What to buy before bringing home a puppy (and what to skip)

Before your puppy comes home, you need a short list of basics: the food they already eat, a safe place to rest, gear for walks and ID, supplies for accidents, a few toys, simple grooming tools, and a home that's been puppy-proofed. Most other things can wait until you know your puppy better, and a couple of common items on a new puppy shopping list are better skipped altogether.

What food should you have ready?

Start with a bag of the food your puppy eats now, and ask the breeder or shelter what that is. Some pets get an upset stomach when their food changes quickly. If you decide to switch, the veterinary nutritionists at Tufts recommend mixing in the new food gradually over at least one week.

When you choose a longer-term food, look for the nutritional adequacy statement on the label. It says which life stage the food is made for. The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recognizes four categories: growth, maintenance, gestation/lactation, and all life stages. For a growing puppy, look for "growth" or "all life stages."

If your puppy will grow into a large dog, check one more detail. The adequacy statement on a puppy food may also say whether the food is formulated for the growth of large-size dogs, which the label wording defines as 70 lb or more as an adult. If you're not sure how big your puppy will get, ask your vet which kind of food fits.

You'll also want food and water bowls that are easy to clean, and small, soft treats for training.

Where will your puppy sleep and rest?

Your puppy needs a safe, comfortable spot for the times you can't watch them. Metro Nashville's animal care and control agency suggests a crate, or for short periods a small, easy-to-clean room closed off with a child gate, set up with a bed, water, and things to chew on. The same guidance notes that dogs don't like to eliminate where they sleep.

What to buy:

• A crate that fits your puppy. If you buy one sized for your dog's adult size, choose one with a divider so you can adjust the space as your puppy grows.
• Washable bedding or a crate mat.
• Baby gates or an exercise pen.

What do you need for walks and ID?

For walks, have a flat, adjustable collar, an ID tag with your phone number, a harness that fits well, a regular fixed-length leash, and poop bags.

If your puppy already has a microchip, make sure it's registered to you with your current contact details. The AVMA explains that a scanned chip leads back to the owner only if that contact information is current. Your vet can help you find the right registry, or you can use AAHA's Universal Pet Microchip Lookup tool.

What helps with house training?

Expect some accidents while your puppy learns, and keep an enzymatic cleaner and paper towels within reach. Metro Nashville Animal Care and Control explains that urine contains scent markers that tell a dog to go there again, and that enzymatic cleaners break these markers down.

Clean up calmly. The same guidance advises against punishing a dog for accidents, because it can make them afraid to go in front of you.

Which toys and chews are worth buying?

A few toys are enough to start: chew toys sized for your puppy, a food puzzle or a toy you can stuff with food, and one soft comfort toy. You'll soon see what your puppy likes, and you can add more later.

With anything new to chew, watch your puppy at first. An FDA veterinarian recommends supervising your dog with any chew toy or treat, especially one they haven't had before, and calling your vet right away if your dog "just isn't acting right" afterward.

What grooming supplies do you need at first?

You need a brush that suits your puppy's coat, nail clippers or a grinder, and a toothbrush and toothpaste made for dogs. Skip human toothpaste. Oklahoma State University's veterinary hospital advises using only pet toothbrushes and toothpaste and notes that human toothpaste could upset your pet's stomach.

How do you puppy-proof before day one?

Get down to your puppy's eye level and look around each room. Before pickup:

• Tuck cords away or cover them.
• Use a trash can with a lid. The FDA warns that dogs can get into the kitchen trash and eat bones you've thrown away.
• Move cleaning products, medications, and plants out of reach. ASPCA Poison Control has safety information on household products, human medications, and plants, including a list of toxic and non-toxic plants you can check against what's in your home.
• Pick up small objects, shoes, and socks.

What paperwork and phone numbers should you sort out?

Book your puppy's first vet visit before pickup, and ask the clinic how soon they'd like to see a new puppy. Bring any health records from the breeder or shelter. If you're interested in pet insurance, you can compare options now, though it's optional.

Then save three phone numbers where everyone at home can find them:

• Your vet
• Your nearest 24-hour emergency vet
• An animal poison control line, such as ASPCA Poison Control at (888) 426-4435

If you think your puppy ate something toxic, call your vet, an emergency vet, or an animal poison control line right away. A consultation fee may apply. Outside the US, ask your vet which poison line to use.

What can you skip for now?

• A big bag of a food your puppy hasn't tried. Start small. Tufts' nutritionists note that an unusual degree of stomach upset during a switch can mean the change is going too fast, or that the new food isn't a good fit.
• An expensive bed. Washable bedding works for now. You can upgrade once you see how your puppy treats it.
• A basket full of toys. A few are enough to start.

Two things to skip for good:

• Bones, including leftovers from your meals. An FDA consumer update warns that giving a dog a bone can lead to an unexpected vet visit or emergency surgery. Ask your vet which chews suit your puppy.
• Prong, choke, and shock collars. The AVSAB recommends only reward-based training and lists these collars among training tools that involve pain.

If you'd like help with what comes after day one, The First 90 Days is our 38-page handbook on routines, potty and crate training, socialization, and foundation skills, with 7 printable worksheets.