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New Puppy Must Haves 🐾 The Ultimate Checklist for Dog Parents (2025)

30 items

Rhonda Murphy

Bringing home a new puppy is the best feeling ever… until you realize how much stuff you actually need. 🐶 When I first got my pup, I was overwhelmed and definitely bought a few things I didn’t need (and totally missed the ones that made life easier)...

Sections

For Sleep & Sweet Dreams

Feeding & Nutrition Section

Potty Training & Clean Up

Chew Toys and Enrichment

Training & Behavior

Grooming

For Sleep & Sweet Dreams

These are the things that saved my sleep when I brought my puppy home. Crates are a must-have, but there are several options depending on your budget and style. I've listed several options. We ended up with 2 crates, which I recommend if you travel. ...

Okay, this crate isn’t the prettiest thing in the world, but it’s hands-down the most practical one I’ve used. It’s sturdy, foldable, and basically indestructible (which is saying something with a puppy). The best part? The divider. You can close off...

Foldable Metal Wire Pet Crate with Tray

This crate doubles as decor, which I love. The wooden frame and mesh design make it look like a chic side table instead of a bulky cage. It’s sturdy, has a sliding door and flip-top for easy access, plus a divider for potty training or multiple pets....

Aquifta 37" Wooden Dog Crate with Door & Divider

This soft travel crate was a lifesaver when we took our puppy on vacation at just 2 months old. It folds up in seconds, is super lightweight, and still sturdy enough for road trips or vet visits. I love the mesh panels for airflow, the washable mat f...

Petprsco Portable Collapsible Dog Crate w/ Blanket & Bowl

In the first few weeks, don’t overthink it — a soft towel is honestly the easiest thing to throw in your puppy’s crate. Accidents happen, and towels wash and dry way faster than fancy bedding. But once your pup gets the hang of potty training (I prom...

Bedsure Calming Dog Bed

Once your pup is ready for a bed inside the crate, you really don’t need anything fancy. These soft crate pads are perfect. They fit wire crates, are lightweight, and super cozy with a faux fur surface that helps with comfort and anxiety. I love that...

Dog Beds Crate Pad

I spent the first three nights with my puppy sleeping on my chest—until I discovered the Snuggle Puppy and it changed everything. This plush toy mimics a real heartbeat and comes with a heat pack, giving your fur baby that snuggly, warm, comforting f...

Snuggle Puppy® Heartbeat Stuffed Toy for Pet Anxiety Relief

“If you can, ask your breeder or rescue if they’ll send you home with a blanket your puppy already knows — the familiar scent helps so much those first few nights. But even if that’s not possible, having a blanket of their own is a must. I love these...

1 Pack 3 Calming Blankets

Dogs That is the best dog training I’ve found. A well behaved dog is a family member and that takes training.

Join Us In Home School The Dog

Feeding & Nutrition Section

At the end of the day, we all just want our dogs to live long, healthy, happy lives with us. That’s why I switched to The Farmer’s Dog. It’s fresh, human-grade food made with real meat and vegetables, not processed fillers. It’s formulated by veterin...

The Farmer's Dog

Some puppies can be a little hesitant to stick their whole face in a bowl at first, and that’s where these tilted bowls are amazing. The 15° tilt makes it easier and less intimidating for them, plus it helps with digestion by keeping them from strain...

PETKIT Raised Non-Slip Tilted Dog Bowl

If you have one of those dogs who inhales their food in 10 seconds flat (lol, I feel you), a slow feeder is a lifesaver. The maze design forces them to slow down, which helps prevent choking and upset tummies, and it’s way healthier for digestion. I ...

Coomazy Slow Feeder Dog Bowl with Suction Cups

This makes a lot of tiny treats, which are perfect for training. If your dog has a beef allergy, mince up chicken or turkey instead of beef.

Homemade Dog Training Treats

Potty Training & Clean Up

Potty training is one of those things that feels overwhelming at first, but I promise—it clicks faster than you think. My motto is: begin as you mean to go on. That’s why I don’t usually recommend potty pads (unless you’re in an apartment where going...

For apartment dwellers or if you're planning on your dog using potty pads indefinitely.

Amazon Basics Dog & Puppy Pee Pads, 5-Layer Leak-Proof

This is the good stuff. Go ahead and buy the gallon jug.

