10 essential items for when your puppy arrives

By Jennifer Stoeckl, MAT - Dire Wolf Project CEO, Oct. 17, 2024
Mountain Peaks - 5 weeks old - Elias
Elais from the Mountain peaks litter

This weekend is

new puppy shopping weekend!!

For those of you who are bringing home your new puppy in the next weeks, it’s time to make sure you have everything you need for when puppy arrives.

If you don’t have a new puppy, be sure to save this email for when the time comes.  

Here’s a shopping list of the TEN ITEMS you’ll want to have when your puppy gets home.

  1. PUPPY FOOD:
    Taste of the Wild High Prairie puppy formula (This is what we feed.)
    Tylee’s freeze-dried mixers
    Nupro or NuVet Lab vitamins and minerals
    Recommended: 6-8 cups (including add-ins), two to three times daily
    .
  2. WIRE CRATE:
    Recommended: medium-size, heavy duty w/ two doors
    Crate pad
    Crate cover (sheet or thin blanket)
    Place next to your bed
    .
  3. EXERCISE PEN:
    Recommended: with a door
    Add in: small bed, chews, and toys (rotate toys/chews around for variety)
    Place in the central location of your house (family room?)
    .
  4. HARNESS/LEASH:
    Medium size harness
    8-foot clip leash and retractable leash
    Only use this combo until your puppy understands leash pressure (usually a few weeks)
    Leave 8-foot clip leash on in the house tethered to you.
    Pro-tip: Do NOT allow puppy free access to your house. (contained or leashed 100% of the time)
    .
  5. SLIP LEAD:
    Once puppy understands leash pressure, use a 8-foot slip lead.
    Continue to use this for life.
    Pro tip: Use flat collar for license/tags only.
    .
  6. HIGH VALUE TRAINING REWARDS:
    Freeze-dried liver treats, hot dogs, cheese cubes, cut up Red Barn or Natural Balance food rolls.
    .
  7. TOYS:
    Purchase a variety of toys (firehose toys, kong, treat toys, puzzle toys, no-fluff toys, squeaky toys)
    Pro tip: rope toys ONLY under supervision. Take away when frayed.
    .
  8. CHEW TOYS:
    Natural chew toys are best. (goat hooves, yak chews, knuckle bones, bully sticks, RAW pig ears)
    DO NOT BUY: cooked pig ears, rawhide, highly processed or plastic chews.
    .
  9. MILK BUCKET:
    Pro tip: Use a 13-16 quart size stainless steel milk bucket for water.
    Fill it 3/4 of the way to the top.
    When puppy sticks its head in to drink, water will stay in the bucket and not on your floor.
    .
  10. GROOMING:
    Slicker brush, large toenail clippers, WAHL puppy shampoo concentrate OR Isle of Dogs silky oatmeal moisturizing shampoo, towels, (Dremel if desired)

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

*Click the link below to read more information about each of the items above:

https://direwolfproject.com/direwolf-guardians/puppy-training/10-essential-items-for-your-new-puppys-arrival/

*Click the following link to learn how to prepare your home for your new puppy using the items in this email:

https://direwolfproject.com/direwolf-guardians/puppy-training/prepare-your-home-for-a-new-puppy/

Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.