Welcome to the Just for Pets Puppy Store - all your pup essentials in one place!
Bringing your new fur baby home is an exciting time! But it can also be a little daunting, especially if this is your first pup. Our expertly trained teams are always on hand to help, with advice on settling in, and to point you towards the best products and foods for your new arrival. If you can't make it into a store, we can also lend a hand withour new puppy parents' guide below.
New Puppy Owner Guide
What supplies do I need for my new puppy?
Use our new puppy owner checklist to make sure you have everything you need for your new pup.
- Crate and bed/blankets
- Water and food bowls – stainless steel, non-slip ones are best.
- Puppy food
- Puppy treats
- Collar, harness, lead and ID Tag. Did you know - even if your dog is microchipped, wearing a tag is a legal requirement!
- Lots of toys
- Puppy Training Pads
- Poop bags
- Grooming brush or comb
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Dog Shampoo
- Stain and scent remover
How do I prepare my home for my new puppy?
- Puppy proof an area such as the kitchen or utility area, moving any items that can be chewed or pose a danger to exploring pups. Remove all electrical cables, cleaning products and houseplants that may be poisonous to dogs from this area.
- Place a spacious puppy pen in this area.
- Place a safe sleeping area such as a crate with a comfy bed within the pen.
- Put down training pads to create an initial space for toileting before you train your puppy to toilet outdoors.
- Add comfort toys and food-based toys like Kong to the crate.
How do I settle my new puppy in?
- Take some of your bed sheets or pyjamas to the breeders so your puppy will recognise some of the smells of their new home.
- If your journey home is long, take a blanket or something with their mum’s scent and sit with them.
- Once home go straight to the garden and let them pee so you can praise and treat them for going outdoors.
- Walk with them to their pen and open crate to show them a safe sleeping space.
- Let them sniff and explore, praising and treating them as they go.
- If your puppy wants to sleep, let them – they have a lot to process!
What should I feed my puppy?
We always recommend a specially formulated puppy recipe that considers your dog’s needs at this vital life stage. Puppies need to eat little and often throughout the day and high protein foods with 100% natural ingredients can give maximum health benefits to growing pups.
Price can indicate quality but it’s also important to consider feed per day, investing extra per bag can save you money, as a higher quality feed will require less food to be fed daily making the bag last longer, saving you money.
Your dog’s stools can be a great indication with how they’re getting on with digesting and absorbing their food. It’s important to check with a vet if you have any cause for concern here.
How do I play with my puppy?
Motivating your pup to play and have fun can give great training benefits later.
- Think about your dog’s breed and mouth size as this will influence which toys they prefer.
- Try out a range of different toys from those that bounce, squeak, rubber or plush toys, tug toys, chase toys to find your dog’s favourite.
- Play with the toy yourself. If you’re enjoying the toy without your dog’s input they could be more likely to want it
- Don’t give up if your dog doesn’t want to play. Keep trying, provided the toy isn’t scaring your pup.
