The first week with a puppy goes more smoothly when the basics are ready before they come home. Here is what to have on hand, what can wait, and how to choose each item.
Ready for day one
- Food and water bowls. Stainless steel is easy to keep clean, and a silicone base helps the bowl stay put. Stainless Feeding Bowl
- The food they already eat. Ask the breeder or shelter what your puppy is fed and keep to it for the first couple of weeks. Change food gradually and ask your vet for advice.
- A bed and a blanket. Choose a bed for the size they are now with a little room to grow, and add a blanket that can carry the smell of home. Sage Donut Bed, Cosy Fleece Blanket
- A collar or harness, and a lead. Measure first, and expect to size up as they grow. How to measure your dog
- An ID tag. Add your phone number. Check your local council’s registration and microchipping requirements.
- Two or three toys. One soft toy for comfort and one for interactive play is plenty to start. Plush Puppy Pal, Rope Tug Toy
For the first few weeks
- Small training treats for rewarding toilet training, recall and calm behaviour. Check the minimum age on the pack. Training Treats 100g
- A soft brush. Short, gentle sessions now make grooming easier for life. Bamboo Grooming Brush
- A treat pouch once you start training on walks. Training Treat Pouch
- A travel bowl for outings once vaccinations are complete. Collapsible Travel Bowl
Things to organise, not buy
- A first vet visit to plan vaccinations, parasite prevention and diet.
- A safe, quiet sleeping spot away from draughts.
- A puppy-proofed home: cables, shoes and houseplants out of reach.
The shortcut
The Puppy Welcome Kit, for puppies aged 12 weeks and older, packs a soft toy, a tug toy, a collar in your puppy’s size, a bowl, a grooming brush and training treats into one box for less than buying them separately. You will still need a lead and a bed in your puppy’s size.