Short answer: before the puppy arrives, prepare a place to sleep, bowls, the food it has been eating so far, pads, a urine cleaner, toys, a comb, nail clippers and a gentle puppy shampoo. In the first weeks what matters most is calm, a regular routine and short, pleasant sessions of touching the paws, ears and mouth. The first bath only from the age stated on the shampoo label. Vaccines and deworming follow your vet's schedule.
What to prepare before the puppy arrives
The easiest start is the Puppy Starter Set – at 10% off the individual products. It brings together the basics for the first weeks:
- Groom Professional Tender Puppy Kitty, a gentle concentrated shampoo for puppies and kittens, 450 ml;
- Bugalugs Small/Medium nail clippers with a safety guard and a built-in file;
- TropiClean Chew Stop anti-chew spray for puppies;
- Uniq Pets hygiene pads 60 × 60 cm, 10 pcs;
- six 80 g packs of Uniq Pets training treats – mini beef cubes and mini beef sausages, lamb sausages, lamb and pollock rolls, beef and cod chips and soft venison sticks.
Add the rest of the list to the set:
- A place to sleep. A bed with a raised rim in a quiet corner, away from draughts and the front door – see the beds for dogs and cats. Choose a size in which the puppy can stretch out freely, and keep in mind that it will grow.
- Bowls, food and water. In the first days, give the food the puppy has been eating so far, and if you want to change it, do so gradually. Puppy food is available at our sister shop Zoomagazin Tiger, in the dry dog food section – look for food labelled for puppies (Puppy or Junior).
- Pads and cleaning. Besides the pads in the set, it helps to have spares, for example the Uniq Pets grass-scented pads – the grass scent helps the puppy find the pad. For little accidents you need an enzyme cleaner such as Urine Off for dog urine; how to use it is explained in the article how to remove urine stains and odour.
- Toys. Two or three soft toys and something to chew – browse the dog toys. Put away any toy that starts losing pieces.
- A comb. A light metal comb with rounded teeth, such as the Show Tech+ Featherlight 19 cm, is enough for the first brushing practice.
- A carrier. On the way home and for vet visits a small puppy is safest in a bag or sling, such as the Uniq Pets sling for dogs up to 7 kg. The options are compared in the article carrier bag, backpack or sling.
- Collar or harness and lead. Check the fit every week – puppies grow fast.
The first days at home
A new home is a big change for a puppy. Let the first days be calm: few visitors and the same times for meals, play, sleep and going out. Show the puppy its bed, bowls and pad and let it explore the room on its own. Before it arrives, clear the floor of cables, shoes, cleaning products and small objects it could swallow.
Sleep and routine
Puppies sleep a lot and tire quickly. Do not wake the puppy to play and do not let children carry it around all the time. A regular routine also helps with toilet training: take the puppy outside or put it on the pad right after it wakes up, after meals and after play, and praise it as soon as it is done. Do not punish accidents – just clean the spot thoroughly so that no smell is left to draw it back there.
Chewing
Chewing is normal, especially while the new teeth are coming in. Every time the puppy bites a hand or a piece of furniture, offer it a toy instead. For chair legs, corners and cables you cannot remove, use TropiClean Chew Stop for puppies – the spray goes on the object, not on the puppy, and a taste puppies dislike teaches it what is not for chewing.
Getting to know the world
In the first months a puppy most easily accepts new people, sounds, surfaces and situations. Introduce them gradually and briefly, always with praise or a treat. Ask your vet when the puppy can go to places where other dogs walk – it depends on the vaccinations.
Grooming from day one
Many dogs that fear baths, nail clippers or a toothbrush simply did not get used to them as puppies. Start with short sessions of one or two minutes when the puppy is calm – for example after play or a walk.
Touching the paws, ears and mouth
Every day, touch the paws, the spaces between the toes, the ears and the lips for a few seconds and give a small treat straight away. The training treats in the set are suitable for this – break them into small pieces to suit the puppy's size. Later on, nail trims, ear cleaning and tooth brushing will feel familiar and pleasant.
Brushing
Brush briefly a few times a week, even if the coat is short. For breeds with long, continuously growing coats – such as the poodle, the Maltese or the Shih Tzu – getting used to the comb early is especially important, because later they will need regular brushing and clipping.
The first bath
There is no single age that suits every puppy – check the age on the shampoo label. Groom Professional Tender Puppy Kitty from the set is for use “from 6 to 8 weeks of age”, and TropiClean Gentle Coconut Puppy & Kitten “over 12 weeks”. Until then, and whenever only one spot is dirty, clean the puppy with a warm damp cloth. Bathe with warm, not hot, water, dilute the concentrate as the label says, rinse well and dry the puppy straight away so that it does not get cold.
