Helping first-time UK dog owners get the first year right
Getting your first dog comes with a lot of decisions. First Dog helps you work out what matters now, what can wait and what you may not need to buy at all.
Where are you in your first-dog journey?
Getting ready for my first dog
Start with the essentials and work out what needs doing before your dog arrives.
My puppy has just come home
Focus on settling in, early routines and the decisions that matter during the first few weeks.
Choosing puppy equipment
Understand what you actually need and what to look for before spending money.
Working out what a puppy will cost
Plan the first year, estimate your budget and understand insurance.
Start with the First Dog Checklist
There is a lot to remember before and after bringing your first dog home. It keeps the important jobs in one place and helps you separate what needs doing now, what can wait and what you may not need at all.
What do you actually need for a puppy?
Puppy shopping lists can make it feel as though you need to buy everything at once. You don’t. This guide separates the essentials from useful extras and the things you may be able to postpone or skip.
Plan the cost before you commit
The purchase or adoption cost is only part of the picture. Food, insurance, equipment, routine care and unexpected expenses can all affect your first-year budget.
How Much Does a Puppy Cost in the First Year?
See the main costs first-time owners should expect and where the biggest variations usually come from.
Puppy Cost Calculator UK
Build a more useful estimate based on your own choices and circumstances.
Making your first equipment decisions
You do not need the most expensive version of everything. You need equipment that suits your dog, your home and the problem you are trying to solve.
Puppy Pen vs Crate
Understand the differences, where each option can help and whether you may need one, both or neither.
Collar vs Harness for a Puppy
See what each is for and how to decide which setup makes sense for your puppy.
How to Choose a Puppy Harness
Learn what matters most for fit, adjustability, comfort and everyday use.
Puppy Bed Size Guide
Choose a bed size that suits your puppy now without buying purely on appearance or price.
Your puppy’s first month
The first few weeks are less about getting everything perfect and more about helping your puppy settle into a safe, predictable routine. This guide brings together the main things to think about during that early period.
Your puppy’s first year
Your priorities will change quickly during the first 12 months. The first-year guide gives you the bigger picture so you can focus on the right decisions at the right time.
Free tools for first-time dog owners
Some first-dog decisions are easier with a practical tool than another long article. Start with the checklist or build a first-year cost estimate.
First Dog Checklist
Keep the important preparation and first-year jobs in one place.
Puppy Cost Calculator UK
Estimate the main costs of your puppy’s first year based on your own choices.
How First Dog approaches recommendations
Buying something should not be the starting point. We first look at the problem you are trying to solve, whether you actually need to spend money and which features or considerations matter.
Only then do we look at appropriate options. Where we discuss products or services, we distinguish published facts from our judgement about who an option may suit. We do not claim to have personally tested products unless we genuinely have.
Explore First Dog
Browse by topic and go straight to the part of the first-year journey that matters now.
New to dog ownership?
You do not need to work everything out at once. Start with the checklist, then use the guides when each new decision comes up.