Recommended Products for Your New Puppy

We get asked all the time what to buy before bringing a puppy home. After years of raising Golden Retrievers and hearing from our families about what worked and what collected dust, this is what we actually recommend. Every product links to Happy Wag Outfitters, where we write detailed reviews on everything we suggest.

Crate

The crate is the foundation of your entire first month. Buy the 42-inch from day one, use a divider to make it puppy-sized, and expand as they grow. One crate purchase for the life of the dog. The EliteField 3-Door Soft Crate is what we recommend. Soft crates create a den-like enclosure that helps puppies settle faster than open wire crates — the covered sides reduce visual stimulation and trigger the natural denning instinct. It folds flat in about 30 seconds for travel, which is a big deal when you are visiting family or going anywhere with a dog.

Snuggle Puppy

The Snuggle Puppy has a battery-powered heartbeat and a microwavable heat pack that mimics the sensation of sleeping next to a littermate. When your puppy goes from sleeping in a pile of siblings to sleeping alone in a crate in a strange house, this is the difference between one rough night and five. We believe in it so much that every GBK puppy goes home with one in their bag, paired with a blanket that smells like mom and the litter. You do not need to buy this yourself — it is included.

Toys

Your puppy does not need fifteen toys on day one. But they do need a good variety of textures and styles — hard, soft, rope, and ball. Dogs explore the world with their mouths, and giving them different materials to chew and carry teaches them appropriate chewing habits while keeping them mentally stimulated. Here is what we recommend:

Kong Classic — Stuff it with peanut butter or kibble mixed with wet food, freeze it, and put it in the crate. This is your single best tool for crate training. What was going to be a 30-second meal becomes a 20-45 minute mental workout. Also your best friend during teething — frozen Kongs soothe sore puppy gums better than anything else we have found. Buy three or four and rotate them out of the freezer.

Elk Antler — A long-lasting natural chew that keeps dogs occupied without the mess. Elk antlers do not splinter like cooked bones, have virtually no smell, and are packed with minerals. One antler can last weeks or even months depending on how aggressive your chewer is. Wait until adult teeth are fully in (around 6 months) before introducing these — puppy teeth are not strong enough for hard chews.

Playology Puppy Sensory Ball — This ball is infused with all-natural peanut butter scent baked into the material, not sprayed on. Dogs play with their noses first, and our puppies gravitate to scented toys over unscented ones every time. The plush exterior holds up well to puppy chewing and the medium size is perfect for a Golden puppy mouth.

Highland Cow Floppy Toy — The soft, textured nubs across the body give puppies something interesting to mouth and explore, while the floppy horns are perfect for grabbing and carrying. It is a great sensory toy — the different textures stimulate their face and gums, which is especially good for teething puppies who need variety.

Playology Dri-Tech Rope Toy — If your Golden is anything like ours, tug-of-war is a daily requirement. Most rope toys get waterlogged, slimy, and disgusting within a week. The Dri-Tech material wicks moisture and dries fast. The peanut butter scent baked into the fibers keeps dogs coming back. When any rope toy starts fraying significantly, replace it — you do not want your dog swallowing rope fibers.

A standard tennis ball. They are Golden Retrievers. It is in the name — they retrieve things. A basic tennis ball from any store is one of the simplest, most satisfying toys you can give them. Keep a few around.

Food

Purina Pro Plan Puppy — Lamb & Rice is what we feed and what we recommend. High protein with DHA from fish oil for brain and vision development. Real lamb is the first ingredient. We have raised every litter on this formula, and it is what your puppy will already be eating when they come home from us. Keeping them on the same food avoids the digestive upset that comes with sudden diet changes.

Food and Water Bowls

Ceramic breaks. Plastic harbors bacteria in microscopic scratches and can cause chin acne — Golden Retrievers are already prone to skin issues, so putting a bacteria reservoir right where their face goes twice a day is asking for trouble. We have seen it firsthand with our puppy families — switch away from plastic and the irritation clears up. Every time.

The Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Bowls are what we use. The shape matters — they have a wide, low-profile wedge design that makes them nearly impossible to tip over. If you have ever owned a Golden puppy, you know why this matters. They paw at the water bowl, they play in it, they try to flip it. A standard round bowl becomes a flood on your kitchen floor. These stay put, the non-skid rubber base keeps them from sliding, and stainless steel goes in the dishwasher and lasts forever. Set of two — one for food, one for water.

Towels

You will need designated dog towels. Golden Retrievers find water — puddles, sprinklers, water bowls, mud — and they will need drying off before they rearrange your living room furniture with a wet coat. Keep a stack of cheap, absorbent towels by every door. Old bath towels work perfectly. No need to buy anything special.

Leash and Collar

Start simple. Even though we microchip every puppy before they go home, your puppy still needs a flat collar with ID tags from day one. A microchip requires a scanner to read — if that puppy gets out of your yard, an ID tag on the collar is the difference between a phone call and a lost dog. And a standard 6-foot leash for walks.

Slip lead. Once your puppy has the basics down, a slip lead is the simplest, most effective training leash you can own. No clips, no fumbling — just loop it over their head and go. Instant feedback when they pull, instant release when they walk nicely. The HOWGO Slip Lead has two padded handles — a full-length one for normal walking and a short traffic handle for close control in parking lots and vet lobbies. The 360-degree swivel keeps the rope from twisting up on itself. This is what we use with our own dogs. Here is a great video on how to properly use a slip lead: How to Use a Slip Lead.

Harness. Your puppy does not need a harness right away. Puppies need to learn to walk on a slip lead and collar first — the wrong harness can actually teach a puppy to pull, since they lean into it like a sled dog. Also, Golden puppies grow fast. Very fast. A harness that fits your 15-pound puppy will not fit your 30-pound puppy six weeks later. Once their growth rate starts to slow down (usually around 8-10 months), then a good harness like the Bark Appeal No-Pull Harness makes sense for walks, hiking, or any activity where you want extra control. This is the harness we use on our own Goldens. When you do use a harness, only use the chest or side connection points — a back clip lets them lean into it and pull, which defeats the entire purpose.

Grooming

Coat Care

Start brushing your puppy from week one, even if there is nothing to brush. You are not grooming the coat — you are training the puppy to accept grooming. Five minutes a day now prevents a 70-pound adult that hates being brushed later.

  • Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush — Your go-to for tangles and undercoat. The self-cleaning button is a game changer.
  • Chris Christensen Pin Brush — Your daily maintenance brush for the topcoat. Two brushes, two jobs.
  • Undercoat Rake — You will not need this until your puppy's adult coat starts coming in around 6-8 months. But when that undercoat arrives, and with a Golden it arrives in force, this tool becomes essential.

Nails

Golden Retrievers often have dark nails, which means you cannot see the quick. This makes nail trimming stressful for a lot of owners — one bad cut and the dog remembers it forever. A nail grinder solves this problem by letting you take off small amounts at a time with zero risk of cutting too deep.

  • Dremel PawControl Nail Grinder — The best nail grinder we have found. Quiet motor, adjustable speed, guard to prevent over-grinding. This is the tool professional groomers use.
  • DiamondG Heavy-Duty Nail Clipper — If you prefer clippers over a grinder, this is a solid option. Sharp, clean cuts with a safety guard.

Looking for everything in one place?

We put together a New Puppy Starter Kit at Happy Wag Outfitters with all the essentials in priority order, including detailed write-ups on why we picked each product. It is the exact gear list we give to our own puppy families.