Mom is on a cleaning frenzy so that can only mean one thing, the puppy is coming home tomorrow!  While she worries about silly things like vacuuming and dusting, I’m going to go over my Puppy Preparedness Checklist.  This is by no means a comprehensive list of what we’ll need, but it is a few things that will make puppy’s first few days here comfortable, so he’ll feel welcomed.

1. Crate

Some people think crates are mean, but trust me I love my crate!  It is a safe oasis to get a little “me time” and reflect on the day’s events.  Not to mention a great place to hide from the vacuum cleaner!  I’m going to be very gracious and give the puppy my old crate, while I move into Lemmy’s former one.  Ok, truth be told I’ve always liked Lemmy’s crate better because it has a very comfy mattress.  Since I’m giving puppy an adult size crate I made sure Dad installed a divider in it.  This is so the little guy doesn’t get any bad ideas as to what to do with the extra real estate.  Remember just hours before his arrival here he will have been living in a whelping box, and we all know what puppies do in a whelping box! Less space is good at this stage of the game.  I use a Midwest Lifestages Double Door Crate.  It has held up great over the years, and is easy to clean should the inevitable happen.  Also when the puppy is older and can be trusted, most beds come in a size that fit in it perfectly.

2. Food

I may be willing to share my crate with him, but there’s no way I’m going to share my food!  This little guy is going to have to settle for puppy food.  I’m not going to recommend any particular brand because there are so many out there.  Trust me, I’ve been to the Pet Supply Outlet in Portsmouth, NH, and sniffed them all!  But if you do have questions, the people who work there are very knowledgeable and can definitely steer you in the right direction for your dog’s needs.  They also have a great selection of natural treats.

3. Chew Toys

When I was a young lad I loved to sink my razor sharp teeth into my big brother Lemmy.  I’m not going to be so patient.  So I stocked up on chew toys… a lot of chew toys!  Petstages has a wide variety of chew toys just perfect for teething puppies.  But even just freezing a rope bone or fleece toy goes a long way in satisfying a puppy’s urgent need to chew.  However I will be sure to monitor the little guy when he plays because even the most “indestructible” toys can fall victim to their razor sharp teeth and become a choking hazard.

4. Collar & Leash

It’s never too early to start teaching a puppy proper leash walking techniques.  It always makes me laugh when I see even the smallest puppy dragging their full size human around, and trust me it only gets funnier as the dog gets bigger.  I’m not saying hitch him to a leash on day one and take him for a hike.  But I do encourage putting it on the puppy so he gets use to the idea.  My Mom and Dad also used the leash to tether me to them during those first few weeks, so they could keep an eye on me.  It was a great way to bond, and it kept me from getting into all sorts of trouble.  There’s a lot to learn these first few weeks home, so a little guidance from Mom and Dad is a good thing!

5. Nature’s Miracle

Despite all this supervision, inevitably an accident will happen.  I highly recommend Nature’s Miracle Pet Stain and Odor Removal!  Lets face it, my nose is a lot more sensitive than yours, and this stuff does an excellent job in removing even the slightest hint of odor from accidents.  It is important to remove the odor completely so the little guy won’t get confused and go to the bathroom in that spot again.  Like I said earlier, there is a lot of things he needs to learn when he first comes home, so help him every way you can from making the same mistake again.

I can ramble on with more recommendations, but this is just a quick list of what I’ll need to welcome my new little brother home on Saturday.  But be sure to keep an eye on this blog, because there will be a lot more product reviews in the weeks ahead as I share the ins and outs of Living with a Golden.