Before you bring home your new puppy and begin a lifetime of love and companionship together, there are a few things you'll need to prepare for your pup's arrival.
We want to ensure our puppies thrive in their forever homes so we threw together a list of top items. Puppy buyers will be sent a link to our full shopping list. Check out the brand of food we use, toys, household supplies, and other resources below for giving your puppy the healthy and happy life they deserve! Everything we list here are products we use daily.
#1 Food
This decision will determine how healthy your dog is for years to come.
Nutrition is an important link in a healthy well-balanced dog. How long your Dog lives, and the quality of life during his/her life- is greatly determined by what is served in his/her bowl.
We have provided the following information to help ease your mind on the food selection process. Start puppies on what they are used to eating from their breeder. A good breeder will tell you what they are currently feeding and why. Some breeders will even send you home with a small food bag if you ask! You should feed this for the first month and after that, you can transition your puppy to whichever diet you/they like most.
We feed a 40/60 mix of Pawtree & Inukshuk to our puppies topped with Raw. We feed a mixed diet to get puppies used to different protein types early on. So owners have the option to feed either of the preferred brands or choose an entirely different one if needed. We always had families ask if we had a 2nd option when we previously only fed one brand. Not everyone wanted to feed exactly what we did so by offering two options we felt families had more say in what food their puppy starts on. We love both brands equally so we decided to start our pups on both. Rotating your dog's protein sources keeps their mealtime exciting and offers many benefits for your dog's health. Ideally, you want to start this early. This Lowers their risk of food allergies –– By exposing puppies to more proteins and nutrient sources, we help them build up a strong intestinal system and potentially prevent them from developing food allergies in the long term.
#2 & Collar with ID & a leash
Your puppy needs a safe way to use the bathroom on your trip home. All dogs and puppies should wear a collar with updated ID information at all times when they are not inside your home. Collars not only carry important ID information but can also provide a level of visibility if a dog gets lost. We always recommend something bright as our breeds are meant to blend in. We love the biothane collars sold on outdoor dog supply they have several color options and sizes. See here you can also order matching leads.
#3 Toys
Puppies get bored very quickly. It is great to keep them occupied with a variety of toys. Some of our favorite toys and enrichment on the market are Soda Pup Toys. They offer many different kinds from fetch toys, and tug toys, to lick mats and even slow feeders. Puppies explore with their mouths so its our job to provide them with suitable toy options to allow for appropriate chewing. Visit Soda Pup Here. For a 10% off code use Nosam at checkout.
#4 Urine Eliminator - Stain & Odor Remover
Puppies need to potty frequently. Ideally, we want to avoid as many accidents as possible but accidents do happen. It's ideal to be prepared in advance with a good odor remover. Removing the odor from the environment will help to prevent the area from smelling and therefore prevent future accidents in the same location. Puppies tend to go where they smell odor so if urine isn't cleaned up well your puppy may begin to think it is ok to potty in that spot. Our favorite is made by Pawtree and you can find it here
#5 Shampoo
Dogs and puppies should be bathed only in an appropriate shampoo that is pH-balanced for their skin. Using a formula not made for dogs will dry out their skin and coat, which can lead to itching. The detergents in human soap wash away natural protectants, making your dog's skin susceptible to infection. The pH (the measure of acidity) of the skin is extremely important in maintaining normal bacterial and cell health. It helps dogs stay healthy and helps to avoid yeast and bacterial infections. We personally love this puppy and kitten shampoo made by Nuvet (Code 21995 to order) Or this 2-in-one shampoo from pawtree
#6 A Crate
Crate training is very important. Our puppies are introduced to the crate early on. Not only is crate training a safety aid but dogs also naturally seek out den-like areas to sleep. Crates will keep your dog safe in an emergency and when riding in your car. They also go hand and hand in early house training by teaching puppies not to eliminate where they sleep. If your dog ever needs to spend the night at the vet or a boarding facility kennel training them will make the transition much easier. Since most dogs at these facilities are kept in a kennel or crate overnight when the staff are not working you want your dog to be comfortable in this type of environment early on. At Nosam Our preferred crate is the Ruffland Kennel
#7 Treats
For high-value commands, you want to reward with a high-value treat. I recommend training puppies with their meal of kibble 2x a day. However, for some commands such as recall and going into their kennel or going potty a higher-value treat is recommended. Not all treat brands are equal. Ingredients should be high quality, digestible, and not upset your puppy's tummy. We love paw tree products and they have a ton of different training treat options.
See here
#8 Snuggle Puppy
A must-have! If you buy nothing else invest in this toy! Dogs and puppies are pack animals who are instinctively drawn to their mother and others in their pack. The Snuggle Puppy recreates that intimacy with physical warmth and a 'real-feel' pulsing heartbeat, providing an extra source of comfort for your pet. Bring with you to pick up to rub on mom and litter mates to give it a familiar scent. Buy here
#9 Nail clippers or a Dremel
It is important to start early. As responsible breeders, we get puppies used to nail trims ASAP. We want puppies to be relaxed during the process and accept having their feet handled and nails trimmed. If a dog's nails are not properly trimmed this can actually affect their overall structure which can profoundly impact your dog's quality of life. Creating pain for the dog, pressure on the joints, and even long-term effects such as structural changes to the feet. Find a Dremel here
#10 Vitamins/supplements. This one is a little controversial as many will say dogs don't need them if they are on quality food. However, we have seen drastic changes in heat cycles being on a more regular schedule, dogs having better coat quality, and bouncing back from litters with ease along with healthier puppies. You can use any brand of high-quality vitamins/supplements. We use a Multivitamin from Nuvet & salmon oil from
If your pup needs a little extra weight boost we love this weight gainer from All American Canine
The great thing about this suggestion is if you don't want to use a supplement you do not have to buy it! However, over the years we have seen benefits and do choose to use these as additives to a high-quality kibble. You also don't need to use them every day. A few times a week is fine as well.
We hope this quick guide helps you on decision-making when shopping for your new puppy.
-Sierra (Nosam Kennels)
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