Thinking of bringing home a new family member? Putting together a kit to be prepared for said new puppy? Don’t know what you should put in the kit? Welcome to the packl!
This isn’t our first rodeo when it comes to adding new family to our pack. Pup I was a rescue that came from bad circumstances and was supposedly 4 months old when I went to pick her up. We had other dogs in the house but she was a new venture since we didn’t know what she had been through in the previous part of her life.
She had been abused and it took weeks to get her comfortable in our house. She had nightmares, was reactive towards things that ran on gas engines, i.e. leaf blowers, dirt bikes, weed eaters. It took determination and patience to get her to where she is today. Now she is the bestest girl I have ever had and even though she is now blind in one eye, I wouldn’t trade her for anything.
When pup L came into the picture, we traveled to get her and discovered that she was on the small side. While she is only 8 weeks old now, she is still learning to “dog”. She is constantly playing and sleeping and cracking us up. Her and Pup C have created a bond and it is awesome to watch both of them come into their roles respectively.
What you need before bringing home puppy
Many people will tell you to make sure you have puppy pads, collars, leashes, and all the things that will make you spend hundreds of dollars that you honestly don’t need to spend. While yes getting a collar and such is a necessity, why go and buy a collar you will have to replace within a few months? Unless you live in the city, a collar and ID are not necessary until you start taking your new family for trips away from home which honestly shouldn’t happen until they are older since over stimulation is a horrible thing and can lead to anxiety and reactiveness. This topic is for another day though so, let’s carry on.
Do you really want your puppy learning to potty near the front door because you are too lazy to go outside with them when they alert they need to potty? Puppy pads while great for dogs who are older and possibly incontinent, are horrible for puppies. They teach them that it is ok to go potty inside on something because that is what you have trained them to do. Not good!
If you are unsure of their cues to need to go outside, invest in a bell for the door. This could be the new doorbells they have for dogs, or just a large “jinglebell”. This helps the puppy to alert you to when they feel the need to go outside. They will associate the sound with going outside and start putting two and two together. It doesn’t take long for them to train this to memory.
Dietary Needs
Food. This is a big one. Make sure you talk to whomever you are getting your little one from and find out what food they are currently eating. You want to have some of that food on hand at home for when they get there. If you plan to change their diet to something else, have some of the new food as well to start slowly mixing into their old diet. A sudden shift is not good and can cause upset belly leading to vomiting and diarrhea. Now I am not a vet, but many years have taught me to do it this way to save time having to shampoo and clean up accidents because of changing diets.
Home
Now you are home and you are at a loss. Your puppy is small and needy and you are just trying to survive. This is where the concept of a crate comes in. I have crates for all my animals. This is their safe space. If they are overwhelmed they can go in and sleep or give themselves a time out. IT is also the place they sleep at night, to cut back on accidents.
I keep a washable pad inside, and only let them have enough room to be able to sleep comfortably. As they grow, they get more room. If they can potty in one corner and sleep in another, they will and then you have the treat of cleaning the crate every day.
All of the Pups in our pack dine in their crates as well. They each have their own food bowl. This helps to cut back on the possibility of food aggression. Since we have large dogs, they tend to want to eat everything from all bowls. this is not a good thing since they each have allotted amounts for their health. We do have a communal water bowl for all the animals.
First Aid Kit for Puppy
I also keep on hand a K-9 first aid kit. This is good for any type of emergency but having one especially for a new puppy is a good idea.
I keep wound wash in it for just in case they get too rough or stuck or, like most puppies, into something they didn’t belong in and random blood appears. I also keep some sort of sterile nonstick pads, antibiotic ointment, and a wrap to be able to keep it on them. You never know when something might happen that is not enough to go to the vet, but is painful and needs attention at home.
Some random items to keep on hand and in your K-9 first aid kit is some wormer. While the person you got your puppy from may have wormed them, you can never be too cautious and should always worm again when they come home. Pay attention to the dosing instructions on the bottle. I use a liquid wormer since it is easier to get your puppy to take, but if your puppy is good at taking treats already, the pill form may be a good alternative.
You should also have a cone of some sort in your kit. If puppy decides to hurt themselves, and you need to wrap a foot, you need a way to keep them from unwrapping the injury and possibly hurting themselves more.
So there you have it. While this is not a complete list of items needed, it is a list of what I have found makes bringing puppy home a little easier and makes the transition a lot less traumatic. Good luck on bringing home puppy and I hope you enjoy yours as much as we enjoy Pup L the newest member of our pack!
