Choosing and welcoming my dogPart of · Choosing and welcoming my dog

Preparing your home and the essential kit

8 min read

Before your dog arrives, two jobs go hand in hand: gathering the useful kit (bowls, a bed with raised sides, a long line, a flat collar or a harness, ID, the right food, chew and busy toys) and dog-proofing the home, putting cleaning products, medicines, antifreeze and toxic plants out of reach. Fewer bits and pieces, but the right ones.

Why get everything ready before, not after

A puppy or a newly adopted dog turns up having left everything behind at once. A home that's already set up lets him explore at his own pace while you keep watch, instead of hunting for a forgotten bowl. On the safety side, the logic is the same: a dog explores with his mouth and swallows quickly, sometimes a poison that works silently (ASPCA Animal Poison Control). The real barrier is the environment you prepare, not his instinct.

The essential kit

The bare essentials come down to a handful of items. For the first three days, bowls, food and a travel crate are enough; the rest can follow gradually.

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Ready before the big day

Three measurements with a soft tape measure, dog standing and calm, are enough to get the size right (FCI breed standards; RSPCA).

Height at the withers

From the ground to the highest point of the back, just above the shoulder blades: that's the dog's size, the one the maker's ranges use.

Neck girth

At the base of the neck, where the collar sits. The two-finger rule: you should be able to slide two flat fingers under the strap, no more, no less.

Chest girth

Around the ribcage just behind the front legs: the key measurement for a harness. You then adjust the straps, two fingers underneath.

Dog-proofing the home, room by room

Kitchen

Bin with a lid, or kept under a closed sink unit (bones, fatty leftovers, onion, grapes).
Cleaning products and bags up high or locked away.
No table scraps left lying about on the worktop.

Bathroom and cupboards

Human medicines out of reach: paracetamol and ibuprofen are toxic to dogs.
Essential oil diffusers and plug-in insect repellents put away (irritating if swallowed, and some oils genuinely dangerous).

Living room

Electric cables bundled or protected; leave them in view only while you're watching, so he learns they're off-limits.
Small swallowable objects picked up (batteries, elastic bands, string, thread).
Toxic plants moved up high, out of reach.

Balcony, stairs, windows

A baby gate at the top of the stairs for the first few weeks.
Balcony made safe: a puppy can slip under a railing.
Carry the puppy on long staircases at first to protect his growth (Krontveit et al. 2012).

Garden and garage

Antifreeze, rat poison and slug pellets locked away: antifreeze is sweet and draws the dog in.
Spring bulbs and toxic plants out of reach.
Compost and garden waste kept closed.

The most protective habit: put away what poisons, and choose safe plants wherever the dog has access.

To put out of reach

Cleaning products and causticsBurn the mouth and throat: never left on the floor.

Human medicinesParacetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin: toxic, sometimes fatal (ASPCA APCC).

Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)Sweet, tempting taste, a tiny amount seriously damages the kidneys.

Rat poison and slug pelletsInternal bleeding or seizures, with signs that are often delayed.

Highly toxic plantsOleander, lily of the valley, yew, dieffenbachia, philodendron, spring bulbs: from heart trouble to liver damage.

Plants that are safe if the dog can reach them

Chlorophytum (spider plant)

Calathea, maranta, peperomia

Areca palm, aspidistra

Rose bush (only the thorns prick)

Not an exhaustive list: treat any wild mushroom or plant as a risk. When in doubt, keep it away.

AVSAB — Position Statement on Humane Dog Training (outils et méthodes) (2021)
ASPCA — Animal Poison Control Center : plantes et toxiques du foyer
Pet Poison Helpline — Antigel (éthylène glycol) et toxiques domestiques
Krontveit et al. — Surfaces, escaliers et risque de dysplasie chez le chiot de grande race (2012)
Identification obligatoire du chien (puce, tatouage, fichier national), Service-public.fr / I-CAD

Frequently asked questions

What do you need to welcome a dog home?

The essentials: two bowls, a bed with raised sides, a long line (and a short lead for later), a flat collar or a harness, up-to-date ID, the same food the breeder used, chew toys and poo bags. Plus a dog-proofed home. For the first three days, bowls, food and a travel crate are enough.

What should you buy for a dog?

Budget roughly £130 for the essentials (bowls, bed, long line and lead, collar or harness, toys, travel crate). No need to buy it all at once: the bare essentials first, the rest comes with the dog. Skip the gadgets and any aversive collar (choke, prong, electric).

Which bed should you choose for your dog?

A bed with raised sides (they're reassuring), sized to the dog, as comfy as possible. For a puppy, washable plastic at first, tough enough to stand up to chewing; move to something soft once he's stopped destroying it. Put it in a quiet corner, never in a busy through-route.

How do you choose a lead for your dog?

A short lead of around 1.2 m, in leather or light nylon that won't slip in your hand, with a solid clip. Avoid the chain (heavy, weighs on the neck) and the retractable lead (no control). For the early weeks and for recall, what you really need is a long line (5 m then 20 m), not a short lead.

Collar or harness for my dog?

A classic flat collar suits plenty of dogs. For a dog who pulls or is already reactive, a front-clip harness is better, as it spares the neck. On a very young puppy, neither is urgent: the long line is enough. Never a choke, prong or electric collar.

How do you get the home ready before the dog arrives?

Put away cleaning products, medicines, antifreeze and small swallowable objects, protect the cables, make the bin, balcony and stairs safe, and move toxic plants out of reach. If he swallows something, call the vet or a poison centre, and never make the dog sick yourself.

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