New Puppy - Stuff you need, stuff you wish you'd never bought!

[ILikePizzaAndWine]

Nice happy thread, not one to start questioning why we've not gone for a rescue etc etc. Just wanting practical advice and suggestions about essentials!

We're finally getting a dog. Much wanted for years have waited until we felt the time is right. That time came earlier in the year, and we have finally found our puppy. We will pick her up next month.

We've never had a dog before, have spent a lot of time researching (and stalking the new puppy survival thread!), but like with babies, there are things recommended that actually turn out to be useless (sleeping bags and slings for my kids) and things that actually were life savers (Ewan the dream sheep, jumperoo), so would really appreciate recommendations for both!

Thanks in advance.

I bought several lovely beds. He sleeps exclusively on the sofa or my bed so they were a waste! He uses them for hiding his “treasures” (mostly my socks)

You want crocs (size up so they go on quickly), a warm dressing gown with a hood, a beanie hat with built in led torch, and really good quality kitchen roll. And much Simple Solution pet accident spray.
I've had more puppies in my house than I care to think about (getting close to 60) as we foster for a rescue, and these are the most important things for me

The best non-essential purchase for our (small) puppy has probably been the playpen. We used it a lot in the early (bitey) weeks so that we could engage and play without sharp teeth doing any damage. It was also useful if I needed somewhere safe to put the puppy while I answered the door or put shopping away. We have continued to use it in the evenings when he sometimes gets a bit overtired/bitey/humpy and needs to go in there to help him settle down. He's now nearly 5 months and I'm expecting to continue to use it for another month or two. I've heard that playpens can be less useful for bigger puppies because they grow big enough to break out of them quite quickly.
Least used item is the soft crate that I bought to bring him home in (he sat on my knee in the back of the car) and for him to sleep in at night (he was in our bed by night 3!)

@Hottesttrikeintown

I bought several lovely beds. He sleeps exclusively on the sofa or my bed so they were a waste! He uses them for hiding his “treasures” (mostly my socks)

Thank you! That will stop me buying a 'bed for every room' like I was planning!

@CMOTDibbler

You want crocs (size up so they go on quickly), a warm dressing gown with a hood, a beanie hat with built in led torch, and really good quality kitchen roll. And much Simple Solution pet accident spray. I've had more puppies in my house than I care to think about (getting close to 60) as we foster for a rescue, and these are the most important things for me

Thank you, these are great tips!

@QueenOfToast

The best non-essential purchase for our (small) puppy has probably been the playpen. We used it a lot in the early (bitey) weeks so that we could engage and play without sharp teeth doing any damage. It was also useful if I needed somewhere safe to put the puppy while I answered the door or put shopping away. We have continued to use it in the evenings when he sometimes gets a bit overtired/bitey/humpy and needs to go in there to help him settle down. He's now nearly 5 months and I'm expecting to continue to use it for another month or two. I've heard that playpens can be less useful for bigger puppies because they grow big enough to break out of them quite quickly. Least used item is the soft crate that I bought to bring him home in (he sat on my knee in the back of the car) and for him to sleep in at night (he was in our bed by night 3!)

Thank you! Apparently she'll come home with a playpen, and I didn't really 'get' it, but that makes a lot of sense, thank you!

Wish we’d never bought puppy pads. He chewed up the ones in his pen and we always took him outside for a wee. Still have loads left but they are good for muddy human feet in the footwell of the car!!

'Plenty' kitchen roll is much better than standard Tesco. Plus, when puppy decides to come and 'help' with the mopping up, it's quite strong.

Our pup has decided that an old towel is much preferred to the expensive bed. She drags it to where she wants it lie, and lies on it.

And I'd second the easy put on shoes & coat for the middle of the night wees.

Would echo the play pen. We have a large breed puppy and it's so useful for keeping him safe and protecting our fingers when he's tired and bitey. On that subject stock up on germolene/savlon to cope with the bites. If you have small children get them wellies to wear indoors to protect feet from puppy teeth.

Plenty of long toys - ropes, old towels etc to engage pup without you having to get too close to the teeth. (You can tell my boy is going through a toothy phase)

We bought a lovely harness but he hates it so have a cheap functional one instead.

Don't use training pads. That just teaches them to pee inside the house. Our puppy also chewed on them like @OnlyToWin said

Training pads were a waste for us too! Ditto the soft travel crate and, realistically, his actual crate (though we do use that for car travel so it is used). He sleeps either in the cheapie dog bed I got early on or, as a PP also experienced, an old towel which he places wherever there is a patch of sunlight or quiet spot to look out the window/doze.

We have a borrowed playpen that’s been v handy for giving the DC a chance to move about the kitchen during bitey-time and also a makeshift baby gate to keep him in the kitchen rather than roaming about the house!

