you choose to take your dog to a groomer, you should still have the basics on hand.
Food and Water Bowls
Owners often buy bowls that they like rather than what best suits their puppy. After all, who can resist the dog-bone-shaped bowl or the ceramic bowl with the decorative paws? You will need two bowls: one for water and one for food. Depending on the eventual size of the dog you have chosen, you may need to buy several sets of bowls as your puppy grows. What works for a ten-week-old puppy may not work for an 80-pound adult dog. Bowls should be easy to clean and made of material that is not potentially harmful; stainless steel fits these requirements. Ceramic can be toxic, and glass bowls can easily break. Plastic bowls are inexpensive but can harbor bacteria and are not as easily sanitized as stainless steel. Tenacious chewers could easily ingest or choke on shredded pieces from a plastic bowl. Choose bowls with nonslip bases so that they won’t slide across the floor.
Purchase puppy-sized bowls for your large-breed youngster. This Rottie puppy could take a bath in his future water bowl.
Gates
Few dog owners can live without baby (or puppy) gates. They are indispensible and ideal for corralling your puppy and keeping him safe when you cannot give him your undivided attention. Until he is thoroughly house-trained and well through the chewing stage, gates will restrict his access and prevent him from wandering the house, getting himself into trouble, and developing bad habits.
Crates
A crate is an absolute necessity because it serves so many purposes. It's a great house-training tool, the safest place for a dog to be while traveling, and a cozy den for sleeping, retreating, or relaxing. A crate placed in a quiet corner of the kitchen or family room will satisfy a puppy’s natural instinct to seek a safe and secure environment. Your puppy should view the crate as a fun, positive, and inviting place—a quiet place all his own to sleep, eat, and retreat from the demands of being a puppy.
Crates come in different shapes, sizes, and materials, each offering their own advantages. Consider how you will be using the crate and pick the best one for your puppy's needs. For example, folding wire crates provide good air circulation and help keep dogs cool when temperatures are high. A crate cover turns any wire crate into a secure den and provides protection from the elements. Other crate types include heavy-duty, high-impact plastic kennels that meet domestic and international requirements for airline travel.
Purchase a crate that is big enough for your puppy when he is fully grown. Ideally, it should be big enough to allow an adult dog of your breed to stand up, turn around, and stretch out while lying down. If the crate is too big, it defeats the purpose of providing the security of a den. If it is too small, your puppy will be cramped and uncomfortable, and this is neither fair nor humane.
During house-training, a crate that is too large allows a puppy to use one end for sleeping and the other end as a bathroom, which defeats the crate’s purpose as a house-training tool. Some crates come equipped with a divider panel that allows you to adjust the crate space accordingly. This option allows you to block off a portion of the crate for house-training purposes and gradually enlarge the puppy’s area, so the crate can take your four-legged companion from the puppy stage through house-training and into adulthood without the expense of purchasing a second crate.
If you’re prepared for the arrival of your new acquisition, you can savor and enjoy the first days of puppy ownership.
Exercise Pens
An exercise pen (or ex-pen), which is a portable wire playpen for dogs, is another must-have for raising a well-behaved puppy. If you’ve been to a dog show, you've probably seen exhibitors using them. Available in varying heights—usually from 18 to 42 inches (46 to 107 cm)—ex-pens are ideal for placing anywhere you need a temporary kennel area. An ex-pen will safely confine your puppy when you cannot give him your undivided attention, such as when you are eating, working on the computer, talking on the telephone, or doing the laundry. You can bring along an ex-pen to corral your puppy while you are visiting friends or relatives, or you can put your pup in the ex-pen when you have visitors and do not want your puppy pestering everyone.
If you place the exercise pen in the kitchen area, or wherever your family tends to congregate, your puppy can get used to the many sights, sounds, and smells from the safety of the pen. Many owners prefer the kitchen area because kitchens tend to have washable floors that can easily be cleaned and disinfected if your puppy has an accident. Or, set it up in your backyard to corral your puppy without giving him free run of the entire yard, where he can get into mischief. Because ex-pens are portable and fold up for easy storage, they are a real convenience for traveling. You can set it up and give your puppy a small enclosed area for stretching his legs
Beds
Puppies chew, and a tenacious puppy can turn a pricey canine bed into worthless confetti in the time it takes you to run outside and move the sprinkler. Your puppy needs a bed of his own, but it is best to hold off on anything too expensive until he is well through the chewing and pottying stages. A large blanket, folded towel, or cozy fleece pad placed in his crate will do the job for the first few months. A blanket, towel, or pad is easily cleaned in the washing machine and is therefore less likely to develop that distinctive doggy smell.
A simple dog bed that is washable is the best choice for a young puppy that’s still undergoing house-training.
Collars, Leashes, and Harnesses
Ideally, your puppy should wear a lightweight nylon or leather buckle collar with proper identification attached. Some experts warn of the dangers of an unattended dog wearing a collar twenty-four hours a day, the theory being that the dog could get the collar snagged on a fence or the crate and choke to death. This is a genuine concern, and you will need to weigh the pros and cons of a collar. Should you opt against a collar, be sure that your dog has another form of identification, such as a microchip.
Nylon collars are inexpensive, which makes them a good choice for a puppy because you will need to replace the collar several times before the puppy isfully grown. Strong metal buckle fasteners may provide a slight advantage over plastic quick-release clips, which may break more easily. Again, much will depend on the type and size of your dog. There’s no need to go overboard purchasing expensive puppy collars because your puppy will outgrow them at a rapid rate. Leather collars are more expensive than nylon, and while they are well worth the investment for adult dogs, they may not be feasible for puppies.
You’ll need to check the collar size frequently—once a week or so. Left unchecked, a collar that is too small can become embedded into a dog’s neck, causing serious health issues. Ideally, the collar should fit around your puppy’s neck with enough room for you to fit two fingers between his neck and the collar. It should not be so tight as to restrict his breathing or cause coughing, nor should it be so loose that it slips over his head. When too loose, the collar can easily snag on objects, such as shrubbery, a fence post, or another dog’s tooth or paw, causing the dog to panic and possibly hang himself.
Several types of collars, such as choke chains, prong collars, and martingale collars, work by putting pressure on your dog’s neck and throat. While it may be tempting to use these devices on a puppy—especially a strong puppy—these collars are best left to professionals because they can cause serious damage to a puppy’s throat if used incorrectly. Taking the time to train your puppy without these devices to walk properly and not pull will
