Puppy Supplies

I've never owned a Springer Spaniel.

I know they are a lot energy. I take it you are buying from a breeder? Talk with the breeder and find out what they say.

I know an appropriate sized kennel/crate is essential.
Bed - we have the large sided bed
water bowls
food bowls
Trainer pads - we bought the washable ones
Leash and harness - puppies need to get used to a leash right away (in my opinion)
toys - my dog (Boxer/Pit) could care less about balls...he loves squeaky toys...

http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Breeds/English-Springer-Spani...

Good luck!

Congrats on your new (soon!) puppy. Of course, the first thing your puppy will need is a name. Once your family has decided on the perfect one, get a tag made up with your contact info, & attach it to an adjustable collar.

Puppy's first collar & lead doesn't need to be fancy or heavy-duty, as they will soon outgrow it. Nylon adjustable collars & matching nylon lead will be perfect.

Make sure you have the crate ahead of time, & contact your breeder to ask if they can put a blanket in with the litter a few days before you pick up the puppy. That way, when you bring the blanket home, it will smell like the litter mates & help ease some of the separation. (ps. don't wash the blanket!) In addition to this, get a couple of fleece blankets for bedding - nice & absorbent, easy to clean, & if the puppy chews on them, they come apart in little pieces, & won't separate into strings/tatters which are harmful if ingested.

Toys to have on-hand can include Kong & Nylabone - don't get the teeny-tiny puppy sized toys, they rapidly outgrow them & then they aren't safe to chew. Go with a medium to large size. A rope bone, and a couple of balls to chase should help with active play.

Plush toys for dogs are nice to have, but make sure they don't have small parts that can easily be chewed off. Most dogs won't choke on a plastic "eye" but once a hole is started, it's not long until your puppy becomes a destuffing professional! Plush with squeakers inside are OK.

Food & water bowls - the best kind to get are stainless steel - they can be washed & kept clean, to prevent any facial infections (like pimples on pups).

You will also need a brush or two, and nail clippers. I prefer the clippers that are scissor-shaped, as opposed to the guillotine - easier to use & less risk of clipping the quick.

Also, contact your breeder ahead of time to find out what food they are weaning the puppies onto, & make sure to have a bag on hand. Puppies don't eat too much, so don't buy the biggest bag available, even if it is the best buy - the food will go stale & your puppy might get picky.

Have fun, & enjoy the puppy breath!! T. :)

Collar/harness, leash, water and food bowls, puppy food, maybe a dog bed for the crate and/or a blanket, toys and puppy pads until it is house broken. Chew toys are a must for puppies, they are teething and need to chew. I would also find a good vet.

I never give my dog rawhide or anything like that, they smell awful once chewed and it entices them to chew leather shoes, furniture, etc.. She does get organic rib bones or antlers.

A brush to avoid as much shedding as possible.

Oh oh oh. A Springer Spaniel. They are the most amazing dogs. How I miss my sweet Callie. They are awesome with children and real lovers. My Callie was very easy to house break. Took about three weeks. We put bells on front door. Every time she had to go out she made the bells ring.

Just get lots of chew toys, collar, leash, bowls. Nothing else really. You just need a lot of love! Enjoy your new "baby."

We too are getting a puppy this summer! I would recommend getting a friend with either the same or similar breed to take you shopping. Bring your checkbook and head into your favorite pet store with whomever you think knows best as to what you could need. Make your purchases, keep the receipt and tags until you use the items, and go from there.

It reminds me of the first time I went to Babies R Us and was so overwhelmed. Having an expert with you is really the only way to go!

Have fun with your puppy!

We crate trained for our first time recently. It was challenging that first week, but oh so worth it!! Now when Lily is tired she goes into her crate on her own and naps.

You received great input.

We have had Cocker Spaniels and we love Spaniels!!

My only input, since we did not crate train.,, we invested in golden gates from petco to block off areas of the house we do not want the dogs in. That works for us since the Cocker and Toy Poodle still sleep with us.

We block off the hall to master suite each night after the last pee pee outside. I keep my formal areas with high end woods and furniture blocked off as well.

