Bringing a new puppy into your home is a very exciting time. Whether you have had a dog previously or this is your first experience, you will want to get ready for the big day. Below you will find a list of things that you may want to consider before bringing your new friend home.

Training classes or instructors – While you are waiting for your pup to come home, take some time to check out the training classes and instructors in your area. Find a couple that you like and sit in on some classes. You may not agree with all of their methods but you will be able get something out of each one. I have never met a trainer that I completely agreed with, or completely disagreed with, and I have also never met a trainer that I didn’t learn something from. You have to find out what works for you and your pup and the more access you have to different methods, the better armed you will be to deal with some of the issues that may arise. There is no “one size fits all” for training pups. What worked for your last dog may not work at all on your new puppy. Every puppy is different and unique. If you try something and it doesn’t work, try something else. You know the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results. Don’t make that mistake with your pup. It will drive both of you insane. If you are in a training class, and they are doing something that you are uncomfortable with, let them know that you will just skip that part. Get what you can out of the class and sign up for a different trainer the next time. NEVER let anyone pressure you to do something with your pup that you are uncomfortable with whether it is a trainer or a vet or a family member. This is your dog, your responsibility, so only do what YOU think is best.

Some of the supplies that you may find helpful are:

•36″ or 42″ crate – I use midwest, life stages, double door. I always get the adult size crate, even for the puppies. It comes with a divider so that you can make it smaller for the pup.

•A portable fence or dog exercise pen – I actually have several of these. One of the ones that I have is very heavy duty. It is the Precision Pet Courtyard Kennel Exercise Pen. It is also a little pricey. I use this because I have more than one puppy jumping up on it and it stands up very well to the abuse of 10 or more pups. I also have some of the foldable midwest ones. Some of them have the doors in the center so that the dog can get in and out. I searched for one that had a door that I could walk through. It attaches to the crate and can be used if you have to leave your pet alone for any length of time. You can put newspaper down in the fenced area and the pup can sleep comfortably in the crate. Don’t make the puppy sleep where they pee or pee where they sleep. There will be no need to worry if you are stuck in traffic or have to stay a little late at work. The pup will be safe and secure. This can also fold up when not in use and can be used outdoors. I know some people who have taken it camping with them. It is pretty versatile and well worth having.

•Lots of toys – I like the kong for durability but I have found other toys that are cheaper and almost as good. I like to get toys that I can put treats in and let them figure out how to get the treats out. I also get some that I can fill with dog food, and put peanut butter in the end and then freeze it. They love to work at that. They love the string toys but have to be watched very carefully with them because what goes in, must come out and the string could cause problems if ingested. Once they start to fray, throw them away. The puppies love the stuffed toys but they may outgrow these also. Once they start destroying a toy, it needs to be thrown away. Sometimes it takes a little trial and error to find out what a puppy likes and that may change as the pup gets older. I have quite a variety of puppy toys here and they play with all of them but they tend to like the ones that make noise.

•Food and Water Bowls – Two metal bowls should be sufficient. I use and recommend metal because they are more likely to chew on plastic or ceramic than metal. If they do chew on the metal they don’t destroy it like they would the plastic or ceramic. I also get the heavier ones that have a rubber ring on the bottom. It keeps the bowl in place on floors so that it doesn’t slide across the floor. The metal dishes also hold less bacteria than the ceramic or plastic. If your pup has a habit of playing in the water dish, as so many of the goldens do, raise it up off the floor. That works most of the time.

•Leash and collar – This is one thing that you may have to purchase more than one of. They will probably outgrow the collar that you bring them home in. As far as the leash is concerned, just find one that is right for you. I personally do not like retractable leashes. It gives dogs too much freedom. I like leashes that give me more control than the dog. One thing that I would like to say about dog collars, whether or not you let your dog wear a collar is a personal choice. My dogs don’t wear collars unless I am walking them or training them. When they play together, they tend to grab the collars and I always worry about them getting caught on something when I am not watching. When we are at home, my dogs are naked. They only wear their collars when we go out. I have heard of some instances where dogs were killed because their collars got caught on something when no one was watching and they choked to death.

•Dog Tags – Our puppies all have microchips but I think that it is a good idea to put a tag with your contact information on it on the puppies collar. If your puppy is lost they will be returned more quickly with a tag. The reason for the microchip is that if your puppy is stolen it will eventually be taken to a vet and once the microchip is detected it will be returned to you, as long as you have registered your microchip. If you choose for your pup to go naked, it is wise to get a tag anyway to attach to the collar that your dog wears when they go out. Our dogs wear collars with tags when they go on vacation with us.

•Brushes – You will need more than one. The golden retriever needs to be brushed at least twice a week. For my dogs, I use a rake and a slicker.  

•Puppy Shampoo – I don’t bathe the dogs very often, and the puppies, I try not to, because you want them to learn to clean themselves. If they get muddy, it is fine just to hose them off and let them lick themselves dry. Bathing the dog too much can take away the natural oils on their skin. It may be necessary to bathe them on occasion, but I wouldn’t do it more than once a month and only when absolutely necessary. Also, dilute the shampoo before you put it on the dog. Pour a capful into a large container of water and mix, then use that on the dog so that you are not putting the shampoo directly on the dog. (You will also use less shampoo this way) When looking for a dog shampoo, I try to find one that is unscented. If I try to put any scent on my dogs they tend to immediately try to find the most disgusting thing that they can to roll in. They have very sensitive noses and anything that is heavily perfumed can be irritating to the pups.

•Bitter Apple – I bought a gallon of this stuff for raising my pups. It works on most puppies and is a great deterrant for chewing. You can spray it on their leash if they are leash biters, your hands if they are biting you, woodwork, furniture, or anything else that is inappropriate for them to chew on. The trick is to catch the behavior immediately. The spray only works when it is wet.