Top 10 things your doggy needs before you bring them home

1. A Right-Sized Leash 

2. A Harness

3. Food for Your Dog

4. Bowls for Eating and Drinking

5. Collar and ID Tag

6. Crate for Your Dog to Sleep

7. Car Travel Necessities

8. Toys

9. Grooming

10. A Brush, Odour and Stain Removers

You’ve made your decision. You’re bringing home a puppy. What is it your doggy needs before you bring them home? What is it that you or your home needs? Online Petz Store have the perfect selection of products. A catalog of over 8000 products and a search and select tool to make life a whole lot easier and will give your puppy and home everything it needs to keep them happy and safe.

1. A leash

The right sized leash is paramount for more than just comfort.

The best dog leash to use is a traditional, 6-foot Nylon or leather leash. 6 foot is long enough to provide freedom of movement while keeping your dog close and under your control. Whether Nylon or leather that choice is up to you. But avoid other materials such as cloth and rubber as they aren't as strong or durable.

 

2. A harness to go with that leash

Harnesses are simply the safest, most secure, and most comfortable way to hook your dog up to his leash. A good harness will reduce pulling, increase your control over your pup, and decrease stress on his neck and joints.

 

3. Food – Your puppy won’t survive without food.

Most people feed their dogs dry kibble or canned wet food. These processed foods might not be appealing to us, but they contain all of the nutrients dogs need to stay healthy. Quality commercial dog foods are highly regulated and have undergone rigorous testing by veterinary specialists. So what exactly is in these dog foods? 

Nutrition isn’t just a human concern, your puppy and other pets have nutritional needs too. The best dog food for your canine companion should meet his nutritional needs. While most commercial dog food brands are specially formulated with at least the minimum nutritional requirements for dogs, it is important to remember that not every dog has exactly the same nutritional needs. Online Petz Store can help you with this decision. Use our search and select tool to help you find the perfect foods for your puppy at https://onlinepetzstore.co.uk/pages/search-and-select-service While meat makes up the majority of their diet, domestic dogs can also derive nutrients from grains, fruits, and vegetables. These non-meat foods are not simply fillers, but can be a valuable source of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A good dog food will contain meat, vegetables, grains, and fruits. 

 

4. Doggy bowls for Food and Drink

Stainless Steel

Just about everyone agrees that stainless steel is the best overall option for pet food bowls. It's very durable (won't crack or break if dropped), relatively light and easy to carry, and easy to clean.

The easiest type of bowl to keep clean – and, not incidently, also the safest bowl for your dog to eat and drink from – is stainless steel. This material will not leach potentially dangerous chemicals into your dog's food and water, like some plastics, aluminum, poorly glazed pottery, or old ceramic dishes.

Ceramic

A ceramic bowl can be another good option. These tend to be heavy, so are harder for a dog to push around. However, ceramic is a porous material, so be sure to give your dog's bowl a good clean, just as you would your own crockery.

Plastic

Plastic can harbor smells, is easily scratched (causing bacteria growth), and can be chewed and picked up. Make sure you choose the correct size bowl for your dog; small puppies are likely to trip over or step in a huge bowl.

 

5. A Collar and ID Tags

Where do you get yours? 

It is a legal requirement for dogs to wear a collar in public. To avoid a hefty fine, owners must also ensure that the dog displays their name and address. By law, when a dog is in a public place, it must wear a collar. This – or a tag attached to the collar – must also bear its owner's name and address.

Some safe options to include on your pet's ID tag: Your mobile number and any other family member's. Your address—oftentimes when a dog gets loose, he/she could still be wandering around the neighborhood. You have the option to microchip! Where applicable.

 

6. A Crate or Bed?  

Where your dog sleeps and how you travel is something to think about before you bring your puppy home. He or she deserve the utmost comfort.  

For that reason, the very best place for your puppy to sleep is in a crate or a puppy pen next to your bed for the first few nights at least. You can choose if you want to have them next to you in the bedroom, or if you want to set up a temporary bed next to wherever you would prefer them to sleep.  This establishes important boundaries whilst letting your puppy know you are nearby.

