Wow, what an adventure it’s been so far with bringing home our new puppy, Aspen! Below I made a new puppy checklist that has helped me get through the last month! I also added the things I bought and ended up not using! It has been like reliving having a newborn baby with the constant potty breaks, playing, napping and, feeding! It’s definitely been some trying times but for the most part, it’s been amazing to have him as an addition to our family! We picked Aspen up when he was 8 weeks old. Thankfully, we were so lucky to get him from a great Goldendoodle breeder that when he came home he basically slept through the night and still sleeps until about 6:00 am in his crate. Of course, he can’t be a baby without some good ol’ spoiling so I sometimes put him in bed with us to cuddle and so I can get some additional sleep!
During COVID I guess everyone thought it was a great time to get a pup so when we came to the conclusion of getting one in September 2020, we were on a waiting list! It wasn’t until February that we were notified that we were next on the list for the upcoming liter! Our little guy was born at the end of March 2021. To be completly honest, I have never had a dog growing up, so, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. Let me tell you, it doesnt matter how many books or videos you watch, just like havnig a baby, you’re not ready or prepared for it! I had bought all this crap and turns out I didnt need half of it! LOL, and I had still gone back to the pet store multiple times since for all the stuff I thought I didnt need lol
Below is my New Puppy Checklist, maybe it’ll help you in the future!
WHAT NOT TO BUY:
- Multiple Crates – I thought I was going to need multiple crates around the house and turns out we didn’t need but the one that he sleeps in at night in our bedroom
- Treats – We bought some treats from Publix that said they were for puppies but turns out they were still too big for him. My friend gave me these treats that have been a lifesaver!
- Huge toys – Depending on how big your pup is, I guess would determine if you need bigger toys or not but my little guy was 6 lbs when we got him and is now 10.5 lbs and still can’t play with the big tug rope that we bought him. He likes the softer chew toys.
- Retractable leash – I didn’t know that it was going to be too heavy/big for him so I ended up getting just a short light one that he has been using. The first time I put the retractable one on him he just sat there and hung his head down. I felt completely awful!
- Multiple Dog Beds – I bought 3 different dog beds lol thinking Aspen would need them all around the house and turns out he mostly likes to sleep on the floor! I’d say buy 1 but save your money on the rest!
WHAT TO BUY:
- Pee Pads – I actually told myself I wasn’t going to use these but after Aspen peeing on the floor a few times while in his pay pen when we were gone, I went to the store and bought them. What a lifesaver!
- Treat Pouch – Again, something I didn’t know I needed! When you’re outside with your pup and they go potty, we were rewarding Aspen with treats but what if you don’t have one on you? So I hopped on Amazon and bought this treat pouch to stick on his leash!
- Collapsible Bowl – I take Aspen to soccer with Sophia or basically anywhere I go so I didn’t want him to go without water or food so I bought these bowls to leave in my car so I always have them if we’re out and about!
- Pumpkin – Aspen has had a couple of run-ins already with worms and a parasite that makes his belly hurt so to help soothe his belly and help him when he uses the bathroom I’ve been giving him a little bit of pumpkin!
- Wipes – The past couple of weeks I had been giving Aspen a bath every week because he would get stinky! After speaking with the vet, I found out that is not good for his coat or his skin. Turns out he needs to be a little oily! So to help keep our house from smelling, I have been wiping him down with the large wet wipes that are basically made to give him a dry bath.
- Air Purifier – Lastly, I once again am sort of a clean freak and I don’t want our house smelling like a dog so I have bought a few air purifiers along with charcoal bags that are natural air purifiers! I will link them both here. The air purifier is a little pricy but to not have our house smell is worth it for me.
What are so items that you found helpful when you brought home your new pup? I’m always looking for new things to help keep Aspen happy and clean up!
