Your New Dog Starter Pack

You have a new dog, so what the heck should you buy?

There are so many options. My goal today is to save you money, time, and stress!

Over the years I’ve made ALL the mistakes (at least twice). My hope is to help you avoid as many as I can.

Here are the bare bones essentials that you shouldn’t live without

List of Essential Equipments:

1. Crate -Wondering what kind to buy? See my recommendation video here. Plastic crates or wire crates.

2. Collar with tags – I bought my dog’s on Etsy because I wanted something unique, but any flat collar will do. Something like this collar would work just fine for most dogs. I don’t have a problem with Martingale collars for walks, but I don’t like them as your dog’s regular collar; they tighten down and are a safety risk if it were to get caught on something.

3. 6-foot clip leash – My favorite material for leashes is biothane. Super comfy in your hand, won’t soak up water, and easy to keep a good grip on!

4. Dog food – we recommend our Utah Paw food but you can check the rating of any food by going here: Dog Food Advisor. If you want to go raw (it’s healthier for your dog), or do a combo of high-quality dog food and raw food like I do, I highly recommend Love Your Pet.

5. Water (but you knew that already)

6. Deer antler and/or bully sticks (avoid raw hides)

7. Toys (as if you haven’t bought 10 already), the easier the toy is to destroy or bite pieces off of the more carefully I watch the puppy when they’re playing with it. Put toys that are a choking hazard away unless you are watching and definitely don’t put them in the crate! Some favorite toys we use during training are the Chase It, Chuck It Ball, Rope Tugs.

8. Mother Nature – Let your puppy chew on sticks, leaves, and anything natural other than rocks. If they are swallowing chunks of anything then stop them, but most puppies just like to crunch it and don’t actually swallow it. Here is a great article from the AKC about poisonous plants that your puppy should not be chewing on. Most puppies just want to chew sticks or grass and chase leaves which is pretty low risk. But if your pup really wants to eat other things you may want to double check that list and get to know the plants around you a little better.

9. More Puppies – You need some of these for learning social skills and getting wiggles out. Use our daycare services or set up playdates with friend’s dogs who are well behaved.

Stuffs You May Want to Buy:

1. Treat pouch – I’ve purchased many types and these are my favorite 2: Silicone pouch never gets greasy (the fabric ones eventually soak up oils from the treats/food and will eventually start staining your pants 😢). This one is compact but only has one compartment. I use this for indoor training.

2. This bigger pouch fits my treats, poop bags, ball, ecollar remote, etc all in one so it’s perfect for outdoor training (I keep treats/food in a zip lock bag to prevent oils soaking through and staining my pants).

3. My favorite dog training book – Let Dogs Be Dogs

4. My favorite puppy training book – The Art of Raising a Puppy.

Stuffs You Shouldn’t Buy:

1. Pee pads – unless you’re a breeder, you don’t want these things in your house. Trust me, they will only make your life worse.

2. Low-quality dog food – you want the good stuff for your dog, even if it costs more, and sometimes it’s cheaper. Get a food that is highly rated on Dog Food Advisor or get free home delivery with our high quality food Utah Paw.

Things You Must Do:

1. Find a Veterinarian – We like Avenues Pet Clinic.

2. Find a pet store with quality toys, treats, food, etc. We love Healthy Pets Mountain West.

3. Find a great groomer – your dog needs a good grooming every 6-8 weeks to keep their coat healthy, reduce shedding in your house, prevent ear infections, keep nails trim, learn to be handled (grooming is good practice for an inevitable Vet visit), and to express those anal glands (you do NOT want those things getting clogged up! It’s super painful for your dog and will = an expensive Vet visit).

Things You May Want To Do:

1. Go hiking – When your dog is trustworthy off leash this is one of the best things you can do with your dog. It’ll make your dog’s heart happy and yours. We look forward to helping you train your dog to this level, so they can have all the outdoor adventures.

Things You Shouldn’t Do:

1. Visit a dog park – Don’t do this. Please don’t. Ask us why and we’ll be happy to explain in more detail, but basically your dog is far more likely to get sick, learn bad habits, and develop social anxiety than the imagined benefits you hope for (I know because I took my first dog to the dog park all the time, never again).

Trainers We Recommend:

We hope you’ll train with us here at Train Walk Poop, but if we’re full or you feel we aren’t the perfect fit for your dog then check out one of these other great trainers:

1. Wasatch Canine Camp (Utah County)

Daycare & Boarding Facilities We Recommend:

We hope you’ll bring your dog to daycare and/or board with us here at Train Walk Poop, but if we’re full or you feel we aren’t the perfect fit for your dog then check out one of these other great Salt Lake area companies:

1. K9 Lifeline

2. Liberty Bark

3. Wasatch Canine Camp (Utah County)

Why would I recommend other companies? Because not all dog service companies are created equal, and I want your dog to be safe and have a good experience even if it isn’t with us.

Of course, Train Walk Poop is the best. Of course, we will knock your socks off with great service and incredible results for your dog. But if you don’t pick us, I would rather you go to a company I trust.

I hope I saved you some time and helped you understand your dog’s world a little better today.