Breeder-Approved Puppy Essentials: What to Buy Before Gotcha Day
- brewerdoodles
- Jun 4
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 20
With so many options out there, choosing the right products for your new puppy can feel overwhelming — but don’t worry! Thanks to our years of hands-on experience with dogs and puppies, we've put together a trusted list of must-have items to help you get started with confidence.
Note: Some of the links below are Amazon affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase—at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we truly love and trust for our puppies!
Provided by BrewerDoodles
Blanket with Mom or littermate's scent
Leash
Ball and toy
One stuffed cow hoof
Few training treats
Two Gastro Plus tablets
Vet records
Microchip registration and information
Environment
*Lots of cuddles and snuggles
*Quiet and calm atmosphere
Puppy Training Program!
BaxterandBella.com - use code BREWERDOODLES for 25% off!
Activities
Playpen with only vertical bars
This is a great place for your puppy to be if you have to run a few errands, or can't watch your puppy for a bit. We love just the vertical bars, because they can't climb out!
Leash and collar
We recommend both a regular collar and a Martingale collar for working on leash training, and NOT a harness! A harness is hard on puppy joints when they are pulling, so should only be used once puppy is trained to walk on a leash loosely. We also recommend a 30ft training lead for training your puppy to come to you 100% of the time. Click the product picture to purchase.
Double tether leash
Even if you don't have two dogs, this is helpful for those first weeks of training, to keep puppy close to you, so you learn his/her potty cues and to keep them from finding things to get into! One end clips to your belt loop, and the other to puppy!
Toys and chews
Bully Pieces
We've never met a dog or puppy that doesn't love these, they are all natural and digestible, so they are perfectly safe!
Yak Cheese
These are another natural, long lasting chew that most puppies love, that can help keep them out of mischief!
Stuffed Cow Hooves
Our puppies love these, and the best part is that they last so long for pups, and you can continue restuffing them with different treats/foods, so they never know what to expect and stay excited about it! Our go to is to soak their kibble in water until it's soft, mix with a little peanut butter and freeze! Feel free to try other options such as yogurt, veggies and rice, sweet potatoes, etc.
Bitter Apple Spray
This can be helpful for times when the puppy is tempted to chew things they shouldn't such as shoes, furniture, etc.
West Paw stuffable puzzle toy
These are great because they will last so long, and like the cow hooves, you can stuff with a variety of things, and freeze, and this will keep your puppy busy for awhile!
Snuffle mat
A snuffle mat is a great way to make your puppy or dog work for their food, which is a great thing to do for mental stimulation, and to help wear the out! Remember, a puppy who is using their nose, or chewing, is going to be a puppy ready for a nap soon!
Dog Puzzle Toy
Another option for making your puppy work for his/her supper with a treat dispensing toy!
Dog Plush Toys
Puppies love things that crinkle and squeak, here's a few toys they will love! Click the image to purchase on Amazon.
Snuggle Puppy
A snuggle puppy with a heartbeat can be a comfort to your puppy in the first few weeks away from his/her littermates, in their crate and can help them sleep easier.
Potty Training
Washable Pee pads
Washable potty pads are great to place in your playpen to protect your floors from food or water spills, or the occasional accident, and they can be thrown in the wash and used again! We don't recommend paper pee pads, as they tend to resemble carpet or rugs, and can encourage them to potty where they shouldn't, plus puppies find them great fun to shred!
Nature's Miracle Stain and Odor Remover
You will need this to clean up the occasional accidents, to remove all odor, so puppy is not inclined to go back to that same spot to potty again.
Travel
Crate
We recommend the 36" crate size as it will fit most of our minis, and please get one with a divider, as you can use it with the divider when you first bring your puppy home, and then remove it as they grow and need more space, thus saving you from needing to buy 2 crates.
Travel Food bowl and Water dish
We love this food dish because it's stainless steel and will last forever! The water dish, is much less of a mess, because they can't play in it very easily, or tip it and spill it!
Food
Food bowl and Water dish
We love this food dish because it's stainless steel and will last forever! The water dish, is much less of a mess, because they can't play in it very easily, or tip it and spill it!
PawTree Food
This is the food all our puppies are fed, and we love it! Their tummies are happy on it, and they grow well and get chunky on it! You have to order it directly from the website, and it takes 3-5 days to receive, so be sure to order a couple weeks before your puppy comes home! You also don't want to change foods from what they are used to for at least the first 3 months, and you can use the codes INTRO4U10 or INTRO4U20 for a discount off your first order! And, you will save about 30% if you order the 30lb bag, which is what we recommend for the best value.
Gastro Pro Plus
This product is my absolute favorite!!! It is full of probiotics, digestive enzymes and all things needed to keep gut health regulated, and stools nice and firm, and it works fast! We HIGHLY recommend this, as puppies are prone to getting upset tummies, and eating things they shouldn't, and this will help keep things going smoothly!
Crumps Natural Mini Trainers
Training treats- We don't like to overuse these, as they can upset tummies, especially when they first transition to a new place, but our puppies love these treats, and they are all natural, which is what we will only use!
Grooming Supplies
Shampoo and Conditioner
We like using all natural products without harmful chemicals, sulfates and such, and PawTree makes an amazing shampoo that smells wonderful and is free of all those things!
Cowboy Magic Conditioner and Detangler
Cowboy Magic Conditioner and Detangler- for those days when you need a little help getting those tangles out or just shining their coat up!
Dog Comb
For your curly and wavy coats, you want to go through your dog's coat first with a comb, and then follow with a slicker brush.
Paw Brothers Professional Grade Extra Long Slicker Brush
This works well for your straight coat doodles, or following up after combing to fluff them out!
Deodorizing Mist
For those days you want to freshen up your dog inbetween baths, without getting them wet! Simply spray and leave on, just rub it in!
Tear and Saliva Stain Remover
For those dogs that have a lot of white on their faces, their eyes can leave those undesirable brown stains, but this product will help remove and prevent them!
Ear Wash and Ear Dry
This Ear Wash and Powder will help alleviate itchy ears, or moist ears, that can tend to develop into ear infections or yeast in some doodles. This product will keep them clean and dry, and help prevent yucky bacteria from setting in.