Bringing Home Your Fur-Baby: The Essentials
Photo credit - Jamie Jarquin, @pearlsandpinesphotography
Bringing home a puppy is the most exciting time, sprinkled with a dash of stress. My husband and I brought home our beautiful corgi, Winnie, home in August. At most, we had a month to prepare for her arrival so naturally, we looked to the endless amount of resources on the internet only to be left feeling overwhelmed about the items we absolutely “needed” to buy.
I am here to tell you to not feel stressed because this is such an exciting time in your life. From my experience, I have outlined some must-haves for bringing home your first, fluffy bundle of joy.
This is Winnie’s safe space and where she usually sleeps at night. I love this one because we can easily collapse it, fit it in our trunk and go on a mini weekend vacation with her bed. Be sure to look at the dimensions of the crate so you can buy the proper size for your pup. Here’s a link to the crate mat we bought for it so she’d be super comfortable in there.
All the above are so important for your newest addition. Once your pup is fully vaccinated to go on walks, you can start training them to walk with you, and that’s why it’s so important to have a leash. The next best investment is a harness. Harnesses help disperse the pressure to the back and body, whereas if you only use a collar when taking your fur baby for a walk, it’s possible to cause neck injuries if your pup is yanking or pulling the leash.
You can use bowls you already own, but I didn’t want my dog’s dishes and mine to mix at all so we bought her a couple of bowls for her food. We also made sure they were dishwasher safe so we can wash them after we mix her food with something like sweet potatoes or pumpkin.
If you have a carpeted apartment like us, this spray is an absolute must-have. Like most puppies, when we first started to potty train Winnie she would make accidents on the rug or carpet. We would immediately use this spray to get out any potential stains and omit the odor. After almost a full year of having Winnie, we are probably our second spray bottle in.
Poop bags and poop bags carrier
Sh*t happens, so you better be prepared! Don’t be that person who doesn’t clean up after their pup. Above, I linked poop bags that are 100% compostable and plastic-free. If you’re extra like me, having a cute poop bag carrier is a must. Be sure to check out Wild One’s poop bags carrier. I think they’re so chic (even if you’re picking up a pile of poop).
Living in the city can be filthy because people don’t always clean up after their dog (see point number 5). Unfortunately, the first week we had Winnie she contracted Kennel Cough. So being the extra precautionary puppy parents we are, we bought some dog wipes to clean her paws after taking her out to go potty to ensure she wouldn’t contract anything else when we took her outside. These wipes are also awesome to use on her fur coat after we take her to a dog park!
I am such a sucker for the cute toys that say things like, “Starbarks” or “Chewy Vuitton,” but in our reality, these were (and still are) the first toys to be chewed up and torn apart, which can lead to some serious intestinal issues. Do your research, but I find hard chew toys work best for our pup!
Puppy food and treats
As far as puppy food went, we stuck with what our breeder recommended and was already feeding Winnie! Making sure you find the perfect food for your dog is crucial to their health and growth, so consult with your vet on what is best for your fur baby. Since Winnie is an aggressive chewer, we love giving her bully rings or sticks to chew on! They’re usually all-natural and last a good amount of time. We also bought Winnie a Snuffle Mat to slow her down when she ate, but also helped with her foraging skills. This was a recommendation made by our puppy trainer! We still use it to this day.
Consult a veterinarian
Before you even bring home your pup, reach out to a few different veterinarians. When we looked for a vet, it was important how close proximity it was to us as well as the costs associated with the vaccinations. If you are unsure where to begin, I recommend reaching out to your friends/family with dogs of their own to get their recommendations. Doing this prior to bringing your pup home is super helpful in preparing for the costs and learning the vaccination requirements and schedules.
I hope this list helps you narrow down the needs versus all the tempting wants when bringing your fur baby home. Enjoy all the puppy kisses and cuddles because the time flies fast.
Don’t forget to follow along with Winnie’s adventures on her Instagram @WinnieTheCorgi__. She loves making new fur-riends!