Guide: The Best Thing I Ever Bought My Puppy
One of the most popular questions we get is: “Help, I’m bringing home a new puppy. What should I buy?!” A couple of weeks ago we posted on Instagram and asked you about the puppy products YOU loved that made life with your puppy easier and helped you survive the craziness. Once again we were blown away by your responses, and decided to turn them into an easy to reference guide. We will keep adding to this list as we get more great recommendations from YOU, the amazing pet parents and pro-trainers in our TOC Fam! [Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning TOC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you.]
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Enrichment
The Rumbl
From @lumosdogtraining: “The rumbl is so versatile. You can put a toy in the top hole, seal the smaller hole with wet food, add a variety of food sizes.”
2. The Kong Wobbler
From @lumosdogtraining: “I absolutely love my @kongcompany wobblers ... I’ve had one of my wobblers since my first guide dog puppy I raised over 10 years ago 🙈.”
3. The Toppl
From @lumosdogtraining: “The toppl is an easy way to provide frozen enrichment and if you have both sizes it can be a good dispensing toy, too!”
4. A Food Dispensing Toy
From @frostbitesleddogs: “Food dispensing toys have been an absolute lifesaver"…” Note: TOC found this Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Toy on Amazon.
5. The Puppy Kong
From @eearthchild: “Puppy Kongs!! Freeze a tiny bit of peanut butter inside to make it more challenging to lick out :).”
6. Frozen Wash Cloths
From @bugthestreetdog: “Not something I’ve bought, but freezing old wash cloths to make frozen teething rings. Since we foster, it’s a cheap way to help the baby sharks.” Note: TOC found these wash cloths on Amazon.
7. A Flirt Pole
From @kusherwood: “A dog-sized flirt pole! I had a lot of trouble trying to teach my pup impulse control aka not go after every single bird, squirrel, piece of trash in the wind 😂 with the flirt pole, I’d practice having her stay in “place” command while I would move the flirt pole around. I would reward her with an “ok/free” command to catch the toy at the end of the flirt pole! Also was a great tool for rainy days where she didn’t get as much exercise or outdoor stimulation.” Note: TOC found this flirt pole on Amazon.
8. The Okra Tire
From @the_mojitomoji: “Orka tire. It’s one of the most looked over enrichment toys and gets a stupid amount of attention in our house.”
9. amazon boxes and paper stuffing
From @_shnatalie: “One of the best things I learned with our pup was to give an outlet for their natural puppy behaviors. Ours liked to shred. After finding her with several shredded full toilet paper rolls, we started giving her our Amazon boxes and paper stuffing that came with them so she could happily shred in peace. It was such a great energy outlet for her and I think also helped with her teething (this worked because she didn’t have a desire to eat what she shredded, just spits it out). Find what natural puppy behaviors their exploring and give them a safe way to do it that doesn’t harm your valuable things! “ Note: TOC found these plain moving boxes on Amazon, but if you buy one of the other products on our list from Amazon, you can just use that free packaging for enrichment.
10. The Benebone
11. A Higher Quality Snuffle Mat
From @thesnuffleclub: “I bought a low quality snuffle mat on Amazon, it was awesome til it ripped (they had fun ripping it up though) so I decided to make my own! Loved it so much I have my own snuffle business because I wanted to share it with all the dogs!!” Note: TOC found this snuffle mat on the site that @thesnuffleclub links to in their IG bio!
12. A Food Puzzle Toy
From @lb_and_doggg: “…Lots and lots of enrichment toys were our favorite and best way to get through a day of puppyhood. Food puzzles…I wish I’d known about the canine enrichment page on Facebook sooner.” Note: TOC found this puzzle toy on Amazon.
13. The Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom
From @lcherub121: “I see a lot of kong wobbler and west paw recommendations but none of my favorite enrichment feeder: the Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom!!! The wobbler was way too easy for my dog after a week or so, and when I couldn’t get her to eat filling up the magic mushroom was always a hit.”
14. Carrots, Celery, or Cabbage
From @lumosdogtraining: “…something that cost very little is letting your pup shred carrots, celery, or cabbage! It feels good on their teeth and meets some of those land shark needs!” Note: TOC found these celery sticks on Amazon.
15. The Kong Easy Treat Spray Can
From @untrainablenorahbones: Kong Easy Treat spray cans make filling treat dispensers so much easier.
16. An Old Towel
From @marvelousmaisienj: “Best (mostly?) free things: an old towel for DIY snuffle snacks…” Note: TOC found these towels on Amazon.
17. Kong Ball With Ridges
From @pippinalab: “The toy we really liked was the Kong ball with ridges that can also be filled with treats. It was the best for teaching him how puzzle toys worked because it is not very hard and PB can be smeared on it for extra chewing. We don't use it as a puzzle anymore but we do still use it as a ball!”
18. A Lickimat
From TOC: We found this LickiMat on the Lizo Bandana Co site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Black Pet IG list here.