Professional Strength Stain and Odor Eliminator

Sometimes puppies have accidents you don’t even notice—until the smell shows up. This UV flashlight is a lifesaver for finding hidden spots on carpets or floors so you can actually clean them. Super handy during potty training.

UV Flashlight Black Light for Pet Urine Detection

Go ahead and buy in bulk. This comes with a bag dispenser to hook to your leash that makes it super convenient.

Typlastics Dog Poop Bags 270 Count w/ Dispenser

Chew Toys and Enrichment

Bringing home a puppy sometimes feels less like a snuggly furball and more like you adopted a baby T-Rex. 🦖 Those little razor-sharp teeth need something to chew on—or else your shoes, furniture, and hands will pay the price. Chew toys save your san...

These keep my pup happy for almost an hour, plus licking is calming and reduces stress in dogs. It's enrichment for him and a welcomed break for you.

WOOF Starter Pack - Interactive Dog Toys

A chew toy of every iteration. Puppies love tug of war and it's a great training tool, too. Lots of options with this one. Introduce a new one every couple of weeks to keep interest high.

Zeaxuie 25 Pack Luxury Dog Chew Toys for Puppy

My pup is obsessed with this snuffle mat—it taps right into their natural love of sniffing and hunting for food. I hide tiny pieces of treats in the fabric folds (the Honey Beefers recipe works perfectly!), and it keeps my dog busy, happy, and mental...

Pet Snuffle Mat for Dogs,

Training & Behavior

Training a puppy can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. I personally skip the clicker—it always felt like one more thing to carry around. Words and hand signals are way more natural and easier to use in everyday life. The real ...

Not technically a must-have, but trust me—your pockets will thank you. A treat pouch keeps all those smelly dog treats contained, and it makes rewarding your pup during training sessions so much easier. Quick access to treats = faster learning (and n...

Raisingwell Dog Treat Pouch

I always recommend a harness over a collar for puppies—when they pull, a collar can put too much pressure on their throat. This harness is great because it has two leash clips: one on the back for regular walks, and one on the front that helps discou...

rabbitgoo Dog Harness No Pull with 2 Leash Clips

This leash has two handles, which is great for heel training.

Heavy Duty Dog Leash - 2 Handles

A solid recall is one of the most important skills your dog can learn—it could literally save their life. This long training leash gives your pup freedom to explore while still keeping them safe and connected to you. At 30 feet, it’s perfect for prac...

Hi Kiss Dog Puppy Obedience Recall Agility Lead

If your puppy has decided your furniture legs are their personal chew toys, this stuff is a lifesaver. A quick spritz of sour apple spray and suddenly the couch leg (or shoe, or table corner) doesn’t taste so good anymore. It saved our couch leg duri...

Grannick's Bitter Apple Dog Deterrent Spray

You don’t have to buy anything fancy to train your pup out of bad habits—just make a rattle can. Finish your favorite canned drink, rinse it out, let it dry, then drop in a few screws, pennies, or washers. Cover the opening with duct tape, and boom—y...

Homemade Rattle Can for Training

Grooming

How much grooming your pup needs really depends on the type of dog you bring home. Short-haired pups are pretty low maintenance—an occasional bath and brushing usually does the trick. But doodles and other long-haired breeds need more regular care to...

Doodles and long-haired dogs need detangling. This one does the trick.

TropiClean Perfect Fur Detangling Dog Shampoo

We use this on our Cavachon and it helps keep his coat soft and tangle-free.

TropiClean Dog Conditioner, Kiwi & Cocoa Butter, 20oz

This is a great brush for short-haired dogs. Self-cleaning so you're not digging fur out of it yourself.

Dipoo Self Cleaning Shedding Brush -

If you have a curly-haired pup (like a doodle), a metal comb is a must. Brushes can miss hidden mats, but a comb will find them and help work them out before they get worse. Regular combing saves you (and your groomer) a lot of headaches and keeps yo...

2 Pack Dog Combs

My dog has black nails, and honestly, I’ve always been nervous about using clippers since you can’t see where the quick is. A grinder makes the whole process so much less stressful—it gently files the nails down instead of clipping, so you don’t have...

Casfuy 6-Speed Dog Nail Grinder