I remember when I was first preparing to bring my pup home, scouring the internet, searching for everything I could find that would help me prepare as much as possible. My Google history is full of 'What do I need for my new puppy?' or 'What are the top puppy essentials?' and then trying to work out what will be useful vs what's just a puppy money-grab! I don't even want to think about how much that cost in the long run, with all the trial and error. So allow me to pass on to you the Top 10 things I would recommend you buy in preparation for bringing your puppy home the straight-up necessities, without the gimmicks!
1. A Crate for Your Puppy
Now, whether you're planning on crate training completely or not, it's been proven that it's beneficial for your pup to have a safe space they can retreat to where they won't be disturbed. I highly recommend having a crate your pup can hide in when the big scary world gets too much. Make it cosy with a perfectly fitting bed and make it an exciting place to be with an especially mouth-watering treat.
With 4.6 stars and over 16,600 reviews on Amazon (not to mention it's the one I use myself!) You can get this metal wire dog crate for just £28.00 with an Amazon Prime account. Click here to get yours
Bonus: It's not a must-have which is why I'm just making it a bonus, but I also recommend This Pet Bed to fit perfectly with the crate for ultimate comfort for your pooch!
*Don't forget to check measurements for the breed and size of your puppy*
2. Food, Water and Enrichment Bowls
This is probably a no-brainer but people often forget the benefits of using enrichment to feed their pups alongside just offering a bowl of food. Getting a good quality food and water bowl will improve the longevity of the bowls, saving you money in the long run. Enrichment bowls such as Licky Bowls help mentally stimulate your pup which can tire them quicker than a 2-hour run!
My favourite Enrichment Bowl is the LickiMat Wobble simply spread your pup's wet food or fill it with treats like Greek yoghurt and peanut butter and let your pup have it, you can even freeze it for a cooling down treat in summer or make it a bit more challenging for them.
At looking at their reviews on Amazon alone it looks like more than 3100 people agree with me with a rating of 4.6 stars. For just £13.95 with Amazon Prime, you can't go wrong. Get your LickiMat Wobble.
Wobble mats aren't the only LickiMat's my pooch loves, there's also the Tough Heavy duty LickiMat for those pups who chew everything and anything in sight.
And for those on the anxious side, or who tend to wolf down their food, the LickiMat Slo Mo Anxiety and Boredom Reducing Mat is the perfect solution, especially made to make it that little bit harder to get the reward, causes the dog to lick at the mat longer, reducing anxiety, mentally stimulating them and releasing boredom.
Maybe your pups are on a special dry diet and you don't want them to miss out on the fun. What about a Snuffle Mat with special sections to hide food under, your dog will have to work out how to get to it, this one also comes with 6 carrot soft toys so it's a 7 in one!
Lick mats are a fantastic resource for not only puppy parents but all dog owners alike. Your pooch will thank you for it!
3. Puppy Harness
It's not a secret I'm a big fan of the harness lead combo over just a collar and lead, I find for puppies specifically it's best to have a type of harness that won't apply pressure to any part of their fragile bodies, especially while they're still growing and working out this whole going out for a walk thing. This will be purely personal preference but I like a step-in harness for puppies just for complete ease! It's difficult trying to get a wiggly puppy's head into a harness and then try and work out the rest of the straps.
I like these step-in harnesses from Amazon, they also come with a matching lead! For £11.69 each on Amazon Prime right now, you can get 2 new harnesses and 2 new leads for less than our £30.00 budget. Which is an absolute bargain if you ask me. You can get this Step In Puppy Harness & Lead Set from Amazon.
Are you a pesky puller? This No Pull Reflective Dog Harness has you covered, with the lead clip on the chest part of the harness, it'll gently turn your pup around every time they try and pull resulting in them being less likely to pull and a more comfortable walk for everyone involved.
Still not sure? check out our Guide on the Best Harness Types for Small Dogs for even more detail, pros and cons lists, and tried and tested product recommendations for each type!
4. Puppy Grooming Essentials
This covers everything from Nail Clippers to Dental Sticks keeping your pooch in ship shape with barely any effort at all. Bonus, I've done the maths.. all of these grooming essentials cost less than our £30 budget combined!
From top to tail let's start with puppy shampoo, £8.99 you can get Bug-A-Lugs Baby Powder Scented puppy shampoo but don't worry, if you want something to keep them clean, without a scent, I've got you covered, I personally love PetCare Fragrance Free Dogs Shampoo for just £5.99.
Next on the list is puppy dental care. Now it's a whole other blog post going into the do's and don'ts of dental sticks, but I do have some personal favourites that won't upset your new pup's sensitive stomach. Mine and Bruce's top ultimate favourites are this Whimzees 28 pack for just £9.99 and made of all-natural ingredients there's nearly enough for 1 a day for a whole month for less than £10!
Next up are nail clippers, I've found the scissor type far less traumatic for my pup than the standard guillotine-style dog clippers on the market. These nail clippers make nail trimming a dream, just slip the nail through the hole and squeeze and you're done! I'm not the only lover of these clippers nearly 70,000 reviews and 4.5 stars speak for themselves and only £7.95 it's a no-brainer. Be careful they're super sharp!
