What You Actually Need for a New Dachshund Puppy

The practical puppy essentials worth having before your new little doxie comes home.

Bringing home a dachshund puppy is exciting! It can also make you feel like you suddenly need to buy half the pet store.

You don’t.

There are endless puppy products out there, and plenty of them are cute or convenient. But when you’re preparing for those first days at home, the most important question isn’t What can I buy?

It’s What will I actually need?

A new puppy needs a safe place to sleep, food, a way to contain all that puppy energy, supplies for potty training, a few things to chew and play with, and some basic grooming and safety items.

Dachshunds also come with a few special considerations. Their long backs and short legs make it worthwhile to start good habits from the beginning rather than trying to change them later.

So instead of an enormous shopping list, here are the things I actually had at home and ready before I brought my last new dachshund puppy home.

1. A Properly Sized Crate

A crate can quickly become one of the most useful things you own during puppyhood.

It gives your puppy a safe place to sleep and rest, helps establish a bedtime routine, and can be an important part of potty training.

Choose one that is appropriately sized for your puppy. They should have enough room to stand up, turn around and lie comfortably, but you don't need a huge crate for a tiny puppy.

A crate with a divider can be especially useful because you can increase the available space as your dachshund grows.

2. Washable Crate Bedding

Notice the word washable. 😂

Your puppy does not need an elaborate luxury bed inside the crate on day one. Accidents happen, water spills, puppies get sick, and bedding gets dirty.

Start with something soft, comfortable and easy to throw in the washing machine.

Having a spare isn't a bad idea, either.

3. A Puppy Pen or Baby Gates

You won't be able to watch your puppy every second of every day.

A puppy pen or strategically placed baby gates allow you to create a safe puppy zone where your dachshund can play without having access to the entire house.

This is particularly helpful during potty training and during that stage when puppies seem determined to investigate absolutely everything with their mouths.

Containment isn't punishment. Sometimes it's simply the easiest way to keep a curious puppy safe while you cook dinner, take a shower or get something done.

4. The Food Your Puppy Is Already Eating

The first few days in a new home bring enough changes without adding an abrupt diet change.

Ask the breeder or rescue what your puppy has been eating and have some of that food ready before your puppy arrives.

If you eventually want to feed something different, you can discuss your puppy's nutritional needs with your veterinarian and transition foods gradually.

5. Food and Water Bowls

This one doesn't need to be complicated.

Choose stable bowls that are appropriately sized for a small puppy and easy to clean. I prefer stainless steel bowls that have rubber bottoms to keep them from sliding around on my hard floors.

You can always upgrade to something fancier later. For those first days, your puppy simply needs easy access to fresh water and an appropriate bowl for meals.

6. A Dachshund-Friendly Harness

A properly fitted harness is a worthwhile purchase for a dachshund.

Look for one that fits securely without rubbing or restricting your puppy's natural movement. Remember that dachshund puppies grow quickly, so check the fit regularly.

For walks and outings, you'll want the leash attached securely to the harness rather than relying on a tiny puppy to make good decisions about where they're going. Spoiler: they won't!

7. A Lightweight Leash

Pair that harness with a lightweight leash that's comfortable for a small puppy.

You don't need anything elaborate. At this stage, you're simply beginning to teach your puppy that wearing a leash and following you are normal parts of life.

Keep early leash experiences short and positive.

8. Poop Bags

Not exciting.

Definitely necessary.

Buy them before the puppy arrives. You'll use more than you think.

Enough said. 😂

9. Enzymatic Cleaner

If this is your first dachshund puppy, here's one item you really don't want to discover you need after the first accident.

An enzymatic pet cleaner is designed to break down the organic material left behind by urine rather than simply making the area smell clean to us.

That's important because a puppy may return to an area where it can still detect the scent.

And yes, your puppy is probably going to have accidents.

That doesn't mean potty training isn't working. It means you have a puppy. While you’re at the store, grab a couple of rolls of paper towels, too.

10. Small Training Treats

Those first weeks are full of opportunities to reward good choices.

Going potty outside? Treat.

Coming when called? Treat.

Walking into the crate willingly? Treat.

Trying something new? Treat.

You don't need giant biscuits every time. Small, puppy-appropriate treats let you reward frequently without filling up that tiny dachshund belly.