The first question many people have is whether or not bedding should be included in your pup's crate, and if so, what kind. The answer is simple: you should absolutely include bedding. Many people, unfortunately, tend to use the crate as a punishment or simply to prevent accidents around the house.

 

7. Car Travel necessities 

A car travel cage or doggy seat belts?

If it's not possible to put your puppy in a crate, he should be securely placed in the back of the car in a special dog seat belt or harness. If you're going on a long journey, take a break; stop the car and let your puppy have a drink of water and a little exercise.

Although it's okay to travel with puppies providing you get them used to car journeys ahead of any long road trips, you must wait until all their vaccinations are complete. This will normally be by the time they're roughly 14 weeks old.

Playing calming music, like classical or soft rock, can actually chill your dog out, which might help reduce his anxious symptoms. Play calm music in the car.

 

8. Toys 

Something to chew safely 

Firm Rubber Toys. The hollow ones (which are great for holding treats) usually work well for all types of chewers.

Rope Toys. If your dog is a shredder, make sure they aren't pulling out the strings and swallowing them. 

Durable Stuffed Toys. 

Tennis Balls.

Though as mentioned in previous areas, each doggy is different and has different needs.  It’s best to check for yourselves and maybe ask an expert if you are unsure. 

Top 4 Most Dangerous Dog Toys

Marrow Bones. Marrow bones are often a favorite, inexpensive dog toy. 

Rubber Balls. There have been several instances lately where rubber or latex balls with only one hole have become stuck on a dog's lips or tongue. 

Small Toys. 

Rawhide.

 

9. Grooming tools

Grooming involves more than just brushing your dogs hair.

Dogs with short, smooth coats need a soft bristle brush, rubber curry brush, or grooming glove. Dogs with medium-length coats can use a slicker brush or pin brush. Dogs with long coats need a pin brush or slicker brush.

At What Age Can I Start Getting My Puppy Groomed? Officially it is best to wait until your new puppy is 8-weeks old to start getting your puppy groomed.  8 Week olds are usually able to leave their mother.  This is the best time to think about grooming. Cutting, brushing their hair.  Something to think about for the future is clipping your puppy’s toenails. 

To keep your puppy still whilst grooming them at home, you may like to infuse the space with calming pheromones in the air or essential oils through a diffuse. Perhaps you could use certain shampoos with soothing ingredients, like lavender etc.  You can treat your puppy similar to that of a child.  

 

10. Odour and Stain removers – Your Doggy is going to malt and mark their territory

For argument sake and the fact that when cleaning your home, us humans are tending to veer toward the eco friendly types of cleaning products these days. I would suggest the same for doggy odour also.  A natural cleaning idea or product is best for your household.  Of course there are more harsh chemicals that do clean and remove odours of all kinds, though at what cost?  You’ll have to think of your lungs and various reactions for this decision.  Because of course the decision is still yours.  

Is vinegar and baking soda safe for dogs?

It is considered a natural cleaning product, and it may help to neutralize odors and remove pet stains. When using vinegar as a cleaning agent, ensure your dog is kept away from the products to avoid accidental ingestion. Baking soda can be toxic to dogs if large quantities are ingested.  As for using vinegar for baking and cooking (for humans), you're good to go.

All canine companions have two small scent sacs on their bottoms that act as marking glands, which is why dogs smell rear ends when introduced. If these sacs become impacted, it can cause the dog pain, not to mention result in an extremely smelly secretion that remains on the fur.

Baking soda works to remove odours from your dog's skin and fur. The baking soda paste should be applied before the shampoo and can be washed off as you lather homemade dog shampoo and then rinse both items off the dog with warm water. In a big spray bottle, put 2 cups of warm water with 1/2 cup of white vinegar.

Angry Orange Pet Odour eliminator – best natural way other than baking soda

Powerful - A little goes a long way with the Angry Orange pet odour eliminator for home use. It’s a carpet deodorizer that targets strong, lingering smells at the source and destroys them.