Becoming a dog owner for the first time is both incredibly exciting but also a bit scary. You don’t know what you don’t know, so you may be constantly questioning whether you’re doing the right things or buying the right things just to keep your dog alive. There’ll be moments of such happiness and also frustrating — because dogs are… well, dogs.
Here’s a list of essentials to have for when you’re not sure where to start.
- Leash, collar, ID tag
- Crates and/or Gates
- Pet Insurance
- Food, Treats, and Preventatives
- Dog bed
- Poop bags & cleaning supplies
- Dog Toys
Leash, Collar, ID Tag
The most basic thing you’ll want is a well-fitting collar with an ID tag. You’ll want to bring this when you pick up your dog for the first time. If you’re a rescue parent, this is probably already required. I’m against pet stores, but I’ve seen people walk out of a pet store (in New York City nonetheless) with a puppy in their arms and no collar or leash in sight.
As seen in a previous post, Dog Owner Essentials, it’s important to have a good leash and collar. My favorites are rope leashes such as the Made to Roam Premium Everyday Leash (I especially love the quick release clip) and the rope leash at The Foggy Dog and the pretty patterned collars also at The Foggy Dog.
I do not recommend a retractable leash as they are notorious for being not safe (read this). Also check your local laws for leash lengths. In NYC, leashes can be no longer then 6ft in length.
For your collar, not only will you want a nice ID Tag (we recommend Boomerang Tags), you’ll want to check with your city (or state) about dog ownership requirements. In New York City, you’re required to have not only your dog tag, but dog license, and rabies tag (which you get from your vet).
I also highly recommend a harness. Well trained dogs do well with their leashes clipped to collars, but untrained dogs that have a tendency to pull may either pull themselves out of their collar (and then you’ll be chasing a dog) or put strain on their necks. A good harness can help keep your pup safe. Just watch the ones where they connect under their front legs (again, if they like to pull, they will be putting strain where the harness holds them).
Wild One Dog Harness | Amazon, Wild One
Other related things to consider:
If you’re worried about your dog wandering off, ensuring that there’s an easy way for them to get back to you might be more than just an ID tag. Here are 2 additional ways to keep your dog safely with you.
- Register your dog’s microchip – ideally, your dog is also microchipped, so register it with a reputable database. We prefer Homeagain (paid service), but there’s also My24pet (which used to be free, and still is in a way, but offers paid services), and the Free Pet Microchip Registry.
- Add a GPS collar – the Apple airtag is a great and inexpensive way to
Crates and/or Gates
When it comes to a new dog, there are benefits to crate training them — specifically to give them a safe space (not with the sole purpose of confining them). While our dogs were never crate trained, we have a few friends who have and have shared the benefits of ensuring when they leave their homes, their dogs don’t destroy any furniture out of boredom or fear (the two most common reasons for destructive behavior).
MidWest Homes Dog Crate | Amazon
In our home, we have a gating system, but we also have 2 dogs who don’t to try to escape. If your dogs are like us, the short standalone gate is great for just placing at random around the house. We use it to separate out dogs during mealtime (the little dog eats quickly and always tries to get over to the big dog’s bowl which causes some resource guarding issues).
Etna White Floral Wooden Gate | Amazon
For a more semi-permanent solution, we also have a wall-pressure gate that allows for easy entry and exit. We needed something extra wide, so we opted for the Carlson Extra-Wide Walkthrough Gate, but the Safety 1st Easy Install Gate works just fine too.
Carlston Extra-Wide Walkthrough Gate | Amazon
Easy Install High Walk Thru Gate | Amazon
Pet Insurance
Owning a dog is expensive, especially if you want to ensure your dog stays healthy and lives a long life. Unexpected things happen, and you don’t want to be caught with a hefty bill you didn’t plan for. Pet insurance has been a life saver for us and we are big fans of Healthy Paws. It covers anything major, but you’re on your own for regular visits and dental cleanings (which most major insurances do not cover anyway).
On that note, make sure you schedule to have your dog have vet visits annually. Once they get to a certain age, you’ll likely want to start dental cleanings annually. These can get pricey, so shop around, but go for the people you trust, not the discount budget service.
Food, Treats, and Preventatives
If you have food-motivated dogs like ours, training will be easy — that is unless they are stubborn (as our cavapoo is) and will only do any tricks if he can see the treats (we’re working on it). Regardless, they both love their food and we want to make sure they are fed high-quality dog food.
The standards for dog food in the United States is low, so I did a lot of research to figuring out which was best for our dogs. In the pre-Farmer’s Dog and Ollie era, we fed them Ziwi Peak. It’s a freeze-dried dog food from New Zealand (which has higher standards).
With all the human-grade fresh frozen options, we now opt for Ollie. It’s definitely pricey, but we think our dogs are worth it. (Even if it does take up half of our freezer space).
You’ll need to consult your vet first, but dog should take regular heartworm and flea + tick preventatives. We order ours from PetMeds.com. Their customer service (and marketing!) is excellent and they often have great deals. Shipping is fast and they can request prescriptions directly from your vet for approval.
Also, I didn’t list them here — don’t forget your food and water bowls — you can find my top recommendations in this post.
Dog Beds
Unless you plan to have your dog sleep on couches or in your bed, you’ll want to have a dedicated spot for your dog to lay. It can always be a mat, but a bed makes things easier to manage. If your dogs are anything like ours, you’ll want something that they can snuggle into that’s not too small.
Our favorites are the Best Friends by Sheri OrthoComfort Deep Dish Cuddler (easy to travel with too), Barkbox Memory Foam Dog Bed (looks great), and K&H Pets Cuddle Cube (our 15-lb schnauzer’s favorite bed ever, we’ve bought 4 of them over the years after they’ve worn down).
Dog Toys
Most dogs will want to play, and investing in some toys they will enjoy will go a long way. The most fun thing to do is take your dog to the pet store to see what types of things they might like. Some love soft and cuddly toys, but super chewers need something tough. Our dogs love soft toys and below you’ll find some squishables they love.
Be careful with some of these toys if your dog is a chewer — you don’t want them swallowing something they shouldn’t. So take care to monitor them early on to see what type of dog they are.
You can always opt to train your dogs to not chew certain things, I’d advise spending the time to do that and/or investing in a trainer to learn how.
Dogs get bored easily — destructive pups tend to be the ones who need more enrichment in their lives. Walks and socialization are important, but you can also supplement with enrichment toys. The Bob-A-Lot toy is fun because you can make it more difficult by closing the holes for the treats. We use the Pupford Training Treats and the dogs love it.
There you have it – the essentials that every first-time dog owner should have. With these items, you’ll be well on your way to providing your best friends with amazing care. Remember that having a dog is a significant responsibility, so make sure you’re ready to commit to providing your pet with a happy and healthy life. Get ready to enjoy a lifetime of love, laughter, and companionship with your new friends!
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