Finally, a Dog Brush, don't fall for branding in this category, look at the bristles, you want something that's going to suit your pup's fur needs! Bruce is a long-haired pup with short-haired areas so I like a Universal type brush so I can meet all his hairstyle needs! Lucky for you it's currently on Amazon for just £2.99 which is insane in 2024! You can grab your Universal Dog Hair Brush
There you have it, which brings our total to £29.92 to meet all our dog grooming needs... I do spoil you.
5. Toys for your Pup
Amazon is my favourite place to shop for puppy toys, especially with how quickly you'll likely go through them. If you didn't know, you can get whole bundles of toys with different textures to keep your pup entertained for hours on end, with or without you!
If you want a bunch of toys and aren't fussed about the aesthetics of them, I highly recommend THIS 20 Piece Luxury Dog Toy Bundle, with everything from rope toys, to stuffed squeaky toys.. and even a few rolls of poo bags thrown in for £19.99 is the best value I've found so far and with a 4.3-star rating, others agree too!
If you like to take a more aesthetically pleasing approach with your pooch's toys, my favourites are THIS 24 Piece Luxury Aesthetic Dog Toy Bundle with Storage Box and it's only £22.00 on sale currently! It's back in my basket as I type!
There are also of course stand-alone toys we love like the Indestructible Giggle Ball that's outlasted every single other ball in the house - it does squeak though so bear that in mind if they're banned in your house!
6. Puppy Pads
Love them or hate them puppy pads are a puppy owner's essential item! They help you to teach your brand new pup where to go toilet and are a good tool to use to help teach them to go outside once they're ready. The best value I've found in puppy pads is on Amazon. You can get 50 packs of puppy pads for only £12.50!
Plan to have toilet training down in a jiffy? You can get a 20 Pack of Puppy Pads for just £8.49
I haven't personally tried this yet, but I am planning on trying the Indoor Dog Toilet with artificial grass. My concerns would be any potential smells but I'm sure keeping it clean would keep that to a minimum, it would look a lot nicer than puppy pads!
7. Treats, treats, treats!
The number 1 best tool for puppy owners worldwide. We've got a lot to cover here so buckle in. All the following treats are made of natural ingredients that shouldn't upset your pup's stomach, remember to always give treats in moderation and provide plenty of fresh water for your pup.
If you're a bulk buyer these Pet Munchies Liver and Chicken treats are a massive hit in my house. With over 70% Chicken and Liver and no other nasty ingredients, I have these on auto-delivery! 1.2Kg of these bad boys in 8 x 150g bags for only £30.00 are a bargain - that's only £3.75 a bag!
Are you not a fan of smelly treats that get your hands all smelly? Me too, that's why I love these Barker and Barker Little Liver Training Treats, they're made of dried compressed liver so they almost resemble a pill, but with no other nasties, no smell and can get your pup drooling for more. These are the treats you want.
To add a bit of variety and to keep my higher value reward treats high value I like to switch them up occasionally and try out new treats to see how my pooch reacts, my latest buy was these Wagg Dog Treats 4 pack in, Sausage & Mash, Steak & Chips, Bacon Roll, Ham & Cheese Toastie flavours and I'll be buying again. My pup seems to prefer the bacon roll flavour the most but then again he does like a bacon roll in reality so there are no surprises there.
8. Long Lasting Chews
You'll notice a theme, I'm a massive fan of all things natural when it comes to puppy and dog treats. Here I've compiled a list of my absolute favourite long-lasting chews and bones. The action of licking and chewing at a bone can help mentally stimulate your pup and help reduce stress and anxiety.
Yak Chews are a big favourite of mine, they're made of hardened Yak milk until it's essentially a rock-hard cheese! They last forever and when you only have a couple of inches left, you can pop them in the microwave to extend their life and make sure they're not a choking hazard! Bonus, you can even get cute little Yeti Yak Holders for when you pop them in the microwave
Next up on the long lasting treat list are natural treats. Now, I know a bunch of body parts hanging around doesn't sound ideal but natural long lasting chews are best for your pup. Depending on your pups preferences you might want to opt for something more plain like Deer Antlers splinter free and hard enough for even the worst chewers, deer antlers are well worth the investment.
I like to buy budget boxes at the start of the month so Bruce has enough to last him
This Small Dog Budget Variety Box I currently have on subscription with enough to last the month through. This one includes 37 Natural Chews and Treats for a brilliant £13.99 which works out at just 38p per treat! including Hairy Rabbit Ears, Dried Sprats, Fish Skin Cube, Chicken Feet, Wings & Hearts, and suitable for all dogs from 10 weeks it really is one of the best boxes that I've found on the market currently.
And that's it, our top 8 puppy must haves under £30.00. We hope you've found this helpful and helps you make the best decisions for you and your pup on your new puppy parent journey. Tag us on Instagram if you bought any of our recommended puppy products! @SmallDogSpot