New puppy checklist

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The short version: before pickup, get a crate, a gate, food the breeder or shelter already uses, bowls, a collar with an ID tag, a leash, chew toys and enzyme cleaner. Book a vet visit for the first week. In week one, set the routine: crate, potty, food, play, sleep, at the same times every day.

Before pickup: buy these

• Crate with a dividerSize it for the adult dog. The divider keeps it small while the puppy is small.
• Baby gate or exercise penOne safe room beats a whole house to watch.
• The same food they eat nowAsk the breeder or shelter for the brand. Change food slowly, over a week or more, if at all.
• Food and water bowlsStainless steel cleans easily and does not get chewed.
• Collar and ID tagYour phone number on the tag. Make a free scannable one with our QR pet tag maker.
• Leash, 6 ftSkip retractable leashes while you train.
• HarnessEasier on a small neck that pulls.
• Bed or crate padCheap and washable first. Puppies chew beds.
• Chew toys, 3 or 4 kindsRubber, rope and a soft one. Rotate them.
• Small soft training treatsPea-size pieces. You will use a lot of them.
• Enzyme cleanerRegular cleaner leaves a smell that brings them back to the same spot.
• Poop bags and a holderClip the holder to the leash.
• Brush and puppy shampooStart handling paws, ears and mouth on day one, so grooming is never a fight.
• Nail clippers or a grinderLittle and often.
• Paw balmYoung pads are soft. Hot pavement, ice melt and rough ground all hit them. See below.

Before pickup: set up the house

• Puppy-proof one room firstCords, shoes, plants, trash. Full room-by-room list: puppy-proofing guide.
• Pick the potty spot outsideSame spot every time. It speeds up training.
• Put the crate where people areThe bedroom for the first nights helps a lot.
• Agree on house rulesCouch or no couch, who feeds, who walks. Everyone uses the same words.
• Find a vet and book the first visitInside the first week. Bring all the paperwork you got.
• Find the nearest 24-hour emergency vetSave the number and address in your phone now, not at 2 a.m.
• Price out the first yearUse our first-year dog cost calculator.

Pickup day

• Get the paperworkVaccine and deworming record, microchip number, any health guarantee.
• Bring a towel that smells like the litterAsk for one. It helps the first nights.
• Ride home in a crate or on a lap with a towelPuppies often get carsick.
• Go straight to the potty spotThen praise. Then the house.
• Keep the first day quietNo visitors, no party. One room, short naps, short play.

Week one

• First vet visit doneExam, vaccine plan, deworming, parasite prevention.
• Register the microchip in your nameA chip with the breeder's details does not bring the dog home to you.
• Decide on pet insurance before the first claimMost policies do not cover conditions that show up before you enroll. Is pet insurance worth it?
• Set a daily routineSame times for food, potty, play and crate.
• Potty breaks after every nap, meal and playAnd first thing in the morning, last thing at night.
• Start name, sit and crate gamesTwo or three minutes at a time.
• Handle paws, ears and mouth dailyCalm touch, then a treat.

The first months

• Finish the vaccine seriesYour vet sets the dates. Put them in your calendar now.
• Safe socializingNew people, sounds and surfaces. Ask your vet where it is safe to go before vaccines are done.
• Puppy classGood for you and the dog.
• Dog licenseMany cities and counties require one. Check yours.
• Talk to your vet about spay or neuter timingThe right age differs by breed and size.
• Set up a vet fund or a policyA monthly amount, either into savings or a premium.

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