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You finally gave in to your little ones, about getting a new puppy. Congratulations it’s such an exciting time for you and your family. However, the first 48 hours of bringing home a new puppy are crucial for the puppy and an adjustment for your family. Most likely your new puppy is being separated from their birth mothers and siblings so is very important that you have everything the puppy needs to settle in, especially the first 48 hours.

The Car Ride

Whether you’re getting the puppy from a breeder, shelter, or pet store note that besides the car ride to the vet they never been in a car before. Bringing a puppy in a car can make them nervous, cause an upset stomach or a potty accident. Some breeders will provide you with care packages that include a dog carrier, leash, and collar. Call and ask, if they don’t offer a care package no worries, I will share a basic checklist of 10 puppy essentials that are a must-have for the car ride. The most important thing is to have everything you need and be prepared in advance.

That’s where we failed when we went to pick our puppy at the breeder we were so unprepared. We didn’t ask the breeder what we needed for the car ride with our new puppy. So on our ride back our new puppy had a potty accident. Prepare some essential questions to ask the breeder when you go to pick up the puppy. We were just so excited about bringing home the puppy that we didn’t think to ask what we needed prior to picking him up. We had to google the nearest Walmart to pick up supplies for our new puppy since our ride back was more than an hour. Always good to be prepared in case you need to stop for potty breaks.

New Puppy Checklist

1. Dog Carrier

You will need a Dog Carrier when picking up your puppy. We were in luck that the breeder sold carrier and we purchased one from him to be able to transport puppy in the car. Also good to have in case you have to travel.

2. Puppy Toy

Plush toys are great for puppies and they love them. It’s always good to have a few handy in car to keep puppy busy, especially on the ride back.

3. Collar & Harness

A small collar would be a good idea to bring along. One that’s appropriate for the puppy size. Once at home try to put it on right away, so the puppy gets accustomed to it from the start. A Harness & leash would also come in handy, especially if you are going solo to pick up a puppy you want to secure him/her.

4. Collapsible plate

The collapsible travel bowl is so convenient and compact for on the go. If you have a long ride back to your home, these are very useful because a small puppy can get dehydrated pretty fast. You can stop along the way to give puppy water or feed puppy food.

5. Puppy food

Every puppy is different when it comes to food. The breeder will suggest the kind of food to give a puppy. You will have to buy the appropriate breed and age. As for taking

Depending on how the puppy will react during the car ride if the puppy doesn’t get car sick, it might be a good idea to fill a small ziplock bag with puppy food just in case. It is always good to be prepared, in case you get stuck.

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6. Terry Cloth Towel

Terry cloth towel can be also used as a blanket. I never own a dog until now and one thing I did notice is that puppies are like babies. The best thing really is to have the breeder give you a blanket with the scent of the puppy’s mother. But if that’s not possible have a terry cloth/blanket in hand. Incas puppy is cold you have a blanket to cover.

7.Poop Bag

Poop bags are always good to have not only when you walk a puppy but to have a pack or two in the car. Puppies are like babies and you don’t know if they will have an accident on the ride back to your home.

8. Car Seat

A car seat is great to make sure your pet is secure especially if you are going alone to pick up the puppy. If you don”t want to use the dog carrier this is another option to use.

9. Cleaning Supplies

You will also want to stock up on some clean-up supplies for the car ride. Going to the vet may be the only car ride your new puppy has ever been on. You want to be prepared with some paper towels, hand sanitizer, and cleaning wipes. These supplies are a must-have in ANY car. As a busy mom on the go, I like to prepare for the absolute worse.

10. Training Pads

Training Pads

Our puppy since day one hates a car ride because he gets car sick. The minute he sees was walking towards the car his anxiety kicks in and his body starts getting stiff. Learning the hard way, I now cover my back seats with training pads because he throws up all over. Good idea to have a small pack in your car just in case.

New puppy checklist

Don’t forget to grab your Puppy Checklist before you head out.

What to expect the First Few Days with a puppy

It’s a new atmosphere for puppy so be patient if he/she is not responding how they should. Trust me once they get comfortable they will let loose. So for the home you also, need to be prepared with the following items at home, before you go pick up the puppy from the breeder.

For The Home

Dog Crate

Dog Crate was the first thing we purchased after we picked up our puppy. We weren’t sure how the puppy was going to handle being in a new environment. I know some people don’t like to cage their pets. Dog Crate is good for those who work and cannot look after the pets all the time. You can divide this cage into two floors with the given divider, make a potty section, and comfy section. It’s very spacious that there is enough room for your pets

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Cozy Bed

A bed for puppy to rest. Since the day we brought our puppy home he loved the cozy bed we bought. He takes long naps and sleeps well at night. We wanted to make sure he felt comfortable in a bed.

Dog Bed

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Feeding

Stainless-steel food bowls (at least two, one for dry food and one for water, plus the portable water bowl you already took with you to the breeder for the puppy pick-up. I also like to keep a food storage container with a measuring cup.

Blanket

You will definitively need a blanket for a puppy. Our house can get a bit cold and we noticed for bedtime puppy cuddle as if he was cold. When I purchased the blanket the immediately loved it and now doesn’t sleep without it.

