Guide · UK sources · checked 5 October 2026
Getting ready for your dog: what to sort and when.
Once you have a couple of breeds in mind, these guides cover the choices that come with any dog. Each is short, sourced and links to the charity or government pages behind it.
Before the dog arrives
Dogs Trust suggests preparing a bed, a den or quiet retreat, toys, feeding enrichment, cleaning supplies and a collar and lead before a puppy comes home.
- Feeding your dog: complete foods, wet versus dry, raw and plant-based diets, and foods to avoid.
- Crates, beds and a safe home: the role of a crate, resting places, toys and dog-proofing.
- Collars, harnesses, leads and car travel: fit, tags, reward-based walking and restraint in the car.
- Grooming and coat care: brushing, bathing, nails and teeth.
- Vets, insurance and the legal basics: registering, vaccines, microchipping and what to check in a policy.
- What a dog costs: PDSA’s minimum UK estimates, and our budget tool.
The first days
Dogs Trust’s advice for a new puppy: keep meals, sleep and walks at consistent times, start toilet training straight away, build time alone gradually (starting by sleeping in the same room and increasing distance slowly), and avoid visitors to begin with so the puppy is not overwhelmed in the first few days. Signs of settling include relaxed body language, exploring, eating normally and anticipating routines, and each dog adjusts at its own pace. If a puppy struggles, Dogs Trust suggests an accredited trainer or behaviourist. Their page is puppy-focused; for an adult or rescue dog, ask the rescue what the individual dog needs.
Adding a dog to a home that already has one? Read the introductions guide. Wondering how the dog fits your daily life? Behaviour and your life.
Source
Limits: general information from UK charities and government pages. Nothing here is a product recommendation, and nothing here changes breed matching or rankings.