he's settling in well in his new home.

@Coppercreek when we rescued our dog we were advised to double lead him for a bit, so a normal lead and then one of the slip type leads too, your gorgeous boy may be good with leads and walks, ours had never lived in a house and everything was scary and new.

I'd also recommend a tracker to go on the collar, we have one called Tractive for each dog. There is a app so you can see them in real time if they were to spook and disappear from sight.

Does he need a crate? Many dogs aren't crate trained (mine isn't) and it's really not compulsory! Mine came as a rescue and, having grown up with dogs before crate training had been invented, I never felt the need to cage my dog.

Some of the crates I've seen - let's just say I've housed hamsters in larger cages. My grandmother - who raised generations of mild mannered family dogs - would be horrified if I explained the concept of crating to her.

Dogs need a space where they can be undisturbed, but it really doesn't need to have a lockable door on it...

He walks well on the lead and fosterer said his recall is getting good so doesn't feel any need to double lead him.

He is crate trained though apparently he only goes in there for his afternoon nap or when he feels he needs space. We have children so felt it was a good idea for him to have somewhere he can retreat to she doesn't lock it.

We've never crated before either, but then this will be the first time we have a new dog and children

We've also bought a normal big bed for him so he has the choice.

If he's anything like my past dogs he will be spooning me in bed within a week 🤪

LED collar for walking him at night (and if he does get off the lead, you can spot him in the undergrowth more easily, even in daylight, if the collar is switched on). Fairly cheap online and you cut to fit. I find it quite comforting in the dark on a narrow pavement - at least I know the traffic knows we are there.

He looks lovely 😍 We built ours a temporary hiding corner with a cardboard box in lieu of a crate and she indeed hid in it for a couple of days but once she ventured out she has been perfectly happy with her beds dotted around and we threw it away. A nice blanket that smelled of us seemed to help too.

Oh and pee pads are meant to be bad as they just encourage them to go indoors. Just take him out a lot and ignore the odd accident at first.

My dog has
Bed
Lead
Collar with tag
Poo bags
Food and water
Treats
Old towels
Brush
Crate in the boot of the car
She wasn't interested in toys so we got rid. Personally I would wait and buy things as you need them.

Well done for giving a rescue dog a home rather than lining a breeders pocket.