My poodle loves his step up to my bed which saves me from picking him up every time he jumps out of bed to bark at wildlife or what not.

Enjoy... Our pets are our very spoiled fur babies!!

Crate, bowls, food, water, toys. My dogs loved kong toys and pig ears, oh and tennis balls

Congrats on your new puppy!

~Just wanted to ask if you've truly done your research on crate training?
The thought of closing a dog in a cage while you leave the house is cruel. How do you even know your dog would need to be controlled so desperately? You do not even know your dogs temperament yet & you've already decided to cage him? I've had dogs all my life, all different breeds, all INSIDE dogs who managed to NOT ruin things & learn to be housetrained. It's not really that difficult to train dogs this way. Get a bed & treat it like your cage, that's where you want them to sleep. Potty train them to go outside & a smart dog will go on a puppy pad you've tapped to the floor by the door he normally goes out of to go potty, until eventually he can hold it while you are away...
Cages are not necessary. If you plan on locking him up for all the hours you are at work please don't...if you are not, you will not need to lock him in anywhere regardless.

Just my .02 cents.
Best of Luck!!

Good lists so far. But I haven't seen anyone mention a toothbrush and paste. Yes, dogs need their teeth brushed. Like toddlers do. It isn't fun, but like clipping nails needs to be done when they are young so they learn to allow it, and to prevent problems down the road.

Puppy breath is fine, but it doesn't stay puppy breath forever. Teach your pup to allow you to handle his feet, also. And practice nail trimming regularly. Nails can become overgrown so easily if you forget about them, and it can become painful and a source of injury to the dog later on (split nails, infections from that, difficulty/discomfort being active with nails too long).

Good list from Tara R.

I'd just add that you need to be careful where food and supplies are made - lots of problems with things from China, plus some recent recalls. I'd get a divided food & water dish, or one of those stands that holds the bowls - all dogs, especially puppies, are good at flipping things over!

Decide how you will housebreak the dog, and whether you will use puppy pee pads or a bell by the door that the dog can be taught to push with its now. If so, have them at home ahead of time and be sure the adults and the older children are in agreement with the training technique. Most crates allow you to put in a divider so the puppy is really confined to the small space (so as not to sit in her own mess) but then it can be removed as she grows and needs more room. I'd go for a collapsible crate so you can take it with you if you travel.

Training treats - the tiny ones. You can't give a full biscuit every time the dog does the right thing.

You need a harness and a loop thing you can attach to the car seat belt in the back seat. If you hook that to the dog's collar, in the event of an accident, all the impact is around the dog's neck. Not good. Get an adjustable harness if you can to accommodate the dog's growth. Otherwise, just bite the bullet and buy one for now and one when the dog is full grown. Resist the urge to think it's going to be fun and enjoyable to have the dog sitting on someone's lap or roaming the car while you are driving - it's a terrible distraction and a huge risk to the dog.

Do you have a vet lined up? If not, start asking friends now. If you may want to board the dog at some point when you go on vacation, consider a vet that has a boarding facility nearby. Make plans to microchip your dog too if the breeder hasn't done it.

We have a retractable leash with the poop bag dispenser attached. We have a small dog but a larger leash so that my husband's hands fit in the handle easily. If you don't have a fenced yard, you might want to get some sort of a dog run. We don't leave our dog outside alone - she is small and we are concerned about loose dogs as well as coyotes. We have one of those corkscrew things that goes into the ground, and a cable that attaches to it.

If you can't close off your kitchen, consider a doggie pen or some safety gates for the doors like you would have for toddlers. If your kids are little and will not be able to work the gates or will leave them open, then go for the doggie pen you can put in whatever shape you want.

Carpet cleaner and scrub brush. Sour apple spray or other product to spray on spots the dog likes to pee on or chew on.

Find a place for kids' toys, shoes, etc. Anything on the floor is fair game for the dog.

Have fun!!

Don't put a lot of info on the dog tags. My dog's tags say "Call Mom" along with my cellphone number.