Went through 3-4 harnesses till I found one that fit properly and he tolerated so I’d advise getting him first and then measuring him to get an idea if the right size.

Friend gave us a snuffle mat that’s great for giving him something to do while we have dinner.

Also, much like the DC, he loves a good cardboard box. Often the ones that contained a new toy he promptly ignored in favour of said box

Play pen was a complete waste of £100 for us. It lasred a week before she could get out of it. Best buys are a biothane 10m long line and a pair of waterproof trousers.

Oh, you also need the Puppy Survival Thread! (You seem to be on to this already). If I hadn’t read about the puppy blues on there I would have thought I was losing it during the first 2 weeks😭

Rummage around in charity shops or on freecycle for an old either metal or wood kiddies playpen, even better if it is one of those you can open up & use as a room divider & wood or metal baby gates.

Antlers for chewing on have been great for us as he got a bit older
Early days- crocs, tonnes of kitchen roll, treats to start training early- I like the natural dried duck squares, beds that aren't expensive (ours still chews them)
Crate - we fed him in it and left treats in it with door open snd he still goes in now at 1 but with door open. It's his den !
Chew toys made of plaited strips of towel
Didn't use:
Puppy pads- he tried to eat them
Car seat basket thing
Puppy carrier rucksack thing- he hated it

I struggled with the biting a lot but he's so gentle now - like a different dog and I adore him

I love our doggy car seat and our dog loves it too. He is very unsettled if he has to sit on the backseat without it. The car seat is his sanctuary where he sleeps and gets lots of treats during car journeys. It's not enclosed or anything like that, but he stays in there and jumps out of my hands to sit in it. He is a toy breed though. It might not be ideal for a bigger breed.

And keep cardboard boxes that deliveries come in. For chewing/playing.
That and loo roll tubes. Our pup can get a good 20 minutes of play from a loo roll tube.

Agree that puppy pads are a waste, we used two in the packet and gave the rest away as we went straight for using the garden.
I know a lot of people like longlines but I really do t like them (people/dogs get tangled in them) so really concentrated on teaching recall.

The thing I wouldn’t have been without for my last pup was my acme whistle and lanyard (well multiple of the same whistle actually, as I had them stashed in every pocket) and the Total Recall book. He was a sighthound, but still had fantastic recall from a very young age and always charged back to me gleefully, no matter what I was calling him away from. It also meant that he would consistently recall to any member of the family.

The earlier you start conditioning a positive response to the whistle the better, imo.

If you’re considering a harness, I would recommend Perfect Fit, as you can fit it exactly to your dog and replace individual pieces as they grow. They’re also padded with soft fleece and are therefore even gentle enough for thin-skinned sighthounds.

To echo what others have said, we also do crocs, beanie with built in LED light and a warm coat all kept by the back door for nocturnal and early morning toilet trips. I also have neoprene lined ankle wellies for winter months. I’ve recently put one of those fabric sausage things for stuffing carrier bags into on a hook by the back door. It fits hundreds of poo bags in and makes it so easy to grab one/some as you head out of the door. I also agree that Simple Solution is an absolute must, for indoor accident clean ups, as is good quality kitchen roll.

Sorry for the delay in responding, trying to get a load of work squeezed in over the next month so I can take a couple of weeks off.

Really interesting about the puppy pads - I had assumed they were an essential, so I will now reconsider!

crocs/coat/hat/kitchen roll all really helpful tips too.

And re: the harness, thank you, I found them quite overwhelming in so many places so will check out Perfect Fit.

x

Stair gate is useful, especially if you don’t use a pen.
Breed dependent and not really needed until he’s out walking - drying coats are great in our weather - but I have labs and they love getting wet.

Double ended training lead, which can be clipped to both harness and collar, lengthened and shortened and is comfy on your hands.
Enjoy your puppy

Yes a stair gate is essential. I might have missed what breed you are getting, but deending on the breed you might not want a harness while they are growing. I was concerned about shoulder damage as they are growing so we just use a collar at the moment. We are looking to get a harness for canicross once she is fully grown.

Wellies.
Bumbag for keys, phone, treats, poo bags, tennis ball, NT card for free parking at local beauty spot and all the other kit that comes in handy. I used to have a spare lead stuffed in there too but I lost it.
A large dose of patience.
. Don't worry about the tonic, you won't be needing it...

Playpen worth every penny here. Sleeps in it at night and if she needs to be left unsupervised.
We also use a camera to check on her when we’re out or upstairs. I didn’t think I’d like it but it’s been great.

Things we barely used:
Puppy carrying sling-she wasn’t keen
Puppy car seat-ditto!
Steps to get on and off the sofa to protect joints-she just leapt over them probably doing more damage

I'm following this thread with interest as I'm due to get my first puppy (a whippet, squee!) in a few weeks. I've had a whippet before but an adult rescue so I'm a bit nervous shitting myself about the puppy stage