Preparing for your Pup
The ultimate supply list
When families are gearing up to bring home their new pup, they are always excited to buy squeaky toys for their newest family member to enjoy.
But once their pup comes home, they quickly realize they’re going to need a lot more help than that cotton filled teddy bear can give them.
Puppies need support for everything from their coats to their teeth, and preparing ahead of time will save you (and your shoes) quite a few headaches (or in your shoe’s case, bite marks).
We’ve made a comprehensive list of all the things you’ll want and need to have a comfortable, calm, and, well, manageable first few weeks after you bring your new puppy home.
Please note that this page contains affiliate links.
Feel free to use it as a guide in your own purchasing, or something to copy and paste when you send out your puppy shower registry (Puppy shower? You might consider throwing one after reading this. Puppies are demanding!)
Food and Water Bowls
We like to use slow feeders for all of our dogs. They help prevent bloat which is a life threatening condition that sometimes occurs when dogs eat too quickly. That’s the important part to us, but we wanted to give options for whichever material you prefer!
The water bowl is nice to keep your floors clean, and the travel option is great to keep in your car or to take on hikes.
Food
We recommend a raw diet to all of our buyers and recently started selling our favorite blends to make the food more accessible to buyers in our area.
If you are considering switching to kibble, I recommend Nature’s Logic Pork All Stages.
Dog Crate
Crate training is essential for the safety of your pup and greatly aids in the house training process. You can get a small size that perfectly fits your pup or a larger one that has a divider. The divider makes the crate small enough that the puppy only has room to sleep and turn around (and not go potty) and is removable for when your pup gets bigger.
You can also add a crate pad to fit your crate. I do not suggest the furry type as puppies will usually chew them.
Extra tip: we like to cover our crates with a blanket or pad to create a more den-like feel for the pups.
Puppy Playpen and Backpack
You will want to invest in a puppy playpen for use during potty training and to keep your puppy safe when you are unable to supervise them.
You can choose a wire pen or a soft sided pen but I prefer the wire pens that are at least 26” tall.
A backpack is a super easy way to let your pup enjoy the sights and sounds while safely off the ground when you socialize your pup before they have all their shots.
Dog Bed
For lounging and napping during any occasion.
Collar and Leash
I highly suggest a ¼” slip lead leash for training puppies. Pups can slip out of collars if they get scared which can be dangerous if you are near a road or in an open space. The slip lead can be used over their standard collar.
Grooming
A metal comb is your grooming essential along with a good quality slicker brush to keep your bernedoodle mat free.
Brush at least twice a week paying special attention to behind the knees and ears.
A metal comb can help get pesky tangles out.
It’s also important to brush and blow dry after every bath!
Nail Trimmers
You will need to trim your pup's nails once a week during their rapid growth phase until they are about 4 months old when you can switch to trimming once every other week. If you get your pup from Olive Branch Bernedoodles they will be used to this as we trim weekly here. You can use a nail grinder or a nail trimmer.
Shampoo
You will want to use puppy shampoo that is formulated for puppies at this age. Adult shampoos are too harsh for their young skin.
Enrichment and Chew Toys
I use chew toys that are filled with food to help pups learn that chew toys are what they need to chew on and not you or the furniture.
You should also mix it up with rope toys, squeak toys, balls, and lick mats so your pup doesn’t get bored.
NEVER give any rawhide toys. These are incredibly harmful to your pup. Instead choose bully sticks (a fan favorite) or elk antlers.
There are also toys designed to activate your pup’s brain like puzzles and other games. This is a great option to tire them out when they have a lot of energy, even after already getting physical exercise (yes, it happens!).
Treats
For treats, look for all natural options like dried liver, chicken or turkey and try to avoid treats with artificial fillers and preservatives.
Potty Training
We advocate for bell training to give your pup a way to communicate when they have to go potty.
Backpack or Stroller
For use until your pup has been fully vaccinated. You MUST continue socializing your puppy after you take them home!
The window for socialization ends at 16 weeks of age.
Take them to the park, the mall, the beach, the skatepark, sit on the curb, take them everywhere!
You cannot let them on the ground until they have completed their vaccinations though. So carry them or stroll them but get them out of the house as often as possible.
The safest place to leash train and socialize a pup before vaccinations are complete is the middle of a quiet street. They are very unlikely to pick up parvo there.
