First-Time Dog Owner Checklist UK: What You Actually Need Before Your Puppy Comes Home

Getting your first dog can make it feel as though you need to buy an entire pet shop before collection day.

You don’t.

Some things really should be organised before your dog arrives. Others will probably be useful quite soon. And plenty of things are better left until you’ve met your dog and know what they actually need.

That’s how we’ve organised this checklist:

ACTION NOW — arrange or buy this before your dog arrives, or very soon afterwards.

USEFUL SOON — you’ll probably need this, but you don’t necessarily need to rush out and buy it today.

WAIT AND SEE — this depends on your dog, your home or your routine. Buying it in advance could simply waste money.

The aim isn’t to own everything on a puppy shopping list.

It’s to be properly prepared without buying things you don’t need.

Quick first-dog checklist

Before your dog comes home

Register with a vet

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Find a local veterinary practice
• ☐ Register your new dog
• ☐ Check the practice’s opening hours
• ☐ Find out what happens outside normal opening hours
• ☐ Save the emergency/out-of-hours details somewhere easy to find

This is worth doing before collection day rather than waiting until your puppy is unwell.

Dogs Trust recommends registering with a nearby vet before collecting a new dog and checking how the practice handles out-of-hours care.

You don’t need to monetise this decision or turn it into a product comparison. You simply need to know who you will call if your new dog needs veterinary help.

Check the microchip and paperwork

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Confirm that your dog has been microchipped
• ☐ Get the microchip number and database information
• ☐ Make sure you understand how the keeper details will be transferred
• ☐ Check that your own details are correctly registered once the transfer is complete
• ☐ Keep the microchip information somewhere safe

Dogs throughout the UK generally need to be microchipped and registered by eight weeks of age, subject to limited exemptions. Current government guidance in Wales confirms the UK-wide eight-week requirement; Scotland separately requires dogs over eight weeks to be microchipped and registered on a compliant database, and Northern Ireland requires microchipping at eight weeks.

If you’re getting a puppy from a breeder, don’t assume that seeing a chip number is enough. Make sure you also know which database holds the details and what needs to happen to transfer them to you.

Dogs Trust likewise advises new owners to obtain the relevant microchip database details.

A quick UK nation check

England

Your puppy should normally already be microchipped when you collect them at the usual puppy-buying age. Make sure the registered keeper information is properly updated.

Wales

Dogs must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks of age.

Scotland

Dogs over eight weeks must be microchipped, with the required information recorded on a compliant database. A dog shouldn’t be transferred to a new keeper until the microchipping requirements applying to the existing keeper have been met.

Northern Ireland

Dogs must be microchipped at eight weeks, and you also need a dog licence. A dog must be microchipped before a licence can be issued.

Rules can change. Check the relevant government guidance for your part of the UK if you’re unsure about your legal responsibilities.

Make an insurance decision

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Decide whether you intend to insure your dog
• ☐ If so, understand when the cover starts
• ☐ Check the excess
• ☐ Check veterinary-fee limits
• ☐ Understand important exclusions
• ☐ Understand whether cover is time-limited, maximum-benefit or lifetime-style cover
• ☐ Check how pre-existing conditions are treated

This isn’t a box where we’d tell every first-time owner simply to “buy insurance”.

It’s a financial-risk decision.

Ask yourself:

If my dog unexpectedly needed expensive veterinary treatment, how much could I comfortably pay myself?

Then look at insurance in that context.

Policies differ substantially in what they cover, which is one reason Dogs Trust advises owners to examine the type of treatment covered rather than assuming every policy offers the same protection.

Not sure what any of the policy terminology means?

How to Choose Puppy Insurance in the UK: What First-Time Owners Should Compare →

Get the food they’re already eating

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Find out the exact food your dog is currently eating
• ☐ Ask how much they’re being fed
• ☐ Ask how often they’re being fed
• ☐ Have enough of that food available for the first few days

Collection day isn’t necessarily the ideal moment to redesign your puppy’s entire diet.

Find out what the breeder, fosterer or rescue is currently feeding and start from there. If you’re considering changing food, ask your vet for advice if you have concerns about your puppy’s nutrition or health.

Food is one of the bigger recurring costs of dog ownership, so it will eventually deserve its own First Dog buying guides. PDSA includes food alongside insurance and preventative healthcare among the ongoing costs owners should budget for.

For day one, however, the objective is simpler:

Have appropriate food ready.

Food and water bowls

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Food bowl
• ☐ Water bowl

You don’t need anything particularly sophisticated for most puppies.

Look for something that is:

• ☐ appropriately sized
• ☐ stable enough not to be constantly pushed around
• ☐ easy to clean
• ☐ suitable for your individual dog

You can always change bowls later if you discover a genuine reason to.

