Aren’t the joys of owning a new best friend exhilarating? In our excitement over this eventful occasion, many owners go overboard when purchasing supplies for their furry newcomer.
At first glance, being prepared is always better. Here are three items I wouldn’t buy for a new puppy:
Your Puppy Doesn’t Require an Elegant Bed Puppies go through teething phases just like babies do, making everything into an opportunity for chewing! Anyone who has owned a puppy knows it can be challenging keeping their focus on what are considered acceptable chew toys – and vice versa! To prevent frustration from this being overwhelming for both parties involved.
Puppies have left numerous dog beds destroyed by them – I can personally attest to two. Crate training makes you aware of just how quickly things can turn sour if left alone with their pup in their crate.
Crate training your puppy is not something I advise against; when done right it can provide your puppy with safe space while you’re gone and keep him/her out of harm’s way.
Problems arise when it comes to choosing what to leave your pup’s crate while you’re gone, however. Stuffed Kongs make great playthings because they keep your dog busy for long enough; on the other hand, bed-based toys offer easy chew targets.
After Carter chewed up his bed over 10 years ago, I should have learned my lesson. Instead, when Laika came along I decided to get her an elaborate bed that she wouldn’t mind using herself.
Over the past 15 years I’ve owned three dogs and two of them destroyed their puppy beds when they were pups. While it may not be scientific evidence, this observation indicates that I’m not alone in coming home to find an explosion-looking bed in their place!
At first, it may seem necessary to provide your puppy with something comfortable for laying, such as an expensive dog bed. I recommend waiting until you are confident they can be left alone without engaging in destructive chewing behaviors before spending big bucks on such an item.
Blankets, towels and cushions can serve as cheaper alternatives to dog beds; or for something truly DIY-worthy you could create one of these handy DIY dog beds using approximately $26 of materials:
If your puppy has started chewing up his bed, there may still be time to save it before its destruction is irreparable.
Molly Mutt offers bed covers (known as duvets) which are easy to wash and come in various patterns; I used one from them so Laika could continue using her expensive orthopedic dog bed even after she’d destroyed its exterior shell.
As tempting as it is to buy your adorable new puppy a fancy collar right away, keep in mind they may grow out of it very quickly.
Though dog collars may not be as costly, many models can become very pricey over time. To provide maximum flexibility for growth, I’d advise choosing one with adjustable straps that allows your pup room for growth.
Experienced parents know first-hand just how quickly puppies (particularly large breeds ) grow; that $30 collar you bought last week might no longer fit them after just days!
Pee Pads Do More Harm Than Good While I appreciate the idea behind pee pads, they often serve to prolong potty training more effectively than helping.
Instead of simply teaching your dog to use the bathroom outside, you’re adding in another step that may prove challenging: transitioning them from pee pads to the outdoors. Why add any unnecessary steps if we could just skip that unnecessary one altogether?
