List of supplies?

[LittleLoves]

Hi everyone!

We are getting our baby Shih Tzu on Thursday this week and I'm trying to make a list of things we'll need for him.

I've already bought a new crate, faux-sheepskin bedding, and snuggle toy...and then went blank! When we got our dog Lady, she was already 6 months old, so we didn't go through the early days.

I know I need to get a collar, leash, hot water bottle, name tag (just in case?), food...but should I wait on the collar and take him to the store with me? What if I buy the wrong size?

Stupid questions I know, but I've been so excited for the past month and now that he's almost here I'm worried I'll forget something important!

Thanks

[kandy]

Don't take the pup to the store - until his immune system is fully developed, he could pick up anything in there!! If you want to wait to buy the collar, measure his neck after you get him home so that you get the right size. I've never owned a dog that small, so I couldn't begin to guess what size collar he would need. I would also buy a bag of some small training treats so that you can start training. For a shih tzu, I would also buy a good brush and a detangling comb. Don't forget shampoo unless you plan on taking him to a groomer. That's all I can think of right now. Hope that helps!

[Lizzie]

Liver training treats work really well for puppies. If they don't have the smallest one's just get another size and break them into bits.

I would also buy a TON of toys...they get bored of toys easily when they are little so buy many!

Perhaps a kong if you want to start trying to leave him or her home alone for a while.

If you are paper training then you may also want to stock up on old newspapers.

I forget the name, but you'll want some of the special carpet cleaner to remove urine smells after accidents to avoid the pup going there again.

A baby gate to keep the little one contained in a small space until he/she is old enough to be trusted in the rest of the house.

His or her own food/water dish.

that's all i've got for now!

[LittleLoves]

Kandy, good point! I didn't think of that! I plan on having the dog professionally groomed once per year, but I will be doing it myself the rest of the time. I have all the grooming supplies for my older dog, but need to get some clippers.

Lizzie, thank you for the ideas. Luckily I work from home so I think I'm going to skip paper training and just start training outside right off. Oscar is going to be living in the kitchen and dining room for at least 5 months, but my baby gate is so high that it's a huge annoyance to climb over. I'm making one made of fabric so we'll just step over it and my older dog can jump it. I'll have to find out about that cleaner.

Thanks!!

[mafiaprincess]

Nature's Miracle. Avalible at places like Petsmart.

[LittleLoves]

Thanks Mafia!

[BeagleMum]

We just got a puppy in January and since then, this is what we have gotten:

- Leash & Collar (his first one was a cat collar because he was so small)
- Treats (hotdogs, apples, carrots and cheese work good)
- Puppy Food (we went with Nutro Puppy)
- Mini tennis balls (a cat toy from the Dollar Store)
- Puppy Kong (We have gone through 2 already, get the blue one)
- 2L Pop Bottle (Spencer loves to chase it)
- Squeaky toys
- Crate
- Lots of blankets (they tend to have accidents)
- Pet Zyme or Nature's Miracle (Enzyme cleaner)
- Puppy Pads (we were told not to use news paper, to train them to go outside right away and use puppy pads instead of paper if you are away)
- Pretty much every toy you can find (Rotate them, done give them all at once because they get bored of them after time)
- Dog Bed (We got the duck one from WalMart. He loves to chew on the hands)
- Bowls
- Brush
- Shampoo (One with oatmeal in it)
- Flax Oil (Just got that today because Spencer is always itchy)
- Bitter Apple (Almost forgot this one, good to prevent them from chewing things like the door frame )


Hope this helps, good luck with your new puppy.

[glasslass]

I never had any children, therefore no baby showers. The only thing I bought ahead of time was a small adjustable soft collar, an ID tag, a soft blanket, and puppy food. He inherited everything else. Right after I got him, my friends surprised me with a baby shower. He got soft furry toys which my previous dog would have torn up, treats, a puppy book, and I got two really neat picture frames to put on my desk at work.