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List of Puppy Supplies

10/7/2020

There’s lots of puppy stuff you’ll need to make your puppy comfortable, happy, and successful as he learns to adapt to his new environment.

Crate. A crate facilitates housetraining and prevents puppy misbehaviour by keeping your dog safely confined when you’re not there to supervise. It allows you to sleep peacefully at night and enjoy dinner and a movie without worrying about what the pup is destroying.
Puppy pen/exercise pen. This expands the “den” concept of a crate to a slightly larger area, giving a pup more room to stretch her legs, yet still keeping her in a safe, confined area. Many people include a “restroom” facility, by using a tarp underneath the pen and peepads on top of that at one end. I don't recommend newspapers unless under the peepad as they tend to create "dry" feet and skin.
Tether. This is a short (about four feet in length) plastic-coated cable with sturdy snaps at both ends. Tethers are intended to temporarily restrain a dog for relatively short periods of time in your presence, as an aid in a puppy supervision and house-training program, and as a time-out to settle unruly behavior. They should NEVER be used as punishment, or to restrain a dog for long periods in your absence.
Collar, ID tag, leash, and harness. Small dogs should always be walked on harness.
Seat belt. Use a restraint that fastens to your car’s seat belts and your dog’s harness (never a collar) to keep her safe, and safely away from the driver. I buy mine at amazon.ca.

Clicker. Properly used as a reward marker, a clicker significantly enhances your communication with your furry friend and speeds the training process. There are wonderful clicker training videos on YouTube!
Treats. A clicker, of course, is nothing without an accompanying reward. We use treats as the primary reward to pair with the clicker because most dogs can be motivated by food, and because they can quickly eat a small tidbit and get back to the training fun. Please do not use liver treats. They are too rich and can cause health issues.
Long line. A lightweight, strong, extra-long leash (8-20 feet), the long line is an ideal tool to help your dog learn to come reliably when called regardless of where you are or what other exciting things are happening. I personally use the 10 leash for training. I can put it around my waist and for 7-10 days , I have puppy "attached" to me. Puppy because so ingrained in his "space" that when you remove it, he won't be too far from your feet at all times. Do not use the extendable leashes to walk your dog. They are dangerous.
Kong toys. If we could buy only one toy for our dog, it would be a Kong, a chew-resistant (not chew-proof), rubber toy with a hollow center. A Kong can be used “plain” as a toy, but makes an irresistible treat for any dog when stuffed with kibble or treats that are held in place with something like peanut butter, cream cheese, or yogurt. Ensure that any treats or peanut butters do NOT CONTAIN XYLITOL.
Balls, interactive toys, fetch toys.
Grooming tools. Choose combs and brushes appropriate for your dog’s type of coat (ask a groomer or vet), shampoo and conditioner, scissors, nail clippers, cotton balls, and toothbrushes. Start using these tools on your puppy early, pairing the experience with tasty treats so she forms a positive association with the task.
House cleaning tools

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