Training Pads

Training pads are a must for potty training and potty accidents.

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Puppy Crate Training

How to crate train your puppy where to poop can be very challenging. If you work during the day, therefore, you have to potty train puppy for indoor, and outdoor. When we first got a puppy, our Vet, recommended that we don’t take him out until he got all his shots. We started potty training him, and my husband bought a synthetic grass crate. The puppy wasn’t too crazy about the grass, so I removed it and replaced it with a training pad and trained him to potty on top of the pads. We had some successful days and some disaster. But if you are a mom, we can relate because puppies are like babies

Potty Training Crate

Exercise Playpen

Before you can feel comfortable and your puppy is trusted to be loose in the house, management is the best practice. Exercise playpen is extremely useful for this manner and that’s why we got one for our puppy. We also wanted to give him enough room to sleep, potty, and play. It’s so lightweight and easy to manipulate. We use it as a kennel where we have a small bed for him and his potty crate. This is perfect for when we aren’t able to supervise him while we work or have to go out. You have the ability to change the size and shape of it.

Grooming Accessories

Grooming accessories for puppy shampoo for first bath, bath brush, dog toothbrush and toothpaste for puppies, towel portable bathtub, and deodorizing wipes.

*The type of brushes required depends on the exact puppy breed you have, so ask the breeder or vet for recommendations. Be sure to choose a shampoo that is gentle for puppies and all-natural.

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Poop Bags with Dispensers

If you own a dog then you know that picking up poop is part of being a good courteous pet owner. I can’t stand pet owner that allows their pet to poop on the sidewalk and don’t pick up the poop. Please be courteous and clean up after our dog. These poop bags are great and come with a dispenser that you can attach to leash. So when you take the puppy out for a potty run the bags are always on the leash and you can pick up after your puppy.

Puppy Toys

Puppies are like babies, they need toys to keep themselves busy. Safe chew toys will keep them occupied especially if your puppy constantly chewing and mouthing everything toys will quickly distract them. Also good to have a toy storage bin to keep puppy toys organized.

Puppy Toys Storage

Carpet/Floor Stain Remover

You definitively going to need a carpet stain remover. With a new puppy, it will take some time and training until the puppy learns where to potty or to go out for peeing and pooping.

Things to do when you get home

Remember your puppy is being separated from his/her mother and siblings. Starting a routine with your new puppy and sticking to it is very important. This is something you have to start as soon as you arrive at home to make their transition a good one.

For busy momma like us we know what’s to be on a schedule and I know starting a new one can be hard. Especially if your new puppy is so darn cute that you would want to play with him/her all day. But I can guarantee that if a puppy is put on a schedule this will be for the best for the whole family.

Potty Time: You will notice when they have to go, they’ll start sniffing around. Take the puppy out at the same time after feeding. If you are potty training indoor, after feeding place them in the training pad so they can slowly get the idea that’s the potty area.

Feeding Time: Puppies eat 3 times a day and when they get older 2 times. We have a set schedule to feed our puppy, 7 am, 12 noon and 6 pm. When a puppy is fed every day at the same time, and he already developed a built-in clock. When it’s feeding time they will remind you, and give you that look ” where is my food I’m hungry”.

Puppy Proof– your home is very important. Just as you will do with kids you have to make your home safe for puppies as well. Make sure cabinets are locked and place kids lock on it. Puppies are curious just as kids and they get into trouble. Make sure you go around your house and check to see if you find anything that can be harmful to your puppy is very important.

Play Time: Besides food and potty you also have to get them on a playtime routine. This is also a great time for bonding and for your new puppy to stay active. If you are working pet parents, try to keep the playtime the same time every day. If you can only spare 15 mins 3-4 times a day, your puppy will be happy. Don’t worry if the puppy is not playful within the first 48 hours puppy. Some puppies may take a quite bit to warm up around new people and in their new home. While you have other puppies that take their new surroundings and environment well. Give puppy time and lots of love.

Sleep Time: A sleep routine is essential for your new puppy. Just like new moms have to set up a sleep routine for their newborns so do you with your new puppy. They will sleep throughout the day but when they see you going to bed at night they will also. At our home 10 pm is bedtime and once puppy sees we turn off all the lights, he goes to his bed and goes to sleep.

Where to shop

Chewy.com is a great place to order your pets needs from. They have an amazing customer service , 24/7 via phone, email, chat, and social media – holidays and weekend.

If you are not 100% unconditionally satisfied with your pet supplies, you can return them. In some instances, at Chewy’s discretion a refund may be issued without requiring a return. All their items is reasonably priced.

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I hope you can find these tips useful and helpful when bringing your new puppy home. I suggest that you start with the basics, no worries you will learn as you go what things will work for your new puppy and what will not, just like a baby. I know at first it can be overwhelming trying to figure things out and go without any information as a new puppy parent as we did. I wanted to share what we learned to save you time and money so you will be stress-free when you go to pick up your puppy.

How did you survive your first 48 hours with a new puppy? Love to hear all about it, leave comments below.