For the Home and Management
Baby Gates
Baby Gates
2. A Primo Pad For the Crate
From @mollieandcollieandmerle: “The one that saved my bacon this time around was a Primo Pad for the crate. They are waterproof and highly chew resistant. You can even get them with zip tie attachments so the puppy can’t dig it up or flip it. Anthem had “hunger pukes” in the early am for awhile and had thrown up on his crate pad multiple times. Fortunately all it takes to get the Primo clean is a quick wipe down. And I have never worried about him chewing up or ingesting it because he’s not tough enough to damage it which means he actually has something to lay on when unsupervised (Valor spent awhile laying on nothing but the crate pan because I didn’t trust her)! Great family owned business with good customer service and prompt shipping too! 😁 @primopads.”
3. An X-Pen
From @meghandvolta :”I’ll be real, I packed up an entire ex-pen and brought it to an air bnb for three nights with our puppy a few months ago. When your puppy isn’t fully crate trained yet but you need SOMEWHERE to put the gremlin because you want to shower, they are invaluable. You don’t have to rush because fido will not be eating your shoes when you get out. It also doesn’t allow them access to cupboards/drawer pulls like just gating off the kitchen does (I say that from experience having lost molding to puppy teeth)!” Note: TOC found this x-pen on Amazon.
4. A Crate
From @lindsayeberts: “…Crates! Crates everywhere! (Car, office, bedroom, living room).” Note: TOC found this crate on Amazon.
5. A bed with bolster sides
6. A Water Wicking Mat
From @lindsayeberts: “…water-wicking mats at my door for wet feet…”Note: TOC found this mat on Amazon.
7. A Dog Bed with a Washable Cover
From @untrainablenorahbones: “Investing in a dog bed with a removable, machine washable cover was a game changer. Don't fall for beds simply advertised as "machine washable" as they may mean you have put the entire bed in the machine, which is not very helpful with large dog beds.” Note: TOC found this bed on The Houndry site. PS: Use the code OTIS for 20% off on any order.
8. A Privacy Screen
From @untrainablenorahbones: “When it comes to management: Privacy screens for windows or see-through doors (storm doors, sliding deck doors) has helped minimize passerby distractions…”Note: TOC found this privacy screen on Amazon.
9. An Extra Tall Pet Gate
From @untrainablenorahbones: “…Extra tall pet gates that open and close are great for keeping my dog out of the kitchen.” Note: TOC found this baby gate on Amazon.
10. The Furbo
From @lkee507: “The Furbo! Expensive but worth it with the barking/cry[ing] notifications. It definitely helped my anxiety when I left the house but could still check in on him. Plus the daily video recaps are so cute!!”
11. A Waterproof Bed
From @lb_and_doggg: “One thing I didn’t have that I would get now is a waterproof bed!!! I didn’t know that they were a thing and we lost many a bed because they were the best place to pee 😅…” Note: TOC found this bed on Amazon.
12. Dog Blankets
From @katiestacy: “…We used blankets instead of dog beds because they are easier to wash and she was less interested in chewing…”Note: TOC found this dog blanket on Amazon.
13. A snuggle puppy
From @dntblink: “Heart beat puppy for those first few weeks. When they start using them as a toy instead of a pack member you can remove from bedtime routine.”
14. Krud Cutter Pet Carpet Cleaner
15. Bissel SpotClean
16. A little microwaveable heating pad
From @amystew20: “A little microwaveable heat pad. I had her in with me the very first night but she was crated beside my bed at the start and the heat source kept her sleeping all night from the second night I had her. A must, I think, as small animals cannot regulate their body heat.” Note: TOC found this pad on Amazon.
17. A Waterproof Play Mat
18. A Head Torch
19. A Dog Bandana
From TOC: We found these bandanas that are perfect for the holidays on the FurTheCulture Etsy Page. FurTheCulture is featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Black Pet IG list here.
Leashes & Collars & Harnesses
A Biothane Long line
From @pneuwarum :”A biothane longline. Easy to clean, stands up to wet West Coast weather, and allows my deaf dog to explore and sniff safely on walks.” Note: TOC found this long line on High Tail Hike’s website. PS: Use code TAILSOFCONNECTION for 10% off on all products!
2. A Backclip Harness
From @jacuzzagram : “…Essential dog products I would consider are: 1. Back-clip harness…” Note: TOC found this harness on Amazon.
3. A Biothane Collar
From @catinarium: “…a biothane collar with stainless steel hardware (@canaancollars) that can handle frequent beach adventures…”
4. A a PetSafe 3 IN 1 HARNESS
5. A Ruffwear Front Range Harness
From @catinarium: “…And TWO good harnesses for when one is inevitably wet and dirty! I like @ruffwear front range…”
6. A Rope Leash
From TOC: We found this leash on The Lofty Leash site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Black Pet IG list here.
Play
An Outdoor Tunnel
From @zoology.rocs: “He LOVES his outside tunnel. Just a cheap kids crawl through tunnel but great for exposing him to small spaces, weird sounds and textures.” Note: TOC found this tunnel on Amazon.
