New Puppy Checklist (2026): What to Buy First

In the week before a puppy comes home, sort the shopping three ways: what has to be in the house on day one, what to buy for the grown dog rather than the puppy, and what can wait until you know its size and coat. The one purchase to size for the adult is the crate. The chew toy should suit a teething mouth; our puppy teething toy guide covers that.

How we chose: we did not test these products; we worked from the ASPCA's dog supply checklist and picked items sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store and in stock on September 28, 2026.

The day-one list at a glance

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

The ASPCA's own list is close to this one: food and treats, a food dish, a water bowl, "toys, toys and more toys, including safe chew toys," a brush and comb, a "collar with license and ID tag," a leash, a carrier for smaller dogs, a training crate, a bed or box with a warm blanket, and a dog toothbrush.

Save the two animal poison control numbers from our pet first aid kit guide on day one too. If money is tight, our guide on what not to cut sets out the four costs the AVMA, CAPC and FDA say to keep.

A crate sized for the adult dog

The ASPCA says a dog needs "a warm, quiet place to rest, away from all drafts and off the floor," and that a training crate or dog bed does the job, "with a clean blanket or pillow placed inside."

Buy the crate for the dog your puppy will become, then use the divider to make the space fit the puppy now. MidWest says the iCrate's divider panel "lets the crate grow with your dog, from puppy kennel to full-size crate." Its 42 in crate is for dogs of 71 to 90 lb; for a dog that will be close to 90 lb, MidWest suggests the 48 in.

The Amazon Basics 24 in crate suits a small breed: the listing gives a way to check the fit, measuring nose to base of tail and top of head to floor, then adding 4 inches to each. Our dog crate guide compares wire, plastic and soft-sided crates and how MidWest says to measure.

A crate is not right for every dog. In its page on separation anxiety, the ASPCA says crate training "can be helpful for some dogs if they learn that the crate is their safe place," but that for others it adds stress.

If your puppy shows "heavy panting, excessive salivation, frantic escape attempts, persistent howling or barking" in the crate while you are home, the ASPCA suggests a room behind a baby gate instead.

Pads, a cleaner and a house-training plan

House training starts the hour the puppy walks in. The ASPCA's house-training tips boil down to four rules:

• Supervise. Limit the puppy "to the one or two rooms where you are able to see her at all times," and watch for sniffing and circling.
• Praise success. "Whether your goal is for your dog to eliminate on pee pads indoors or to do it outside, you have to really throw a party for her when she succeeds."
• Don't scold after the fact. A dog "will not learn anything by being scolded for a past accident, even one a few minutes old."
• Never rub its face in it. That only makes the dog fear you.

If you reward with food, use small, soft training treats and count them: Tufts says treats belong under 10% of the day's calories.

The Amazon Basics 22 x 22 in pad is the simple start for a small or medium puppy; for a large-breed puppy or a crate floor, see the bigger pads in our washable and disposable pee pad guide.

Clean every miss with an enzyme cleaner such as Nature's Miracle, and see our enzyme cleaner guide for why ammonia-based cleaners are the wrong choice.

Pro tip: put the pad in the same place every time, near the door you will use later, so the move outdoors is a short one.

Related: once house training moves outdoors, our dog poop bag guide compares bag sizes and leash dispensers.

Collar, ID tag and a microchip

The ASPCA says to follow local licensing rules and "attach the license to your dog's collar. This, along with an ID tag and implanted microchip or tattoo, can help secure your dog's return should she become lost."

Order the tag as soon as you know the puppy's name. GoTags engraves up to four lines on each side, in a 1.3 in regular size or a 1 in small size.

For the collar, measure the neck and leave room to grow: the Blueberry Pet small fits a 12 to 16 in neck, and Blueberry says to leave only two fingers between collar and neck. Blueberry also says not to leave a dog unattended with the collar on, so take it off in the crate.

Our collar and ID tag guide explains why the AVMA wants a tag even on a microchipped dog.

Ask your vet about a microchip at the first visit, and register it in your name.