11. Puppy-Safe Chew Toys

Puppies chew.

And once teething really gets underway, they chew a lot.

Providing appropriate chew toys gives your puppy somewhere acceptable to direct that instinct instead of discovering the apparently irresistible flavor of your furniture, shoes or baseboards.

Choose toys appropriate for your puppy's size and supervise them, especially when introducing something new. Replace anything that becomes damaged or small enough to swallow.

12. Two or Three Puppy-Safe Toys

You do not need a giant toy basket waiting on day one.

Two or three good toys are plenty to get started.

A few different textures or styles can help you learn what your puppy actually enjoys. One puppy may adore a little stuffed toy while another wants something they can chase or carry around.

You'll have plenty of time to build the toy collection later. Trust me—the toys have a way of multiplying. 😂

13. A Cozy Dog Bed

Puppies sleep—a lot.

Give your puppy a comfortable place to nap outside of the crate as well.

For a dachshund, look for something that's easy to step into rather than a bed that requires climbing or jumping. Washability is another big plus during puppyhood.

And don't be surprised if your carefully selected bed occasionally loses to a blanket, your lap or the exact spot you were planning to sit.

14. A Dachshund-Friendly Ramp

This is one area where having a dachshund changes my puppy list.

Rather than allowing a puppy to spend months jumping on and off furniture and then introducing a ramp later, consider making the ramp part of everyday life from the beginning.

Your puppy can learn that the ramp is simply how we get up and down.

Look for a stable ramp with good traction and an incline appropriate for the location where you're using it.

And don't expect your puppy to automatically understand what it's for.

Introduce it slowly and positively.

Related: How to Train Your Dachshund to Use a Ramp

Related: Best Ramps for Dachshunds: What to Look for Before You Buy

15. Nail Clippers or a Nail Grinder

Even if you don't plan to trim your puppy's nails yourself, start getting them comfortable with having their paws handled.

Touch their feet. Hold individual toes briefly. Let them see and hear the nail grinder if that's what you'll eventually use. Reward calm behavior.

The goal isn't necessarily to accomplish a perfect nail trim immediately.

You're teaching your puppy that having their paws handled is a normal part of life—and Future You may be very grateful that Puppy You started early.

16. Basic Grooming Supplies

What you'll need depends somewhat on whether your dachshund is smooth, long-haired or wire-haired.

At minimum, have an appropriate brush or comb for your puppy's coat and a gentle puppy shampoo.

You don't need an entire grooming salon in your bathroom.

Again, the bigger goal during puppyhood is often simply introducing grooming positively so brushing, bathing and handling aren't completely foreign experiences later.

17. A Familiar Blanket or Comfort Item

If possible, ask whether your breeder or rescue can send something home that smells familiar.

A small blanket or other safe comfort item carrying familiar scents can provide some reassurance when everything else—the house, people, sounds and sleeping arrangements—is suddenly new.

Your puppy has just experienced a major life change.

A little familiarity can be comforting.

18. Patience and Realistic Expectations

Unfortunately, Amazon doesn't sell this one. 😂

You can have the crate assembled, the puppy pen ready, the perfect little harness hanging by the door and every supply neatly organized.

And your puppy can still cry that first night.

They can still pee on the floor ten minutes after you took them outside.

They can bite your hands, wake you up at an unreasonable hour, refuse to nap when you're exhausted and then fall sound asleep when you're finally ready to play with them.

That's puppyhood.

Your puppy isn't arriving knowing your household routine or understanding what you expect. They're learning an entirely new life while you're learning an entirely new little dog.

Give both of you some time.

You Really Don't Need Everything on Day One

It's incredibly easy to overbuy when you're excited about bringing home a puppy.

There will be plenty of time for cute accessories, extra toys, fancy feeding stations and all the other things you discover you want along the way.

For now, focus on the basics:

Keep your puppy safe. Keep them comfortable. Give them appropriate things to chew and play with. Start building good habits. And expect a little chaos.

You can figure out the rest together.

And if you're wondering what those first days actually look like once the adorable little dachshund is finally in your house?

That's a whole other conversation.

Coming next: What the First Two Weeks With a New Dachshund Puppy Are Really Like.