10 Puppy Essentials to Make Your Life a LOT Easier!
Thinking about getting a furry little bundle of joy?
Here are my top 10 puppy essentials that I couldn’t live without
….from one puppy parent to another!
This post contains affiliate links. These links do not change the price you pay but I earn a small commission from any products purchased.
Affiliate links enable me to keep providing helpful free posts like this one -ad-
Urine Destroyer
I hate to tell you, but accidents are going to happen…lots of them! It’s essential you kill the smell of puppy wee to prevent more accidents from happening and regular floor cleaner isn’t going to cut it. Dogs have a highly sensitive sense of smell, so even if you can’t smell it, they might still be able to!
This brand is great and really does kill ALL odors so your pup isn’t tempted to re-offend. If they’re on offer, stock up. It will be the best thing you ever spend your money on for your pup and your house, trust me.
Chew Stopper
If you think you’re getting away without any damage to your shoes, furniture or carpets you’ve got another thing coming! Puppies chew everything when they’re teething…and I mean EVERYTHING!
These bottles of chew stopper contain a vile tasting spray that is safe to use around your home to put them off gnawing on your treasured possessions. I went through an entire bottle in three weeks – it’s a god send and definitely one of my puppy essentials.
Re-apply liberally and make sure to wash your hands after because it really does taste horrid!
TOP TIP: re-direct your pup to a toy when they’re chewing on things they shouldn’t be. Praise them when they chew their toy instead.
Poo Bags (with handles!)
This seems like a no brainer but make sure you get the bags with handles…you’ll thank me later!
Buy in bulk because they’re something you’re always going to need and make sure they’re bio-degradable.
…even though you will be finding poo bags in every single pocket of shorts, jeans and pjs from now until the end of time, make sure you stock up!
Puppy Safe Chew Toys
Teething puppies need to chew, so if you don’t want them chewing your things (or you) then make sure to pick up a good selection of soft and hard puppy safe toys.
Find toys like this that are baby teeth safe and always have a toy handy to swap for your arm with a nibbly pup around!
Toby loved his puppy nylabone and his bear with a rope skeleton!
A Hard Bed
They don’t look as fancy or even as comfortable as the soft and squishy beds you see in the store, but buying a hard dog bed is safest for your pup. There’s less chance of them chewing through this one and swallowing something they shouldn’t, especially when they’re teething.
Line with something like a strip of vet bed padding which is brilliant for any night time accidents and you’re good to go.
A Clicker
Training your puppy is essential for a happy life with your pet. Having boundaries in place makes everything a lot easier for everyone, and clicker training is super easy!
Clickers act as a re-inforcer for good behaviour. Start by pressing the clicker and then giving your pup a treat. After a while of doing this, your puppy will associate the noise of the clicker with the reward (the treat).
When you puppy does something good, click and treat in quick succession to help cement that behaviour. Before too long you won’t need the treat, as the click itself becomes the reward. And at the end you can remove the clicker all together to be left with your learned behaviour!
Clip one to your belt loop or keep one in your pocket to help train as you go! An underrated but super useful item for your puppy essentials list!
More Puppy Essentials…
Puppy Specific Food
There are so many types of food you can get for your pup but whichever brand you choose do make sure that it’s for pups. There are extra added bits in there to help little bones develop and it’s going to make sure your growing doggy gets everything they need.
Dogs can’t taste the different flavours in their food so you’re better to stick with one flavour despite it seeming boring. It’s also a good idea to stick to one food so if they develop an allergy as you can pinpoint exactly what it is quickly.
We get our food from Tails who deliver Toby’s food each month straight to the door and it’s FAB – grab a free month’s food for your pup and give them a go here!
Training Treats
Treats are a great way to reinforce good behaviour, but you need to be aware of the nutritional and calorific value of the treats you choose.
Get a bag of small and natural training treats that are puppy tummy safe so you don’t end up over-feeding your pup.
A Treat Bag
Speaking of treats, it’s best to have some with you at all times for quick reinforcement and training! Grab yourself a treat bag and attach it to your belt so you’re always ready to praise that good behaviour and speed up your puppies learning.
The ULTIMATE Puppy Book
And last but not least, don’t forget to get yourself a puppy cheat sheet! This book by Gwen Bailey saved my bacon with Toby’s training – it’s a fab way to understand how your pup thinks and how to train them up well.
Don’t skip out on your homework because good training is essential for a happy pup…and happy owners!
ALSO READ: 5 Puppy Training Tips You REALLY Need to Know Before You Start!
PIN THIS!
Any puppy essentials you couldn’t live without? Leave me a comment down below!
xax