Nails
Trim only the tip of the nail without reaching the quick – the pink part with blood vessels. On light nails it is visible; on dark nails cut in small steps. The Bugalugs Small/Medium clippers in the set have a safety guard and a file for smoothing; for large-breed puppies that will grow quickly you will later need the Bugalugs Medium/Large. At first it is enough to trim one or two nails and give a treat.
Ears
Look at the ears once a week. Clean only the visible part with a soft cloth and do not push anything deep into the ear canal. Redness, an unpleasant smell, dark discharge or frequent head shaking are a reason for a check-up.
Teeth
Dental care can start early. With the TropiClean Fresh Breath dental gel for puppies, one drop a day straight into the mouth is enough – the puppy licks its lips and the gel spreads over the teeth and gums without a brush. If you later want to brush with a toothbrush and paste, check the product's age – Bugalugs dental kits, for example, are for dogs over 12 weeks. Chews have an age too: Uniq Pets dental sticks are labelled “over 6 months”. Do not give a young puppy hard chews meant for adult dogs, and always check the age line on the pack.
Health: vet, vaccines and deworming
Book the first vet check-up within the first days, even if the puppy looks perfectly healthy. Bring the documents you received – a passport or record with the vaccines and dewormings done so far. Vaccinate and deworm the puppy on your vet's schedule rather than general tables from the internet – the schedule depends on age, weight and the procedures already done. Also ask about the microchip and when the puppy can start going for walks outside.
groom.bg does not sell food or dewormers, but you will find them at Zoomagazin Tiger: internal dewormers for dogs, including ones for young puppies – choose them on your vet's advice and give them exactly as instructed. If the puppy is very young or was weaned early, the vet may recommend a milk replacer – Tiger also has puppy milk powder and feeding bottles.
So that you do not miss the next vaccine, deworming or nail trim, set reminders in the care plan in your account (My pets).
When to see a vet
A puppy's condition can get worse quickly, so with these signs do not wait for it to pass on its own:
- refuses to eat or drink;
- vomiting or diarrhoea – do not wait until the next day, especially if it repeats, there is blood or the puppy is listless;
- unusual lethargy, weakness or difficulty waking up;
- laboured or rapid breathing, a persistent cough;
- a swollen or painful belly;
- pale gums, trembling or seizures;
- suspicion that it has swallowed an object, medicine, poison or a cleaning product;
- discharge from the eyes or nose together with lethargy or loss of appetite.
Suitable products
The basics for the first weeks are in the Puppy Starter Set above. When its treats run out, the same six are available in the Uniq Pets Mini Rewards set. You will keep using the shampoo, comb and clippers when the dog grows up, and you will find the beds and toys in the collections in the list above. If you are looking for a present for a new puppy owner, the Bugalugs Baby Fresh Gift Set – shampoo, detangling spray and cologne in the baby powder scent, in a gift box – is suitable for puppies over 8 weeks, according to the manufacturer.
Read more: how often to bathe your dog and how to choose training treats.
Frequently asked questions
From what age can I bathe a puppy?
From the age stated on the shampoo label: for Groom Professional Tender Puppy Kitty, from 6 to 8 weeks of age; for TropiClean Gentle Coconut Puppy & Kitten, over 12 weeks. Until then, clean with a warm damp cloth. After a bath, dry the puppy straight away and keep it out of draughts.
When should I start brushing my puppy's teeth?
Getting used to it can start in the first weeks – by touching the lips and gums and giving praise. Puppy dental gel is applied one drop a day without a brush; for brushing with paste, check the product's age – Bugalugs dental kits, for example, are for dogs over 12 weeks.
What should I buy before the puppy arrives?
A bed, bowls, the food it has been eating so far, pads, an enzyme urine cleaner, a few toys, a collar and lead, a carrier, a comb, nail clippers, a puppy shampoo and training treats. Many of these come together in the Puppy Starter Set at 10% off the individual products.
How do I stop my puppy chewing the furniture?
Do not punish it – redirect it. When it bites furniture or a hand, offer a toy and praise it when it chews that instead. Put away what you can and spray the rest with an anti-chew spray for puppies.
Can the puppy go outside before all its vaccines?
Your vet decides this based on the vaccination schedule. Until then the puppy can explore the world from your arms or from its carrier, without contact with unfamiliar dogs or their droppings.
