Get Ready for Your Puppy

Van Dalen Labradors is an English Labrador Retriever breeder in Winder, Georgia.

By Dr. Laura van Dalen

Preparing for a new puppy should feel exciting, not overwhelming. This page is a simple, practical guide to help you set up your home, choose the most useful supplies, and know what to expect during those first few days together. The goal is a calm beginning, a safe home, and a puppy who can settle into family life with confidence.

A Gentle Start

The first 72 hours

The first few days are about safety, routine, rest, and helping your puppy understand the new home. Keep things simple. Let your puppy sleep, eat, potty, explore gently, and learn where calm time happens.

Keep the world small

Start with a simple puppy area, a crate, a potty routine, and only a few rooms at first. Too much freedom too soon can make potty training and settling harder.

Expect adjustment

Some crying, softer stool, extra sleep, or clinginess can happen during the transition. A young puppy has just left everything familiar and is learning a brand-new life.

Choose calm over busy

Avoid turning the first weekend into a parade of visitors. Let your puppy bond with the household first, then gradually introduce new people and experiences.

Quick Links

Helpful puppy resources

Instead of repeating every detail here, these pages give you the deeper guidance when you need it.

Feeding Your Puppy Food, meals, slow transitions, supplements, and healthy growth. Crate and Potty Training A calm routine for sleeping, potty breaks, and early structure. Puppy FAQ Common questions about pickup, care, registration, and settling in. Is Your Puppy Sick? What is normal, what is not, and when to call your veterinarian.

Before Pickup

Prepare the house

Labradors explore the world with their mouths. A little preparation before pickup makes the first week much easier for both you and your puppy.

Puppy-proofing checklist

Electrical cords and chargers
Children toys and small objects
Shoes, clothing, laundry, and towels
Trash cans and household chemicals
Medications, vitamins, and cosmetics
Remote controls, paper products, and plastic items

Set up the basics

A crate in a quiet, comfortable location
Food and water bowls
A safe potty area outside
Simple washable crate bedding
Leash, collar, waste bags, and cleaning supplies
A few safe toys and chews, used with supervision

Puppy Preparation

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Shopping List

Preparing for your new puppy should feel enjoyable, not overwhelming. This list includes the basic items I recommend having ready before pickup so your puppy can come home to a safe, comfortable, and well-prepared space. You do not need every puppy product available — just a few practical, good-quality essentials to help with feeding, resting, crate routine, grooming, cleanup, and those first few days of settling in.

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Food

We feed our puppies TLC puppy food. If you plan to change the food, do it gradually. We can provide some food, or you can get a small bag for the transition.
We feed our adults TLC all stages Food.
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Supplements

When fed a premium-quality food, puppies are already off to a great start. However, even high-quality processed foods can lose some essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fatty acids during processing. These nutrients play an important role in proper growth, immune function, skin and coat health, and overall long-term wellness.
For that reason, many owners choose to add a quality supplement to their puppy’s diet. We personally use and recommend NuVet Plus and NuJoint Plus for our dogs and puppies.
We give NuVet Plus daily to our puppies and adult dogs as part of our regular wellness routine. We also give NuJoint Plus to older puppies and adults to help support healthy joints and mobility. It contains glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and vitamin C.
In addition, we give fish oil to all of our dogs and puppies to help support healthy skin, coat, joints, and overall health.

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Toys and chews

Provide plenty of toys with different textures, shapes, and sounds to help keep your puppy mentally stimulated and entertained. Always choose toys that are larger than your puppy’s head to reduce the risk of swallowing. Labradors are well known for trying to eat first and investigate later.
There are also many types of chew products available, and most are fine when used appropriately and under supervision. However, once your puppy is able to chew off large pieces, the chew should be discarded immediately. This is especially important with products such as rawhide and Greenies, as swallowed pieces may not digest properly and can potentially cause intestinal blockage.

Plates

Two medium-sized stainless steel bowls are usually appropriate for puppies. For adult dogs, larger bowls are recommended. Heavy bowls that cannot be easily tipped over tend to work best for young puppies.
Raised feeders can be helpful for adult dogs but are often too tall for small puppies. I do not recommend automatic feeders for puppies, as feeding time is an important opportunity to bond with your puppy and monitor appetite, eating habits, and overall health.

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Leash and collars

Collar
A 12"–16" adjustable nylon collar is a good starter collar for most puppies.

Choke Collar
Not usually necessary until formal training begins around 10 weeks of age. A 14" or 16" collar is typically appropriate. A Nylon Chain Collar is one of my preferred options. It provides effective correction while still being gentle enough for puppies and softer-tempered dogs.

Leash
A standard 5–6 foot nylon leash works well and can be matched to the collar. Retractable leashes may be useful later for leash-trained dogs, but I do not recommend them for young puppies.

Harness
I generally do not recommend harnesses for Labradors, as they can encourage pulling instead of teaching proper leash manners and heel work.

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Crate

A 36" crate is usually appropriate for females, while most males do best in a 42" crate. Some crates include a divider panel, which can be very helpful during the potty-training process.

For the crate flooring, I recommend using something simple, absorbent, and easy to wash. Towels or inexpensive carpet pieces tend to work well. Save the fancy dog beds for later, once your puppy is mature enough not to chew or destroy them.

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Beds

I use Kuranda Beds for my kennel dogs. They come in a variety of sizes and colors and can be used inside crates, in the house, or outdoors. They are extremely durable, easy to clean, and very comfortable for the dogs, especially because they provide excellent joint support.
For my house dogs, I prefer high-quality orthopedic beds for additional comfort and support.

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Durable. See price at Kuranda

Orthopedic. See price at Amazon

Bell Potty training System

This is a great tool, and the puppies can be trained easily.
You can purchase a bell-training kit online or easily make one at home using jingle bells and shoelaces.

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Brushes and combs

Labradors typically shed heavily once or twice a year, usually for several weeks at a time. The best way to manage shedding is with regular brushing. During heavy shedding periods, daily brushing is recommended, while once or twice weekly brushing is usually sufficient for the rest of the year.

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Puppy shampoo

Do not use flea and tick shampoos on young puppies. If fleas and ticks are a concern in your area, I recommend obtaining a safe, veterinarian-approved preventative product. While some veterinary products may cost more than over-the-counter options sold in pet stores, they are generally much safer and help reduce the risk of serious toxic reactions that can occur with lower-quality products.