New Puppy Checklist: Everything You Need to Buy

The five things you need before your puppy arrives: a crate (MidWest iCrate, $40-$65), puppy-specific food, a leash and collar, enzymatic cleaner, and a safe chew toy. Everything else can wait a few days. Get these five right and the first night goes from chaos to manageable.

Bringing a puppy dwelling is one of the best days in a household. It's also one of the most chaotic if you haven't prepared beforehand. A puppy that arrives to an unprepared home spends its first night without the right food, crate, or safe space -- and you'll spend that night scrambling to a pet store at 9 PM.

Having everything set up before the puppy walks through the door makes the transition smoother for everyone, especially the puppy. Already stressed from arriving in a strange place with unfamiliar smells and no familiar faces, a young dog needs a warm crate, appropriate food, suitable chew toys, and a quiet space to decompress. These basics reduce that stress meaningfully.

This checklist covers every category of supplies a new puppy needs, from essentials that should be purchased before day one to items that can wait a few weeks. Each section explains what to look for, what to avoid, and where to invest versus where to save. At the end, three budget tiers break the full list into realistic spending targets.

Related reading for your household: How to Set Up for a New Puppy: Everything You Need, Best Dog Beds for Large Breeds, and Best Dog Crates for Every Size and Breed.

Feeding Essentials

Puppy Food

Without question, this is the single most important purchase. Puppies need food formulated specifically for growth -- adult dog food doesn't provide the right balance of calories, protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorus that developing bones and organs require. In my multi-pet residence, durability matters more than any marketing claim.

Look for food labeled "for growth" or "for all life stages" that meets AAFCO nutrient profiles. For spacious breed puppies (expected adult weight over 50 pounds), choose a formula specifically labeled for large breed puppies. These formulas have controlled calcium and phosphorus ratios that support proper bone development and reduce the risk of developmental orthopedic disease.

If you know what food the breeder or shelter was feeding, buy the same brand to start. Sudden diet changes cause digestive upset in puppies. Want to switch to a different food? Transition gradually over 7-10 days by mixing increasing amounts of the new food with decreasing amounts of the old.

What to buy: One bag of puppy-appropriate food (5-15 pounds depending on breed size). Expect to devote $15-$40.

Food and Water Bowls

Stainless steel bowls are the best option. Unlike plastic, they don't harbor bacteria; unlike ceramic, they don't chip; and they're dishwasher safe. Plastic bowls can likewise trigger contact allergies in some dogs, showing up as irritation around the mouth and chin.

For puppies that eat too fast (most of them), a slow-feeder bowl with ridges or maze patterns forces them to work for each bite. This reduces gulping, bloating risk, and vomiting. Roomy breed puppies, who are predisposed to bloat, particularly benefit from this approach.

Elevated bowls are unnecessary for puppies and are debated even for adult dogs. Keep the bowls on the floor at this stage.

What to buy: Two stainless steel bowls (one for food, one for water) plus optionally a gradual-feeder bowl. Expect to dedicate $8-$20 for the position.

Treats

Training treats are functional tools, not indulgences. Puppies learn through positive reinforcement, and treats are the fastest way to communicate "yes, that was the right thing to do." Small, soft treats that can be eaten in one second are ideal -- the puppy shouldn't have to stop and chew, which breaks the connection between the behavior and the reward.

Dodge treats that are generous, hard, or high in calories. During basic training, a puppy may eat 30-50 tiny treats in a session, so each one should be compact enough that it doesn't add up to a significant portion of the daily calorie intake.

What to buy: One to two bags of snug, soft training treats. Expect to allocate $5-$12.