Future dog owners plan the arrival of the new four-legged family member well in advance. As exciting as the decision to adopt a dog is, so is the planning that is needed to give your four-legged friend a nice home. First and foremost, your dog would like to be warmly welcomed as part of the (family) pack, but it still needs a few things in everyday life in order to feel really comfortable. In the following you will find out which initial equipment for dogs, in particular which puppy initial equipment is needed for the start.
As the soon-to-be owner of a four-legged friend, you need good basic equipment to meet the needs of your dog. Read here what should not be missing from the list and why.
Dogs want to eat their meals regularly. Set up a permanent place in your home for this and place food and water bowls there. It is important that you choose the right size for your dog, because smaller four-legged friends eat less and larger dogs eat more. In addition, the bowls should be non-slip, stable and easy to clean. A waterproof and dirt-repellent bowl base also protects the floor.
Collar and leash are essential basic dog equipment. A leash is compulsory in many public places. When choosing a collar and leash, pay attention to the material. This can be a bit elastic so that it does not constrict your dog and rub against the skin. In the dark season, an LED collar is also recommended, because this way you can discover your dog in less lit corners on the evening walk.
Dogs need to eat, play and exercise every day. Apart from that, they like to sleep and relax. As with the selection of bowls, the same applies when it comes to dog beds, the larger your dog, the larger the dog bed needs to be. Smaller four-legged friends, on the other hand, feel more comfortable in smaller beds. Suitable fillings for dog beds are viscose foam or microbeads, because these snuggle up to the lying shape of your dog and thus relieve the joints.
Grooming brushes or combs are essential for long-haired dogs. They are used for daily grooming and effectively prevent tangles. Dogs with shorter coats don’t need to be brushed daily, but once a week is recommended. Vermin such as ticks can also be discovered more quickly in the joint care unit.
There is a large selection of dog toys. It is therefore hardly surprising that new dog owners in particular cannot see the forest for the trees. There are different categories of dog toys. These are the most popular:
toy
strategy toy
These games require tactical skill from your four-legged friend. Your dog has to find hidden treats on its own by using its very good sense of smell. Classic are snuffle mats or board games with indentations as well as folding and sliding mechanisms.
chew and sniff toys
Representative of this toy is the “Kong” like no other. The toy challenges both the chewing muscles and the fine sense of smell. You simply fill the chew toy called “Kong” with treats and your dog has to get his food out on his own.
fetch toy
Most dogs love to fetch. As a dog owner, you can play the game with classic balls or sticks, or you can also use a food bag that you fill with food. Throw it like a stick and encourage your dog to fetch the bag to encourage their hunting instincts in a playful way.
Tug Toy:
Every dog is happy about a well-groomed tug of war. Tug toys such as ropes for chewing, gnawing, tugging, throwing and romping are best suited for this.
A dog whistle is a useful tool for training your dog and is therefore often used with puppies or young dogs. It can be used to condition commands such as “sit” or “come here”. The latter is particularly important on walks when your dog is supposed to follow commands over a longer distance. If you can whistle very loudly, you don’t need a dog whistle, but it can be a useful gadget for everyone else.
Dog owners who do not clean up the legacies of their four-legged friends face fines. But also out of consideration for those around you, you should always have poop bags ready when you walk your dog. Small dispensers that can be attached to the dog’s leash are particularly practical, so you can neither forget nor lose the poop bags.
Fur brushes, excrement bags or bowls are equally suitable for adult dogs as well as for young ones. Some things are different, however, and so you have to make sure that the products are tailored to the young dog when it comes to the puppy’s initial equipment.
While you have the choice between a harness and collar for older dogs, you should definitely use a puppy harness for the smaller dogs. It protects the puppy’s neck and distributes the pressure of the leash more evenly. The material should be made of flexible material such as nylon so that it does not chafe against the skin. It should also be adjustable in size, otherwise you will have to buy new dishes every few months. When choosing a leash, you should pay attention to robust material, because the little puppies have sharp little teeth that can bite through almost any material in the long run.
For traveling by car or other means of transport, you need a dog transport box. In this way, your puppy can travel safely with you and cannot injure itself or unintentionally obstruct traffic. It is best to put a dog blanket or your favorite toy in the dog transport box, so your puppy has something familiar smelling to cuddle at his side.
Puppies have a strong play instinct. The little four-legged friends don’t like boredom and if it gets out of hand, they’ll definitely try their hand at shoes or door frames. The offspring especially loves to chew, so puppy toys should be robust and suitable for chewing. This not only satisfies the play instinct, but also cares for and cleans the puppy’s teeth.
toy
Interactive toy:
With interactive toys you support your puppy’s cognitive abilities. This can happen with the help of smells and noises that the toy makes.
chew toy:
Chew toys not only help puppies clean and care for their teeth, but can also provide relief during teething periods. Although the change of teeth is not comparable to that of humans, puppies also lose milk teeth and a teething toy can help. A coffee wood chewing stick is made of natural material and should be splinter-free.
Outdoor toys:
Puppies like to romp outside, because there is plenty of space and there are many new things to discover. New dog owners should always have some entertainment ready for the little dog, including slingshot balls or frisbees to throw. However, the toy should not be too big and heavy for puppies.
cuddle toys:
Cuddling toys give small dogs a feeling of security, especially when they are left in the dog bed without their master or mistress. The softer the material of the cuddly toy, the more comfortable it is for your pup.
The dog bed should give your pup enough space to roll over and move around while they sleep. But it should not be too big so that the little dog can feel safe. As with adult dogs, a filling made of visco foam or microbeads is recommended, which comfortably nestles up to the puppy’s lying shape.
Puppies have a lot to learn and as a new dog owner, training the little dog is part of everyday life. Reward treats show your dog what they are doing right. In order to always have the snacks at hand, we recommend a treat bag that you can also carry comfortably on walks. If your dog is not rewarded immediately after the correct behavior, he will have trouble making the connection between the action and the reward. The snacks are always there in the treat bag when you need them, stay fresh and are well protected from air and light.
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