Raising a Puppy: What Are the Essential Items to Prepare?
If you are in a settled life and have decided the time is right to bring a dog into the home, there’s a lot to consider; breed, size and temperament, to name but a few. You won’t need reminding that taking on a dog is a ‘for life’ commitment and you will develop a strong bond with your new family member. Regardless of breed, there are certain items that you will need to prepare for the puppy’s arrival, and with that in mind, here is our list of essential doggy items to prepare.
- Collar & Leash – His collar should be of good quality and suitable for his size; engraving your mobile number and his name is a good idea, while you should also have the puppy chipped and registered. Leashes come in many lengths, including retractable models that give the dog more freedom, while still giving you control.
- Food & Water Bowl – These can easily be sourced from the online supplier and you might be able to add his name, for some personalisation. Keep these in the kitchen in ‘his corner’, where his soft bed will be located. When you holiday and use dog boarding in Sydney, you can take his bowls along and that will give him a sense of security.
- Chewy Toys – There’s no getting away from it, puppies chew and rather than trying to stop him, give him suitable heavy-duty chew toys and it won’t take long for him to understand that the toy is for chewing.
- Dog Bed – There is a wide selection of dog beds, from basic to memory foam, which remembers the shape and is very comfortable. If he’s going to be a big dog, take this into account when buying his bed and you won’t have to change it later.
- Grooming – Aside from nail clippers, grooming tools would depend on whether your dog has a short or long coat. When you take the pup for hist first vet examination, ask the professional about grooming and what you should buy.
- Set of Rules – This is important and you and your family should sit down and decide what the puppy is and is not allowed to do; if all family members have the same response when he breaks a rule, he will quickly figure that out. While many owners have their dogs sleep with them and no rooms are out of bounds, there are others who limit the dog within the home and the dog quickly understands what he can and cannot do.
You should carry out a lot of online research regarding breeds and take a look at your lifestyle to see if raising a dog fits nicely into the equation.