2. West Paw Toys
From @mich_leung_: “Love West Paw toys my Lab can’t destroy them! Has had a few since he was a puppy and lasted over a year and a half now.”
3. Gouhnuts Toys
From @mollykcrandles: “…Our dog is an incredible chewer, and the only brand he hasn’t been able to destroy is Goughnuts…”
4. Toys From Kong
From @untrainablenorahbones: “After months of torn up toys I finally invested in durable and rubber toys from @kongcompany and @westpawus and they have lasted longer and in better shape than other toys, saving me $$. With an AmStaff mix who loves to chew to destruction I had to find toys that would LAST.”
5. A Chuckit! Ball
From @tinesnub: “We‘d take the Chuckit! ball to an island with us - indestructible, versatile (play fetch, chew, hide it for search), fun!…”
6. A Kiddie Pool
From @katiestacy: “…For a summertime pup, we loved filling the kiddie pool and “bobbing” for treats…” Note: TOC found this kiddie pool on Amazon.
7. A Plush Pizza Slice
From TOC: We found this plush pizza slice on the In Pups We Trust. site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Black Pet IG list here.
For the Car or Travel
A Seat belt Harness
From @untrainablenorahbones:”A seat belt harness + tether and car hammock to keep my dog secure and my car clean. When I brought her home she was jumping all over the car which was a huge safety hazard. Now she's learned how to sit nicely in the car, is less distracting, and is safer…” Note: TOC found this harness on Amazon.
2. A Back seat Hammock
From @untrainablenorahbones: “…A car hammock to keep my dog secure and my car clean. When I brought her home she was jumping all over the car which was a huge safety hazard. Now she's learned how to sit nicely in the car, is less distracting, and is safer. Plus the hammock can convert to hammock or seat style.” Note: TOC found this back seat hammock on Amazon.
3. A Travel Water Bottle
From @lindsayeberts: “Also…doggie water bottle for hiking…” Note: TOC found this dog travel water bottle on the Lizo Bandana Co site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Black Pet IG list here.
4. A Travel Crate
From @taralfk: “…a travel crate-we started traveling really young. She would not sleep in a hotel unless she was in her crate!” Note: TOC found this travel crate on Amazon.
5. A Stroller
From @lkee507: “A puppy stroller. My Pomeranian puppy was way too little to go outside but I still wanted to expose him to different environments.” Note: TOC found this stroller on Amazon.
Training Gear
A Treat Pouch
From @frostbitesleddogs: “…Also highly recommend investing in a decent treat pouch with a few different pockets.” Note: TOC found this treat pouch on Amazon.
2. A Muzzle
From @jacuzzagram: “…Muzzle or empty yogurt container to desensitize the pup to sticking their face into things. It’s much easier to get them used to wearing things while they’re young, than if you wait for them to be older. It’s a skill that’s suuuper useful in all sorts of situations, but especially cool when you have a muzzle trained puppy that doesn’t eat everything it sees on your walks. Saves you a lot of stress and lets you walk in places you wouldn’t normally be able to take them. Our favorite field was covered in duck poop, but thanks to the muzzle, we were able to walk there without her gorging herself on grossness.” Note: TOC found this muzzle on Amazon.
3. A Rope Toy for Training ‘Drop It’
From @jacuzzagram: “…Rope toy for tug-o-war and “drop it” training! I got the most solid “drop it” without even trying, simply by playing tug with her. Hold the toy and quit tugging until she drops it, then reward by continuing the game. She generalized that skill to dropping food as well, even though I never even set up any training scenarios with food. (Obviously, if I raise another puppy, I wouldn’t take that risk a second time. I’d do actual food centered training sessions just to be sure the puppy learns to drop food as well.)” Note: TOC found this rope toy on Amazon.
4. A WhiteBoard
From @rutabeagle: “A whiteboard where can document when they last pottied and napped. It made crate and potty training so much easier.” Note: TOC found this whiteboard on Amazon.
5. A CLicker
6. A Fanny Pack
From TOC: We found this human fanny pack on the Afropawlitan site. Afropawlitan is featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Black Pet IG list here.
Grooming
A brush
From @kiboodle: “Have a poodle. What's in my grooming bag? Brush…” Note: TOC found this brush on Amazon.
2. A Slicker Brush
From @kiboodle: “Have a poodle. What's in my grooming bag?…slicker…” Note: TOC found this slicker brush on Amazon.
3. A Pair of Clippers
From @kiboodle: “Have a poodle. What's in my grooming bag?…clipper…” Note: TOC found these clippers on Amazon.
4. Baby Wipes
From @tinesnub: “…For grooming we have baby wipes with us in the car (cause I never bath her but she rolled in feces 2-3 times before and they get it out of that few spots right away before drying…” Note: TOC found these wipes on Amazon.
5. A Toothbrush
6. A 2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner
From @mollykcrandles: “…We loved Burts Bees 2 in 1 tearless shampoo and conditioner for our puppy, still using it now that he’s 2!…”
Guide: The Best Products For Surviving Winter With Your Dog
