Bringing home a new puppy is exciting! A new member of your family, a new best friend, and endless hours love, laughter and cuddles to come. 
But do you know exactly what you need to have ready at home for your fur baby?

To help you out, we’ve put together a checklist of the basics you’ll need when introducing your new fur baby into your home!

Transport Home

Before you bring your puppy home, you’ll need to have ready some essential travel items to ensure the transition is smooth, calm and comfortable for your pup who may be a little nervous.

Crate & Cover

For transport home or to and from the vet, the Snooza 2 in 1 Convertible Training Crates are great to help your new puppy feel safe in the car. Crate training your puppy at a young age also has many benefits, and with practice, can help to shape your puppy into a happy, calm, responsive and well behaved dog. It can also help to manage chewing habits, and means your pup is confident to travel anywhere is their familiar space. Read more about crate training here. 
Adding a cover to the crate can help create a cosy space for your puppy to relax in at home, to be used like a bedroom or calming space. With so much excitement and newness, your puppy will need a safe place they can retreat to at any time  

Travel Bed

The Travel Bed is pawfect for transporting your puppy in the car, with straps that attach to back or front passenger seats. Also great as a portable bed when out & about or on vacation, the plush cushion and padded walls make a cosy, comforting space for your puppy, calming their anxiety and providing them with a comfortable familiar space wherever you go.

Settling in

Soft Bedding

Young puppies have a lot of energy, but tire quickly, and because their body is growing so quickly, they need a fair bit of sleep. Your puppy will need a comfortable bed where they will spend a lot of time sleeping, resting or playing.

A snuggle bed is the best type to begin with for a young puppy. There are many different styles, colours and sizes to choose from in the Snooza snuggle bed collection, and these come with machine washable covers and fill- something you will become very grateful for!
If the breed of your puppy is especially prone to feeling anxious, the Snooza Calming Cuddler bed is perfect for helping to calm and relax them. The long-pile plush combined with soft raised walls provides your puppy with a deep, cosy sleeping space, giving them a sense of security. You can add a pet blanket such as the Calming Cuddler Blanket for extra comfort and security.

Depending on your puppy’s sleeping style, you may want a low-line mattress style bed, or one with walls. For puppies that like to curl up, an oval-shaped bed with soft, raised walls like the Cool Cuddler is a good option. For puppy’s that like to sprawl out, you might want to consider a cushioned mattress like the Pet Futon. For more help on determining the right bed for your puppy, reach out to the Snooza friendly customer service team or visit the factory store in Cheltenham.

Pet Bowls

Your puppy will need at least one food and one water bowl. We recommend investing in sturdy, durable bowls that are pet-safe and made with high quality materials. These beautiful dog bowls are thoughtfully designed with a removable stainless steel inner bowl for easy filling and washing, and are sturdy with a non-slip rubber base to avoid slipping or tipping over when your puppy is enjoying their meal!

Puppy Food

Experts highly recommend a breed and life-stage specific premium quality pet food for your puppy to encourage healthy growth and development. Speak to your vet or local pet store to help you find the best food suited to your puppy.

House training

Kennel or Crate & Cover

Crate training your puppy from a young age can help to set up good habits from the start, including developing good chew habits, being comfortable spending time alone and adapting to new surroundings like at the vet or when travelling. Crates can provide a safe place for your puppy to be left unattended when you are unable to supervise them.

Once crate trained, your puppy can use their crate as an indoor kennel or

bedroom to retreat to and relax. It’s important to keep your puppy’s crate overnight somewhere it can see and hear the family, rather than confining them to a small room like a laundry or garage, to help reduce their feelings of anxiety. Complete the crate with the Snooza Crate Covers, designed to create a darkened, cosy sleeping space to calm your puppy.

Crate Mat

A comfortable mat should be placed in the crate. The Stay Dry Mat is a great mat for puppies in training, with moisture-absorbent fibres that keep your puppy dry and comfortable if accidents happen. The Ortho Mat is another great option that can be used inside the crate or outdoors, as it is made from durable, water-proof material with orthopaedic foam mattress suitable for hard surfaces.

Chew Toys

To keep your puppy occupied and encourage healthy chewing habits, place a safe chew toy with them in their bed or crate – you can read more on managing the puppy chewing phase here.

Socialisation 

Once your puppy is ready to socialise and you’re ready to head out for walks, you’ll need these on hand:

Waste Bags & Dispenser

Good quality waste bags are a good idea to take with you on walks and to have handy at home in case of any accidents during the toilet training phase! The Snooza Doo Doo Good Bags are 100% compostable and biodegradable, made from planet-friendly corn starch & plant-based materials. They also donate 50% of profits to Animal Assistance charities! You will also need the Doo Doo Good Dispenser, which is made from Snooza bed off-cuts, helping reduce waste!

Cleaning & Bathing

Shampoo, Conditioner & Cleansing Wipes

As your puppy grows and starts to explore the world, they are inevitably going to get a little dirty and smelly. Invest in a gentle, puppy appropriate shampoo and conditioner to keep their coat and skin clean. In-between washes, dog wipes such as our coat care wipes are great for cleansing the surface of your puppy’s coat and other areas like their ears, paws and under their tail. These wipes are made with a hypoallergenic formula from 100% bamboo meaning they are gentle on your puppy, and the planet too!

Towel/Mitt & Mat

After bathing or a fun day outdoors, a microfibre absorbent towel or mitt is great for drying your puppy off quickly. The hand pockets on the SupaDry Noodle Mitt make it super quick and easy to wipe down your pet’s coat, and it absorbs 8 X its weight in water! You can also keep a mat at the door to gently remove excess water and dirt from their paws before your puppy enters the house.

Regularly cleaning your puppy’s bed can also help keep your puppy clean and smelling fresh. Experts recommend to wash your puppy’s bed every 2 weeks as a general rule, but this can depend on a number of factors which you can read more about here.

Making sure you have everything before you bring your new puppy home can certainly be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time, but remember there is always support for you if you need it.

Most importantly though, congratulations on your new puppy and family member, and may you have many wonderful and happy memories together!

All the best 🐶❤️
From the team at Snooza