We prepared a list of the most necessary things for you to buy before picking up your puppy. Please read it carefully and try to prepare everything in advance to avoid rushing later and devote all your attention to a new joyful event.
Water and food bowls, as a rule - at least a couple, because the bowls will need to be washed regularly after each meal, the water bowl - a little less often. Also, if it's summer season, prepare a bottle or a light camping bowl, which will be easy to take on walks - this is necessary to avoid dehydration and overheating. Not all bowls are of equal quality: pay attention to the material from which they are made. The preferable materials are glazed ceramics or stainless steel (the best is 18/10, surgical, but 18/9 is easier to find at stores). These materials are the most hygienic and safe to use. Glass is also quite good but not practical for a young active SBT. Plastic and silicone bowls are highly undesirable and unsafe.
Food for some first time should be exactly the same as what the puppy is already used to eat. Moving to a new home is a stressful event, and rapid change of food or food type is only an additional stress factor. Be sure to ask your breeder what your puppy already eats and prepare the same food in advance. Breeders usually give some food to take with you for the first days, but do not forget about supplies - new owners often forget it among all other necessities. Discuss with the breeder where and what kind of food is best to buy, especially if you are planning to change the diet or food type. In our kennel, we do not welcome transferring puppies from raw to kibble. We do prioritize families who welcome raw feeding. If this is the only alternative, then we strongly recommend freeze-dried food with a sufficient variety of natural complementary foods. When needed, we prefer to transfer our puppies ourselves to the desired type of food before moving to make sure it's suitable for them, and that the transition’s finished smoothly.
Basic gear (harness + leash) is given as part of puppy packs in our kennel on pick-up day. We prefer to use harnesses and switch to collars only with adult dogs that have already learned to walk on a loose leash and not to pull. We discussed more about using harnesses here. The same applies to retractable leashes: even if they are more convenient, for the first time it's better to use a classic leash of at least 3 meters long. Be sure to pay attention to the weight of the equipment: for a small puppy, they should be very light, even the leash snap hook
Your puppy will need something to sleep on, and what is important is that it's best to prepare several places where he can rest. Dogs need to wake up more often and change their location to get enough sleep - they are polyphasic sleepers and have irregular sleep patterns. A dog's deep sleep phase is very short, and a full sleep cycle consists of several awakenings, unlike humans. Normally the dog will wake up, change location, and sleep more. Ideally, all the puppy's sleeping places should be slightly different: various textures, densities, heights, and locations. Staffordshire bull terriers love pillows and cozy blankets. After some time you will understand which sleeping places your puppy prefers more, and you will be able to adapt the beds to his needs. In our kennel, dogs can also sleep on the sofa and bed.
Toys are also essential. Through playing together you can begin to find mutual understanding with your puppy, get to know him better, and learn some basic skills. Be prepared that all toys are more or less consumables. Your puppy absolutely can break, shred, and destroy them with time. Sometimes adult dogs shred them less or just slower. However, it's normal. First of all, toys are needed so that YOU can play with the puppy. The vast majority of them are not suitable for leaving them alone with the puppy - he can easily choke or swallow some parts. Sometimes adult dogs themselves willingly play with toys without your participation, but supervision is still needed. SBTs have large, curious mouths, and an accidentally swallowed ball or piece of a toy can be very dangerous even for an adult dog. We have prepared a more detailed article with some examples of which toys are best to choose for the first time here.
Floor coverings will not only ensure the safety of the wooden floor but also a safe environment for the puppy's joint development. The musculoskeletal system of puppies at 8-16 weeks of age is still very fragile and susceptible to injury in both bones and muscle fibers. Even if the puppy seems firmly built and mobile, his bones are not yet properly connected by joints: they are mainly connected by ligaments and the basic formation of the future joint. The joint capsule is finally formed only after the closure of the bone growth plates, which, according to BSAVA veterinary, occurs as late as 18-24 months. Slippery floors are one of the regular stress factors for a puppy's anatomical development, which later greatly increases the risks of injury and compensatory issues in the body. We recommend covering slippery surfaces as much as possible. For the beginning, an inexpensive simple rug or carpet will do, which you will not mind throwing away when the puppy learns not to chew anything in the house and will be pot trained. It is better to save expensive and valuable carpets for later.
Basic care products will also be needed from the first days so as not to interrupt the puppy's accustomed grooming procedures. At the breeder's, his claws should have already been trimmed several times starting from 10-12 days of age, and the breeder should instruct you on how to do this and what options are available (claw clippers, grinders, files). Problems with claw trimming are a very common request to dog trainers and groomers, and you should not put it off until later. A mild shampoo and other care products (masks, balms) may also be useful, as well as a toothbrush (soft, for children or dogs). We make effective and safe toothpaste for our dogs ourselves. In case of dirty ears, special wipes and sticks will do. In healthy dogs, the ears are usually clean, but some dirt may appear as a result of emotional stress, such as when moving.
A car crate or a seat belt and harness will be needed to transport a puppy in a car. While the puppy is small, it can easily fit on the passenger's lap, but keep in mind that a dog should not ride in a car without additional safety measures, just like people. In addition to the risks of a crash, which does not always depend on us only, there are also sudden brakings or rapid maneuvers, as a result of which the dog can fall, hit himself, or get hurt. To learn more about safety measures when transporting your dog and their effectiveness, we recommend watching some crash tests on YouTube. Our dogs ride in cars preferably in crates, if there are no crates - at least fastened with seat belts.
First aid kit should contain all the essentials your puppy might need in an emergency or while waiting for veterinary care. The very minimum is antihistamines, gas, diarrhea, or vomiting medications, disinfectants, and wound bandages. Usually, with time your first aid kit will expand to meet your dog's needs. First aid kit for holidays and long journeys should be packed especially carefully. For your convenience, we explored the topic further in a separate article.
Instructions from the breeder on the puppy's daily routine. We study the instructions for new equipment and traffic rules before getting behind the wheel, and of course, we study something about children before we have them. Here it's all the same. Be sure to find out about the puppy's habits, daily routine, and its features and write them down. These routines will help to decrease the puppy's stress after moving to a new home and will help him to adapt. Then gradually you will be able to adjust this routine to your family's needs. Do not hesitate to ask questions and be sure to ask again if you missed something - the breeder is expected to provide full information and support in this term.