Food, bowls and the first vet visit

Keep the puppy on the food it already eats for the first days. The ASPCA says puppies eight to 12 weeks old need four meals a day, three meals from three to six months, and two from six months to a year, and that puppies should eat a puppy food, a large-breed puppy food for large breeds.

The ASPCA also says "clean, fresh water should be available at all times," and to wash food and water dishes frequently; steel bowls that go in the dishwasher make that easy.

Before you choose a grain-free food, read what the FDA's DCM investigation found and what it never proved.

Book a vet visit for the first week. Vaccines are your vet's decision, not a checklist item, but it helps to know the shape of the schedule.

The AVMA's vaccination page says your veterinarian will recommend "a series of vaccinations starting at 6-8 weeks of age," and that "for most puppies and kittens, the final vaccination in the series is given at 16 weeks of age or older." Your vet may adjust that for your puppy. Bring any records from the breeder or shelter.

Never give a puppy medicine that a vet has not prescribed, the ASPCA says. If you think it has eaten something poisonous, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

This page is general information, not veterinary advice (more on that); ask your vet about vaccines, parasite control and diet.

Related: for a puppy that gulps, our slow feeder bowl guide compares maze bowls; if no one is home at lunch, an automatic feeder can serve a meal on a timer and a pet camera lets you check in; if your vet books a spay or neuter, our recovery suit vs cone guide covers what the ASPCA says about cones afterward.

Chew toys for a teething puppy

The ASPCA's position on dog chews says "virtually all puppies chew objects as they explore the world with their mouths and while they are teething." Give the puppy something legal to chew before it finds your shoes.

Choose a chew sized to the dog's weight and soft enough to dent with a thumbnail, the test veterinary dentists use. The Goughnuts Stick, Small is natural rubber for dogs of 10 to 40 lb. Skip cooked bones, antlers and hard nylon bones, and watch the puppy with any new chew.

Our safe chew toy guide explains the thumbnail test and what the FDA and veterinary schools say to avoid. Our dog puzzle toy guide has a section on puppies.

What can wait a few weeks

• A harness for leash training. Once the puppy is ready for walks, a front-clip harness such as the PetSafe Easy Walk helps with pulling; its Petite size starts at a 12 in girth. Our no-pull harness guide covers fit, and our leash guide compares leash types.
• A winter coat. The AVMA counts very young dogs among those more at risk in the cold; our winter dog coat guide covers which dogs need one and how to measure.
• A full-size bed. A blanket in the crate is enough at first. A thick orthopedic bed like those in our orthopedic dog bed guide matters more for large and older dogs.
• Grooming tools. The ASPCA lists a brush, a comb and a flea comb; buy them for your breed's coat once you see how it grows in. Nails need trimming too, and it helps to start young; our nail clipper guide shows where the quick is.
• A car restraint. For the first ride home, the Center for Pet Safety's advice is to "secure pets in the back seat," and never on an extension tether. Its certified harnesses, crates and carriers are each rated to a test-dog weight, so a growing puppy may outgrow the first one; see our guide to CPS certified car restraints.

Related: our dog shampoo guide covers tearless puppy shampoo, our deshedding brush guide sorts tools by coat, and the brush guide by coat type covers slickers, pins and combs.

Recalls

None of these brands appears on our pet product recall page, which tracks FDA and CPSC pet recalls, as of September 28, 2026, and we found no CPSC recall of these crates, collars or bowls in the CPSC recall database. Check again before you buy anything second-hand.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pick up a puppy?

With one hand under the chest and your other hand or forearm under the hind legs and rump, per the ASPCA. The ASPCA says never to lift a puppy by the front legs, the tail or the back of the neck.

When should a puppy be spayed or neutered?

The ASPCA says female dogs should be spayed and male dogs neutered by six months of age. Ask your vet about timing at the first visit.

Can I give a puppy people food?

A little, as a topping. The ASPCA says cottage cheese, cooked egg, fruit or vegetables should total no more than 10 percent of the day's food, and to limit people food because it can cause vitamin and mineral imbalances, picky eating and weight gain.

How often should I bathe a puppy?

Rarely. The ASPCA says most dogs don't need a bath more than a few times a year, and that frequent brushing keeps a dog clean and cuts shedding.

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