What do I need for my puppy?

You want to be prepared when you bring your new puppy home. These are the items I recommend having right away.

  1. Collar – Start with a simple expanding collar. The 14-20 inch size is a good place to start.
  2. Identification tag
  3. Leash – A simple 4 foot leash will do for the first few months.
  4. Puppy food – My puppies will come home with a few days’ supply of food. I feed Purina Pro Plan Puppy Chicken and Rice in either Savor or Focus. If you decide to change to a new food, do it gradually.
  5. Food and water dishes
  6. Crate – I recommend keeping your puppy in a crate at night. This will help with house training. It’s a good idea to use one that can expand as the puppy grows. If a small puppy is in a large crate, he will go potty at the back end of it, so keep the crate just large enough for puppy to turn around and stretch out. I recommend going with the 42 inch long crate for our females or 48 inch size for males.
  7. Dog bed or blanket(s) – Dogs need their own spot. I would get a nice full-sized dog bed now. The puppy will grow into it before you know it.
  8. Training pads
  9. Chew toys – Get at least 5-10 toys to keep your puppy occupied. Rotate them in and out. They will be excited to see something new from time to time. Golden retrievers love tennis balls. (The kind you get at the pet store are better for their teeth.)
  10. Gates or Pens – It’s a good idea to gate off a room or a part of your home for your puppy. This will help keep puppy, and your belongings, safe. Also, consider whether you also need to gate any areas of your yard. Here are a few gates I like:

These are items you will need eventually, but not immediately:

  1. Training treats – I like to use small pieces of hot dog or chicken, freeze dried liver or Zeke’s Minis. You can also just use kibble!
  2. Gentle dog shampoo
  3. Nail trimmer
  4. Brush – for a full Golden Retriever coat, I highly recommend the Furminator.