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First time dog mama? Girl, get ready! It is THE BEST! We are gearing up for puppy #2 this week – and I am starting to prepare myself for the puppy life again! I know it will be much different this time around with having Ryder around, and we are so excited to see them interact & become best friends!

I’ve had a puppy must-haves list on the blog for a while, but I wanted to give it a little face lift and update it for all of you that are getting puppies during this time of quarantine (which I agree, is the perfect time to get a puppy & spend lots time giving it attention and training!) Here are my must-haves when it comes all things puppy!

1. Playpen: Judge me all you want, but we didn’t crate train Ryder – I think he only slept in the crate the first 2 nights. And he turned out just fine! But we did need something to contain him in when we left him alone – so we opted for a playpen! This isn’t the one we used for him (we used this collapsable one for Ryder) – and we LOVED it! It’s great if you have one pup. The only reason we are upgrading to this plastic, more-sturdy one…is so that Ryder can’t step on it and let the puppy out (yes, he’s done this before!). I’m just not a huge fan of tiny crates – and we’ve found success with playpens!

2. Comfort Pup: This was a must-have for the first few nights! I don’t think Remi will need it as much as Ryder did (because Remi has Ryder) but it was great for Ryder who was an only child when we brought him home. This is a stuffed animal dog, with an artificial “tick” simulator, that simulates the beating of a heart! It’s comforting for the first few weeks when they are newly separated from their mother & siblings. Think about it, they are used to being in a dog pile, and very close to their mother’s heartbeat, so this was a huge comfort for Ryder the first month.

3. Bully Sticks: They don’t smell the best, but these were and still are Ryder’s favorite bones to chew on! These are great to keep them busy while they are going through the biting, teething phase.

4. Puppia Soft Harness: This is the harness y’all recommended the most! I have actually had one of these for Ryder when he was a puppy – so soft & easy to put on. Just ordered another one for him & Remi!

5. Leash: These are the sturdiest leashes every – and they are so comfortable to hold!

6. Training Clicker: We got these from Ryder’s puppy school class, and it’s great for training and positive reinforcement! Here’s a video on how to use them.

7. Frozen Carrots: Whaaaat?! YUP! But HEAR ME OUT. These were a HUGE savior for Ryder as a puppy, and I’ve already started to stock them up in our freezer for Remi. When your puppy goes through the crazy biting & teething phase, put a bag of large carrots in the freezer – and pull them out when you are desperate. The coldness feels great on their gums, and it keeps them busy for a long time.

8. Kong: I’ll put a scoop of peanut butter in these and freeze them as a treat for Ryder when we leave him for a few hours – keeps them busy & is a sweet treat!

9. Doorbell: We used this technique for the first few months of potty training. We don’t use it anymore, but it was good for behavior/potty-training in the beginning months!

10. Soft Puppy Bites: Perfect for puppy school & training rewards!

11. Slow Eating Dog Bowl: If your pup eats too fast (sometimes Ryder would eat so fast he would just throw it all up) this is a great bowl & tool for slowing them down.

12. Collapsible Dog Bowl: Great for long walks or traveling when they are aware from their water bowl.

13. Puppy Potty Pads: Ryder didn’t use these much, but it is good for backup in traveling situations, or if you live in an apartment. We’ll probably line the bottom of the playpen with these for the first few weeks until Remi is potty trained!

14. Dog Bed: I’m seriously jealous of this dog bed – we just got another for Remi because Ryder LOVES his. He bounces back between our bed and this bed throughout the night.

15. Furbo: We don’t have one of these because we’re pretty much with our pups all day, but a lot of my girlfriends have them to monitor their pups while they are at work & love them! It can even shoot out treats for them!

16. Foam Carpet Refresher: This is a lifesaver for bringing your carpet back to life after one too many puppy accidents.

17. Slicker Brush: This is THE BEST brush for any dogs that tend to get matted – especially doodles. Recommended by Ryder’s groomer – it’s helping us prevent him from ever having to get the dreaded shave-down!

18. Bark Spray: This stops Ryder (most days) when his barking is out of control. All it sounds like is an empty hairspray or whip cream canister – it’s just compressed air and normally startles them enough to stop barking. Soon enough, they will associate the sight of the bottle and will stop barking before you even spray it!