What should you buy before pickup, and what can wait?

Start with the items that let you bring your puppy home, feed them, supervise them and give them a comfortable place to rest. Have the collar and identification, secure travel setup, bowls, familiar food, leash, toilet supplies, cleaning products and sleeping area ready first. Buy a few suitable toys so you can learn what your puppy enjoys before filling a basket with extras.

Choose equipment for your puppy's current size as well as their expected growth. An adult-sized crate needs a suitable divider; a harness that will fit in six months may be too loose today. Check fit as your puppy grows. Ask the breeder what the puppy already uses and which grooming tools suit the coat. A short-coated puppy and a puppy needing regular professional grooming will have different shopping lists.

The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association's new-pet guidance recommends planning for both money and time, including breed and size differences. Make separate budget lines for setup, food, veterinary care, grooming, training and care when you are away. Add a plan for unexpected expenses. Local quotes are more useful than a single national puppy budget.

What should you ask your breeder to write down?

A bag of food is helpful; the instructions that go with it are just as useful. Before leaving, record the exact recipe, daily amount, meal times, storage instructions, last meal and any changes already underway. Keep the vaccination and deworming dates, microchip number, veterinary notes, contract and breeder's preferred contact details together.

Ask where the puppy sleeps, how they signal a toilet break, what words they recognise and what helps them settle. For example, “three meals at these times, followed by a trip to this surface” gives your family a routine to continue. A simple shared note prevents two people feeding the same meal or each assuming the other has taken the puppy out.

For raw, fresh or dry food, check that the particular recipe is intended for your puppy's growth stage. Large-breed growth requires particular attention to the nutritional statement. Confirm any supplements with the person overseeing the feeding plan; adding several products to an already complete diet is not automatically helpful. Use Feed Wise to compare the exact food, then discuss individual needs with your breeder and veterinarian.

How should the checklist change for your home?

In an apartment: plan the route to the toilet area before arrival, including the lift, stairs and an accessible backup during bad weather. Ask your veterinarian about suitable outdoor areas while vaccination is in progress. A washable indoor setup, if you need one, should have a clear place and routine.

With children or other pets: use gates and separate resting spaces so introductions can be brief and supervised. Decide which adult will manage each interaction. The puppy needs somewhere to sleep and eat without being followed or disturbed.

During workdays: arrange help around meals, toilet trips and gradual practice being alone. A crate does not replace supervision or care. The Ontario SPCA's puppy guidance recommends short periods of separation at first and frequent toilet opportunities, especially after eating and waking.

Pack a pickup bag and agree on the first-night plan

Set out a suitable secured travel crate or restraint, towels, spare bedding, water, a bowl, poop bags and the puppy's records. The BC SPCA travel checklist is a useful packing reference. Agree on who drives and who handles the puppy, where the puppy will sleep, and who responds to overnight toilet needs.

Finish shopping before pickup so the journey home can stay simple. For the arrival routine itself, continue with First 48 Hours With a New Puppy. This checklist prepares the home and handoff; that guide walks you through meals, rest, introductions and the first night.