Let’s see if we can get you so organized that you have all the essential items you will need to take care of your new puppy before the white fluffy arrives.

But first, let me tell you what I’ll be giving you (besides the puppy).

Essential Items You’ll Get From Me

Dog Food

Your puppy will go home with a bag of freeze dried raw food that they were weaned on. It will last quite a few days and plenty to slowly switch from that food to whatever else you may prefer. A bag is about 9 cups and a puppy will eat about 1/4-1/3 cup per meal 2-3 x day. That amounts to between 9 – 14 days worth of food. If you wish to continue using this food, you can purchase online. The shipping is very reasonable especially if you buy in bulk.

It doesn’t need to be refrigerated when in the bag. It is shelf stable until you re-hydrate it with water about 1/2 hr before feeding. Depending on the size and age of your puppy, I may grind the dry food up so it is easy for little mouths.

You can use the food I give you and mix it with the food of your choice with it to switch the puppy over. For young puppies you can either choose bison or duck and trout flavors. If you prefer the other flavors, that would require also purchasing their puppy supplement for a complete diet.

A Toy That Smells Like Home

A comfort item that may help puppy feel more secure in his new environment. It’ll probably be pretty dirty with all the dogs in the house getting to play with it long enough to get their scents on it.

Collar or Harness and Leash

Nothing fancy, just something in case you need to make a pit stop before you get home. You can then go to your favorite pet store and buy what you like.

Paperwork

There are tons of papers that go with puppies. Much of what you get you will have an opportunity to see on this website prior to deciding to buy a puppy from me such as info regarding parents health screenings or puppy information. I give you hard copies when you pick up the puppy so you have it all in your possession and you can show to your vet as well.

• Contract/Bill of Sale – sample of the contract is on the puppies for sale page.
• AKC Registration application for the puppy
• pedigree showing parents, grandparents, great grandparents and in some cases up to 5 generations of ancestors
• Medical record showing vet visit at 6 weeks and results
• AKC puppy packet with helpful info on bringing your puppy home.
• Parents medical screening test results including things like DNA tests, hip screening, thyroid panel, certificates from OFA for patella and basic cardiac exam results. These will probably be helpful to your vet. If you have made an appointment with your vet, I’d be happy to email the paperwork to their office in advance of your visit.

Essential Items To Buy

Optional Raw Dog Food

Another raw dog food I use with both my puppies and adult dogs is Carnos frozen (Carnos.com) Right now I’m using raw ground pork (which is a meat that is low in iron levels) to see if lowered iron levels will reduce white dog tear stains. I don’t get the “complete” meals because they put synthetic vitamin/minerals in that food, so I stick with the mix that is muscle meat, organ meat and bone. I mix the Simple Food Project food and Carnos half and half for each meal The Carnos is frozen so you would need freezer space. They also ship frozen and shipping charge is very reasonable.

Pee / Poop Pads

Get either disposable or washable pee pads, 

a pee pad holder for the disposables with a grid on top to prevent shredding, a favorite pastime of older puppies. If you have visited the pups at my place you will see the “Brilliant Pad” automatic pad dispenser with grid on top. It isn’t perfect but I find it much easier to keep up with the cleaning and the pups take to it rather well. Like the Brilliant Pad, the pups are not perfect but are well on their way to being housebroken by time they are ready for their new homes. If you are interested in one, here is the link. I suggest getting the grid on top to prevent playing and shredding the pads, the attractant spray and the metal power cord to prevent chewing through.

Poop bags for when you go for a walk with your pup.

Food bowls

Stainless steel bowls for food and water.  Apparently not all stainless steel is safe… think: made in China so I get mine at basispet.com

Crates And Confinement

A crate for bedside (wire is fine for that, easy to have puppy see and hear you in the middle of the night)

A crate mat. Something easily washable in case of accidents.

A crate for the car (if you get a wire crate for the house don’t use it for the car… not much protection if in an accident. The plastic ones that are airline approved are better. If you have money to burn, or are dog crazy like me you can go for the Dakota 283.

An exercise pen for during the day that will give enough room to sleep, eat pee/poo and play. You can put an open crate in the pen if you like. The metal accordion fold pens are fine on carpet but get pushed around too easily on hardwood floors or vinyl. Something about 24 inches high should do fine.

Hygiene

Tear stain cleaner to reduce tear stains (this breed is notorious. I’m still working on finding a solution that doesn’t involve antibiotics). I also found it is just as easy to clip the stained hair near the eye using a mini trimmer ( so you don’t take off more hair than you need to. It’s pretty much a throw away when the blade gets dull. They are way too small to use to clip between foot pads or anywhere else. Well, maybe around the butt if she gets “Kling-ons”:

Pin brush without the little balls on the end, slicker brush for getting mats out, and mat breaker, shampoo, conditioner, nail clipper. The puppies have their dewclaws so remember to clip them along with the other nails. If you are into “creme de la creme” Chris Christensen or Cherrybrook are two websites I buy most all my stuff from.

So far this is the best mat breaker I’ve found so far.

Training Treats And Toys

I’ll send a toy home with puppy that smells like home but you could go crazy trying all the new toys they have for dogs now. Every dog is different. I primarily have raw knuckle bones for recreational chewing,

I don’t like bully sticks, pig ears, cow hooves as they all stink way more than any knuckle bone I’ve bought. Greenies don’t help teeth and I’ve read they have caused some GI problems, so I don’t use them either.

I use Ziwi Peak dog food as training treats because they are teeny weeny so good for small dogs.

If you have all these essential items, I’d say you were better prepared than most new owners and should have an easier adjustment to your new family member.