First Dog rule: don’t turn a £10 problem into a £100 problem without a good reason.

Give your dog somewhere safe to rest

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Decide where your dog will sleep
• ☐ Create a quiet resting space
• ☐ Have suitable bedding, a mat or an initial bed ready

Your puppy needs somewhere comfortable to rest.

That does not automatically mean you need to buy an expensive permanent bed before they arrive.

A young puppy may:

• ☐ grow rapidly
• ☐ chew bedding
• ☐ have toilet-training accidents
• ☐ eventually prefer a different sleeping style

A washable, sensible first bed or mat may therefore make more sense than buying the presumed “forever bed” immediately.

Not sure what size to buy?

What Size Dog Bed Should You Buy for a Puppy? Buy for Now or Adult Size? →

Decide how you’ll create a safe puppy area

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Decide which rooms your puppy can initially access
• ☐ Move obvious hazards out of reach
• ☐ Secure things you don’t want chewed
• ☐ Think about cables, household chemicals and accessible rubbish
• ☐ Decide whether you need a gate, pen, crate or another management solution

Puppies explore.

That means puppy-proofing isn’t just about protecting your belongings; it’s about reducing opportunities for your dog to get themselves into trouble. Dogs Trust recommends puppy-proofing the home before arrival.

Does every puppy need a crate?

No.

What every puppy needs is a sensible plan for creating a safe environment.

Depending on your home and routine, that might involve:

• ☐ a crate
• ☐ a puppy pen
• ☐ baby gates
• ☐ a puppy-proof room
• ☐ a combination of these

Don’t buy a crate simply because it appears on somebody else’s “essential puppy list”.

Puppy Pen vs Crate: Which Do You Need — and Should You Have Both? →

Collar and identification

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Appropriately fitted collar
• ☐ Identification tag
• ☐ Check the current identification rules where you live

Don’t assume that a microchip means you can forget about visible identification.

In Great Britain, the Control of Dogs Order 1992 requires most dogs in public places to wear a collar bearing the owner’s name and address, either on the collar or an attached plate or badge, subject to specified exemptions.

A phone number is also sensible because it gives someone who finds your dog an immediate way to contact you.

Check the precise requirements applying where you live, particularly if you’re in Northern Ireland.

Lead and harness

Lead

ACTION BEFORE WALKS

• ☐ Suitable lead

You don’t need to build a collection of leads before your puppy arrives.

Start with something appropriate for ordinary use and learn what you actually need as your dog grows and your walking routine develops.

Harness

USEFUL SOON — DEPENDS

• ☐ Decide whether you intend to use a harness
• ☐ Don’t buy multiple sizes in advance
• ☐ Check fit as your puppy grows

A harness is exactly the kind of product where buying first and thinking later can lead to wasted money.

Your puppy may grow quickly, and fit matters.

If you’re unsure whether you actually need one, start with the decision rather than the shopping.

Collar vs Harness for a Puppy: Do You Need One or Both? →

If a harness makes sense for you:

How to Choose a Puppy Harness: Fit, Size and Features That Actually Matter →

That is the order we prefer at First Dog:

Do I need it? → What matters? → Which options fit those requirements?

A few toys — not an entire toy box

SORT SOME NOW

• ☐ One or two things appropriate for chewing
• ☐ Something suitable for interactive play
• ☐ A small selection of puppy-appropriate toys

You want some suitable things ready for your puppy to chew and play with.

Dogs Trust recommends having toys available on the first day both for interaction and to give your puppy appropriate things to chew.

But you don’t yet know whether your dog will become obsessed with balls, tug toys, food toys, squeaky toys or the cardboard box they arrived in.

So don’t buy fifteen variations in advance.

Start with a few different types and learn what your dog actually enjoys.

Training treats and a basic training plan

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Have suitable small rewards available
• ☐ Decide how you’ll approach basic training
• ☐ Identify reputable training help if you think you’ll need it

You don’t need to become a professional dog trainer before your puppy arrives.

It helps, though, to agree on some basics within the household.

For example:

• ☐ what behaviours will you reward?
• ☐ which words will you use for important cues?
• ☐ will the puppy be allowed on furniture?
• ☐ where will they sleep?
• ☐ how will you approach toilet training?

Reward-based training is a sensible starting point, and PDSA recommends positive, reward-based training for puppies.

The biggest thing to avoid is having every member of the household teach a completely different set of rules.

Basic cleaning supplies

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Poo bags
• ☐ Old towels
• ☐ Suitable supplies for cleaning toilet-training accidents
• ☐ A plan for keeping unsafe household cleaners away from the puppy

Accidents happen.

