Getting Your First Dog
Getting your first dog is exciting, but it also creates a surprisingly long list of decisions. What should you buy before your dog arrives? How much should you budget? What needs doing immediately? And which things can safely wait?
If your dog hasn’t arrived yet
Begin with the practical preparation. You do not need to organise the whole first year before day one; focus on the essentials and the decisions that affect your first few weeks.
First Dog Checklist
Work through the main things to arrange before your dog arrives and during the first year.
What Do You Actually Need for a Puppy?
Separate genuine essentials from useful extras and purchases that can wait.
How Much Does a Puppy Cost in the First Year?
Understand the main costs before committing and build a more realistic budget.
If your puppy has just come home
The first few weeks are usually about helping your puppy settle rather than trying to solve every future problem immediately.
Your First Month With a Puppy
Focus on settling in, creating predictable routines and the decisions that matter most in the early weeks.
Puppy Pen vs Crate
Understand the differences before deciding whether either setup belongs in your home.
Look beyond the first few weeks
Your priorities change quickly during the first year. Use the first-year guide to see the bigger picture and understand how the decisions you face now fit into the months ahead.
Work through it one decision at a time
There is no need to prepare for every possible situation before your dog comes home. Start with the essentials, create a realistic first-month plan and use the individual guides as new decisions arise.