What You Need For Your New Puppy

So, you’re planning to get a dog, eh? Congratulations! You’re on your way to having one of the most satisfying, enjoyable moments of your life with your loyal friend and companion. But before you start picking out which cute pooch you’ll be taking home to meet your family, you have to keep in mind a few important things first. Buying a new dog is more than simply finding the cutest puppy in the store and buying a bag of dog food. Acquiring a new canine is nearly as important as adopting a child. Dogs need constant love and attention, especially when they’re young. Buying the proper supplies can be as confusing as deciding what kind of dog to get in the first place.

When you first walk into a pet store you will be bombarded by everything from designer clothes to dog food. It’s not going to be any use talking to the salesmen; they’re just there to sell you everything in the store if possible, whether you need it or not. There are only a few essential things you should get for your new pet. First and foremost, buy a book about your breed. Not all dogs are the same; different breeds have different personalities, quirks, habits, needs, etc. But don’t think of the book as the ultimate authority on your dog. Treat it as more of a guide.

After this, get a good collar, one that you can stick at least two fingers into between your dog’s skin and the collar itself. Also remember to get one that has plenty of room for your growing dog. Some dog breeds can grow very fast in just two or three weeks, so you want to make sure that you won’t be replacing the collar every 2nd week or so.

Also, get a good training collar, such as a German pinch collar or a choke chain. But don’t let the names scare you; these two collars work great at training your dog to behave properly at the end of a leash without jerking your arm out of the socket. The biggest thing to remember with both collars is to never use the collar as your dog’s everyday collar. It’s not uncommon for an owner to forget to check the collar after training their dogs and end up having to cut the collar off because the dog grew so big the collar would no longer fit over its head.

The other supplies needed are simple. Get a weighted water bowl and a food bowl. Dogs, especially puppies, seem to have a fondness for playing in their dinner as much as eating it. A dog crate or dog house is next, depending on whether or not the dog will be an inside or outside dog. You will also need three leashes of different lengths, to be used for walking and training the dog. The book you get will explain how the different sized leashes are used in training.

Chew toys, chew toys, and more chew toys. Dogs, especially puppies, need to exercise their gums regularly, so get a variety of chew toys for your pet, unless you plan on replacing your furniture and your slippers on a regular basis.

Of course, we can’t forget the dog food! If you don’t know it yet, dogs are carnivores, despite what animal rights activists might say. They eat meat. So it’s recommended to check the ingredients. Corn and other vegetables should not be the first ingredients you see, or else, your dog won’t be eating what he really needs. Look for chicken or beef to be listed as the first ingredient.

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Chiun Masters is a researcher and writer for http://www.capitaldogsupply.com, where you can get high-quality dog supplies at great prices. Visit us when you need dog supplies.

- Azlan Irda