Puppy Preparations

For the past month we have been preparing for our new little bundle of joy, and I am starting to think that puppies are as expensive as children! We have bought a crate, a dog bed, toys, food and water bowls, a collar and leash, a brush, doggy shampoo, an outdoor kennel, a dog house for the kennel, and we paid to fence our yard. (And we haven't even bought his food or scheduled his first vet appointment yet!) So, this got me to thinking, what all does a puppy really need...

After a pretty exhaustive online search, it doesn't look like we went THAT overboard. The things that most sites suggest are:

1. A Name - I have read that two syllable names are best because they are easier for the puppy to differentiate between their names and one syllable commands.
2. Food Dish
3. Water dish
4. Leash
5. Collar
6. Wire Crate - We got one big enough for Bauer when he is full grown, but it can be adjusted for proper puppy size.
7. Pet Bed
8. Toys
9. Brush
10. Veterinarian Care and Puppy Shots - Our health guarantee that comes from our breeder requires a vet health check within two days of getting our new puppy, so we will have an appointment set up before he even arrives.
11. Puppy Food