It’s easier to be philosophical about a toilet-training accident at 2am when you’ve already got what you need to clean it up.

Do you automatically need puppy pads?

Not necessarily.

They’re useful in some circumstances and unnecessary in others.

Treat them as a training decision, not an automatic puppy purchase.

Grooming equipment

USEFUL SOON — DEPENDS ON YOUR DOG

• ☐ Find out what coat care your dog will need
• ☐ Buy an appropriate basic brush or comb if required
• ☐ Learn whether professional grooming will be necessary
• ☐ Don’t build a specialist grooming kit before you know what you need

A short-coated dog and a high-maintenance long-coated dog have very different grooming requirements.

This is a good example of something a generic “new puppy shopping list” struggles with.

The right answer depends on the dog.

Buy the basic equipment appropriate to your puppy’s coat and add specialist products only when there’s a reason to.

Health records and preventative care

ACTION NOW

• ☐ Get your puppy’s existing veterinary records
• ☐ Check their vaccination history
• ☐ Check their previous flea and worm treatment history
• ☐ Arrange any veterinary appointments they need
• ☐ Keep the records somewhere easy to find
• ☐ Ask your vet what preventative care is appropriate going forward

PDSA recommends arranging a veterinary check after your puppy arrives and keeping track of future vaccinations and parasite treatment, as well as maintaining up-to-date microchip details.

Treatment schedules aren’t something to copy blindly from another puppy owner.

Products and appropriate schedules can vary according to the dog’s age, weight, lifestyle, health and the product being used. If you’re unsure what your puppy needs, ask your vet.

Plan the journey home

ACTION BEFORE COLLECTION

• ☐ Decide who will drive
• ☐ Work out how your dog will be safely restrained
• ☐ Take towels or suitable bedding
• ☐ Plan sensible breaks if you have a long journey
• ☐ Have appropriate access to water

Don’t make the puppy’s first car journey the moment you start thinking about how to transport them safely.

The Highway Code says dogs and other animals should be suitably restrained in vehicles so they cannot distract the driver or injure themselves or occupants if the vehicle stops quickly. It gives seat-belt harnesses, pet carriers, dog cages and dog guards as examples.

Which option makes sense depends on:

• ☐ your vehicle
• ☐ the dog’s size
• ☐ whether they’ll travel regularly
• ☐ where in the vehicle they’ll travel
• ☐ whether you’re buying for a rapidly growing puppy

You don’t necessarily need the most elaborate option.

You do need a safe plan.

Things you probably don’t need to buy yet

This section might save you more money than the rest of this checklist.

An expensive permanent dog bed

WAIT AND SEE

Your puppy is going to grow.

You also don’t yet know:

• ☐ how they like to sleep
• ☐ whether they chew bedding
• ☐ whether they’ll regularly have accidents
• ☐ whether they’ll eventually sleep in a crate, open bed or another setup

Start sensible. Upgrade when you know what you’re upgrading for.

What Size Dog Bed Should You Buy for a Puppy? →

Several collars and harnesses

WAIT AND SEE

They grow quickly.

One appropriately fitting setup is more useful than a drawer full of equipment your puppy outgrows.

A mountain of toys

WAIT AND SEE

Have enough variety to give your puppy suitable ways to play and chew.

Then watch what they actually enjoy before buying more.

A specialist grooming collection

WAIT AND SEE

Buy for your dog’s actual coat, not for a generic internet puppy.

A puppy camera

WAIT AND SEE

A camera can be genuinely useful if you want to observe what your dog does when you’re out.

But it isn’t automatically an essential purchase just because you have a puppy.

Ask what problem you’re trying to solve first.

Do I Need a Puppy Camera? When It’s Useful — and When It Won’t Help →

An automatic feeder

WAIT AND SEE

Most first-time puppy owners do not need to solve feeding with technology before the puppy has even arrived.

Establish the routine first.

Huge quantities of treats

WAIT AND SEE

You don’t yet know:

• ☐ what your puppy particularly values
• ☐ what agrees with them
• ☐ what size reward is practical for training

Start small.

Premium versions of everything

WAIT AND SEE

Expensive isn’t automatically more suitable.

For each purchase, ask:

• ☐ What problem does this solve?
• ☐ Do I have that problem?
• ☐ What features actually matter?
• ☐ Can I wait until I know my dog better?

If you can’t answer those questions yet, you probably don’t need to buy the premium version today.

Being prepared doesn’t mean buying everything in advance.

Your first 48 hours

Once your puppy comes home, the shopping list becomes much less important than helping them settle.

