New Puppy Checklist

Congratulations! You have a new puppy in your home. This is such an exciting time for you and your family. In addition to the items on the checklist below, you will need to help guide your little puppy to feel safe in their new place.

Planning ahead is key. You want to make sure you have everything you think they will need purchased and ready to go before you bring them home. After all, it’s super important that they feel safe when they arrive at your place. You are their family now and it’s important to remember this while you are both adjusting to each other and doing life together.

Your main objective here is to help create a smooth transition that has the least amount of stress for you and your new puppy!

I’ll start with some of the key points below and then move on to the new puppy checklist to make sure you have everything you need, from puppy food and bowls, to toys, waste bags and treats.

Bringing them home:

Puppies need structure and a safe place to call home. It is important to create a little space for them so that they can find comfort when they get scared. You want them to feel secure. So it’s a good idea to have a designated area that is just theirs that they cannot get out of and you can keep an eye on them.

Create a Safe Space:

When your puppy arrives, having a safe space ready for them will allow them to adjust to their new surroundings. This safe space should have a bed, a pee pad, a crate, puppy safe toys, food and water bowls.

It is important to have a crate in this space so that the puppy can go in and feel like it's safe from the outside world. This is where your puppy will also sleep in the beginning. You can also have a comfy bed that can be placed in or near the crate, depending on how big the crate is.

Puppies love to chew on anything they can get their little teeth on, so be sure to have safe chew toys available for them so they can chew to their heart's content.

To help you out, I created a special collection in the shop filled with New Puppy Essentials.

Learn to Speak Dog:

If this is your first puppy, I recommend getting a new puppy book. It can be as simple as a guide to answer any questions you may have about your new puppy or I recommend a body language book to help you learn about what their different body behaviors are saying to you. It’s fascinating to learn how much a dog speaks with their bodies as well as gestures and looks.

With a quick look online, there are a ton of free resources available on Google. I would encourage you to do your due diligence and make it a point to learn about your new furry family member. Whether that be learning about their breed, behaviors or how to train them. Remember, you are both in new territory, so the more you know the better you will feel at ease and they will too.

Tip: Be gentle on yourself during this time. It takes a lot of patience.

Health:

The next most important thing you can do once you bring your puppy home is schedule a new pet visit with your veterinarian. Most veterinarians have new puppy plans that include vaccinations and a microchip. This is also the right time to talk about and choose a pet insurance plan. And if you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the things to do, don’t- I’ve created a very thorough checklist below that has everything you need to do.

Again, being in the know about what to expect and what you need to do to make sure your new family member is taken care of and healthy is very important.

This is your time to ask your vet all the questions you’ve been thinking of. So if you have a lot- write them down so you don’t forget to go over them.
If this is all new to you, you won't know what to do until you have the information in hand, so utilize the expertise of your vet to inform you on any questions or concerns you may have.

Tip: It’s also a good idea to have a go-to 24 hour emergency clinic number stored in your phone just in case anything happens.

And one final thing to remember to do during this time is to have fun with the new fur baby! Use these puppy years as an excuse to take all the photos and videos you want, because I’m telling you, they will grow up fast and before you know it, they will be adult dogs with adult dog kisses- which you will love just as much as those puppy kisses- promise.

Here is your New Puppy Checklist: