Giving your dog the comfort and environment theyshe needneeds is also very important. You need to have the appropriate resting place and play space. Ensure that your dog has enough room to run around if theyshe havehas a lot of energy. Your dog will probably not want to lie down on hard solid ground when tired.
You need to think about how you want to live with your dog. Are you going to have rules? Will your dog be allowed on the couch? Making sure you have the right supplies that will help you have a better lifestyle with your dog.
The items listed below are the supplies you should focus on getting first:
- Dog bed
- Water bowl
- Food bowl
- Collar and/or harness
- Lead
- Dog food
- Treats
- Toys
Essential Items:
Dog bed – When your dog is tired and needs a rest or when alone, theyshe might want to lie down. To give more comfort instead of wooden floors, you can get a dog bed. These are very comfy for your dog to sleep/ nap in.
You need to decide if you are going to have your dog sleep in your bed or in a dog bed on the floor at night. If you are getting a puppy you might want to consider getting her a bed to have on the floor whilst you are toilet training her. If you are comfortable with having your dog sleep in your bed, it is still worth purchasing a dog bed for the day if your dog wants to rest.
Water Bowl & Food Bowl – These two items are self-explanatory. You will need these to put water in for your dog to drink and food in for your dog to eat.
Collar and/or harness – We would recommend purchasing both the collar and the harness. With the collar, you can add a tag labelled with your address so if you ever lose your dog, someone can find her and return her to the address on the tag.
The harness is great for walks instead of using a collar. The problem with the collar is that your dog can easily pull her head out of it when it is attached to a lead and if she tugs you would be pulling on her neck. To make the walking equipment more comfortable and secure, you can use a harness which goes around your dog’s front legs and chest.
Lead – The lead is attached to the collar or harness; this makes sure that your dog stays near you on walks and does not run away.
Dog food – You can purchase dog food from your local vet, or you can even order some from an online pet store. Dog food is a better option than human food because some foods are bad for dogs if they have it too often. Dry dog food will normally be in circular biscuits and wet dog food comes in cans.
Treats – There is a difference between threats and the food you give your dog for breakfast and dinner; you can give dog food to your dog regularly and it won’t make them sick (unless you give them too much), though with treats, your dog can only have a few (depending on what treats you give them).
Treats are great rewards for when training. You can use shop bought dog treats or you can give them food like sausages (cooked), cheese etc. Make sure you do not give your dog too many treats though because then she could get sick.
Toys – Toys will keep your dog occupied during the day. You can play with your dog and her toys with games like tug of war (except be gentle because the toy is in your dog’s mouth). When you get your dog, it will be easier to choose which toys to get her. Rope toys are great for tugging and chewing. Rubber toys are made for dogs who really chew things, they also normally have a hole to put in treats. You can also get squeaking dog toys.
Other Items:
- Training equipment
- Bandanas etc.
- Grooming Equipment (If you are grooming your dog yourself)
Bandanas – Bandanas (and other clothing) are not essential to have for your dog. You might put some clothing on themher like bandanas for special occasions. There are lots of places where you can buy bandanas. You can get bandanas in different patterns (the same applies to clothing). You can also buy dog clothing like shirts/ jumpers. Some people use these to put on their dog in cold winters.
Grooming Equipment – If you are getting a dog with a long coat then you will need to think about grooming so that you do not get any problems with matted fur. You can either take your dog to a professional grooming place and pay for them to wash and brush your dog, or you can get the right equipment and do it yourself.
Some grooming supplies that you could investigate are:
- Comb
- Slicker brush
- Bristle brush
- Dog shampoo (Do NOT use human shampoo because it can damage your dog’s fur)
- Dog conditioner
You can use your bathtub to wash your dog in, we highly recommend that you put in a gripping mat first, so your dog doesn’t slip, and theyshe feelfeels safer. You will also need a towel to dry your dog.
Training Equipment:
Depending on what you are planning to teach your dog, you will need different equipment. For all sorts of training, we recommend that you have a treat pouch to store treats in whilst handling your dog. We will list two different sorts of training below:
Basic commands training equipment – For basic commands like sit, drop, paw, stay etc., not much will be needed. You mainly just need a treat pouch to put your treats in whilst handling your dog.
You can also get a pause table which can help dogs learn commands quicker and easier whilst on. Just make sure your dog is comfortable with being on one instead of forcing themher to get on it. You can either buy a pause table or you can build one yourself (that is what we have done). When using, make sure the pause table is stable and not wobbling so that your dog feels safe whilst on it.
Agility training equipment – Agility training involves lots of obstacles and equipment. It is fun to do with very active dogs. In the table below, you will see some common agility commands and the equipment needed for them.
| Command | Equipment & Description |
| Pause Table | For this command you will need a pause table. When running an agility course, your dog comes to the pause table and waits on it for a few seconds. |
| Weave Poles | For this command you will need some agility poles. When running an agility course, your dog comes to the weave poles and goes in and out each one (weaving through them). |
| Tunnel | For this command you will need a tunnel. When running an agility course, your dog comes to the tunnel and goes in one end coming out the other. |
| Hurdles (Jump) | For this command, you will need something for your dog to jump over (not too high though) – like hurdles. When running an agility course, your dog comes to the hurdles and goes over each one. |
| Around cones | For this command you will need some cones. When running an agility course, your dog comes to the cones and goes around the outside edge of them. |
| Up and down a seesaw | For this command you will need a seesaw (wide enough for your dog to walk on). When running an agility course, your dog walks onto the seesaw slowing down at the middle to let it shift and comes down the other end. |
| A – frame | For this command you will need an A-frame – you can build this by yourself. When running an agility course, your dog comes to the A-frame and uses the grips to go up one side and down the other. |
Important – Do not force your dog to do any of these commands. If (for example) your dog doesn’t feel comfortable going onto the seesaw or A-frame then do not force her to go on it (this also applies for all other equipment and commands).
Areas for your dog
Before you bring your dog home, it is important that you choose the area that she will be allowed in. Take in mind that in some rooms, you may have furniture or little pieces that your dog could swallow. If you decide to restrict your dog to one area of your house, you can put up a baby gate or get a door built in to block off other areas of your house.
In some cases, this decision is very sensible because other rooms may be messy or have things lying around that are harmful to your dog. It is best if your dog has full access to the door outside so she can communicate with you when she needs to go out. If you do not have a garden be sure that you have a way to let your dog outdoors, for example, take them to a local dog park (and have poop bags with you).