• ☐ Give your puppy time to take in their new surroundings
• ☐ Show them their water and resting area
• ☐ Start a simple toilet routine
• ☐ Keep the first day relatively calm
• ☐ Don’t overwhelm them with visitors
• ☐ Begin introducing predictable daily routines
• ☐ Check that paperwork and microchip-transfer details are being dealt with
• ☐ Keep an eye on eating, drinking and general wellbeing
• ☐ Contact your vet if anything about your puppy’s health concerns you

The move to a new home is a major change for a puppy. Dogs Trust advises taking things slowly during the first day and first few days rather than overwhelming them.

You don’t need to achieve perfect training, perfect sleep and a perfect routine by bedtime.

Your first job is to help your puppy begin feeling safe in their new home.

What happens after the first couple of days?

Your First Month With a Puppy: What First-Time Owners Should Do Week by Week →

And for the bigger picture:

Your Puppy’s First Year: A Month-by-Month Guide for First-Time Dog Owners →

What should you budget for?

The price of acquiring your puppy is only part of the financial commitment.

Your first year can include:

• ☐ initial equipment
• ☐ food
• ☐ insurance
• ☐ routine veterinary care
• ☐ training
• ☐ grooming
• ☐ replacement equipment as your puppy grows
• ☐ travel or boarding
• ☐ dog walking or daycare in some households
• ☐ unexpected veterinary costs

PDSA identifies food, routine healthcare, parasite prevention, insurance and toys among the recurring costs owners need to budget for.

Rather than relying on one average number, it’s more useful to think about your own dog and lifestyle.

How Much Does a Puppy Cost in the First Year in the UK? →

Or:

Puppy Cost Calculator UK: Estimate Your First-Year Dog Budget →

The complete printable First Dog Checklist

Getting your first dog?

This page is designed to work perfectly well without giving us your email address.

But if you’d rather have something you can print, tick off and keep beside you while you’re preparing, we’ve made a practical version of the checklist.

The printable version includes:

• ☐ checkboxes organised by when you need to do things
• ☐ ACTION NOW / USEFUL SOON / WAIT AND SEE labels
• ☐ spaces for your vet and emergency-vet details
• ☐ a place to record your microchip database information
• ☐ insurance notes
• ☐ your puppy’s current food
• ☐ breeder or rescue contact details
• ☐ collection-day reminders
• ☐ first-48-hours tasks
• ☐ Expected Cost / Actual Cost columns
• ☐ space for your own notes

EMAIL FORM

Button: SEND ME THE CHECKLIST

No need to subscribe just to discover what we’ve hidden from the web page.

There isn’t anything hidden.

The printable version simply makes the checklist easier to use while you’re getting ready.

One optional question

When is your dog coming home?

• ☐ I haven’t chosen my dog yet
• ☐ More than a month away
• ☐ Within the next month
• ☐ Within the next week
• ☐ My dog is already home

We’ll use this to make any First Dog emails you choose to receive more relevant to where you actually are in the journey.

First Dog’s rule for puppy shopping

There are thousands of products you could buy for a new dog.

That doesn’t mean your dog needs them.

Before buying something, ask:

Do I need this?

If not, stop.

When do I need it?

If the answer is “maybe later”, waiting is a perfectly good decision.

How do I choose it?

Only once you know you need something should you start comparing the features and options that actually matter.

That’s how we’ll approach buying decisions throughout First Dog.

Need → timing → buying criteria → appropriate options.

No enormous shopping list for the sake of it.

Just the things that help you and your first dog get off to a good start.

Where to go next

Still working out what you actually need? → What Do You Actually Need for a Puppy? Essentials vs Things You Can Wait to Buy →

Worried about the cost? → How Much Does a Puppy Cost in the First Year in the UK? →

Want a personalised estimate? → Puppy Cost Calculator UK →

Confused about insurance? → How to Choose Puppy Insurance in the UK

Working out where your puppy will sleep? → Puppy Pen vs Crate → → What Size Dog Bed Should You Buy for a Puppy? →

Sorting out walking equipment? → Collar vs Harness for a Puppy → → How to Choose a Puppy Harness →

Your puppy is already home? → Your First Month With a Puppy

How we built this checklist

First Dog separates four different kinds of advice:

Legal and administrative requirements — checked against current government or legislative sources where appropriate.

Health and welfare guidance — based on reputable UK animal-welfare and veterinary sources.

Practical essentials — things that make bringing a new dog home safer and more manageable.

Optional purchases — products that can be useful in the right circumstances but shouldn’t automatically be described as “essential”.

Where something depends on your individual dog’s health, we won’t pretend a general website can replace advice from your vet.

And where we’re making a practical judgement rather than stating a rule or medical fact, we’ll try to make that distinction clear.

Last factual review: August 2026.