New puppy checklist

The essentials are food and water bowls, the puppy food your breeder uses, a collar, harness, lead and ID tag, a bed, a crate or pen if you are crate training, toilet pads, chew and soft toys, a grooming brush, poo bags, and an enzymatic cleaner for accidents, plus baby gates to puppy-proof the home. The full tickable list is above, so you can work through it before your puppy arrives.

Keep it calm and low-key, hold off on visitors, and let your puppy settle. Show it where its bed, food, and toilet spot are, start a gentle routine for meals, toilet, play, and sleep, begin house training with lots of praise, and plan the first few nights with a den or crate near you. Keep feeding the breeder's food at first, then change it over gradually to avoid an upset tummy.

Usually about one to two weeks after the second set of vaccinations, once your puppy is fully protected, which your vet will confirm. Before then, avoid public places and other dogs of unknown vaccination status, but you can still socialise safely at home, in your own garden, and by carrying your puppy to see the world. Ask your vet for the exact timing for your puppy's vaccination schedule.

The first-year setup, on top of the puppy's price, covers the shopping list, vaccinations, microchipping, neutering, and starting insurance, and it adds up to a meaningful sum. It is worth budgeting for the whole first year, not just the puppy. Our guide to the true cost of owning a dog breaks the numbers down honestly.