What do you need when bringing home a new dog?
So, you’ve added or are planning to add a new member to your family? Congratulations! Whether you’re a first-time dog owner or a long-time canine enthusiast, adding a new four-legged companion to the family is always exciting and sure to bring life into a home.
But it also comes with great responsibility and a laundry list of things needed to have a smooth start! Here is a list of the essentials and some additional things you may need to get you and your four-legged companion started on your journey:
MUST have
- Collar and harness*
- Short and Long Leash
- Depending on age and breed, a few toys and training aids (some for fun, some for enrichment)
- Travel harness, bag or crate for the car (for the crate shop for adult size)
- Food
- Food & water bowls
- Combs and Brushes for coat care
- Towels!
- Blanket or bed
CAN have
- Open crate for the house if you want to crate train or use it as a secure resting place for your dog (see how to train this up in our next blog)
- Blankets (to protect your furniture or for your dog as comfort or training aid)
- A clicker
- A treat pouch or trainer jacket for walks and training
- A place mat for training
- For puppies – a pee pad or box to help with potty training and avoiding accidents in the house
This is not an all-inclusive list, and you may find you need more (or less) than what is written depending on your needs or what you already have at home.
General things to consider as well
- When you bring your new dog home it is important to build a routine. Dogs love routine and predictable behavior. This gives them structure and helps with setting boundaries and expectations regarding behavior.
- If you already have other animals in the home, think about how and where to introduce them to your new dog to avoid conflict. Introductions with other dogs are ideally done in a neutral setting to give time to explore and get to know each other. Introductions with cats are typically done slowly over a few days to give your new dog and your cat time to get used to one another.
- You can check out our puppy/young dog group for additional information and help! At Haku & Co. we welcome any inquiries and offer several individual and group sessions to help you and your four-legged companion on your journey!