A first-home checklist should make a Shih Tzu puppy’s arrival easier to manage, without turning preparation into a large shopping order. Start with a safe place to rest, the puppy’s familiar routine and a small set of suitable supplies. Add other items after you understand what your individual dog needs.
Confirm the puppy’s routine before shopping
Ask the current caregiver what food the puppy eats, how its day is organised and what grooming equipment it already knows. Write down the answers rather than relying on a quick handover conversation. Ask for current photographs, age and available records, and compare the daily commitments in our Shih Tzu breed guide.
Keep a preparation note with three columns: already ready, needs checking, and can wait. Give each task to a named person in your household. Buying equipment does not answer who will provide companionship, clean up, organise appointments or manage grooming.
The essentials to have ready
| Purpose | Starting items | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Rest | Washable bed and bedding | A quiet resting area and room for the puppy to lie comfortably |
| Food and water | Easy-to-clean bowls and familiar puppy food | The current food and routine; discuss changes with your veterinarian |
| Handling outdoors | Appropriately fitted harness, lead and identification | Fit for the individual puppy rather than a breed label alone |
| Play and learning | A few puppy-appropriate toys and suitable training rewards | Size, condition and supervision during use |
| Cleanup | Waste bags, washable cloths and pet-appropriate cleaning supplies | Storage away from the puppy |
| Boundaries | A suitable gate or pen where needed | Safe access to the areas you intend the puppy to use |
You do not need every accessory immediately. A crate, if used, needs an appropriate introduction and purpose; it is not a substitute for care or company. Keep receipts and packaging until you have checked the fit and suitability of equipment.
Make grooming a daily household task
The American Shih Tzu Club emphasises daily grooming even for dogs kept in a puppy clip. Prepare an appropriate brush and comb, and ask an experienced groomer to demonstrate gentle handling for your dog’s coat. A short trim still needs maintenance. Avoid buying several coat products before understanding what is suitable.
Decide who will do the daily grooming and where supplies will be stored. Make a separate list of questions for the groomer, including coat length, equipment and introducing the puppy to handling. Leave difficult tangles and unfamiliar trimming tasks to someone qualified rather than pulling at the coat or experimenting.
Prepare the home and support contacts
Secure cables, cleaning products and other chewable hazards. Set aside a calm rest space and explain to family members that the puppy should be allowed to rest undisturbed. Arrange a local veterinary contact and check how out-of-hours help is provided. Your veterinarian should advise on the individual puppy’s diet, preventive care and health records; this shopping checklist does not prescribe a schedule.
Keep a handover folder
Save the puppy’s available records, caregiver instructions, contact details, quotation and agreed terms together. Note any unanswered questions. Before travelling, confirm the individual puppy, appointment, collection or delivery proposal and charges. Our before-booking checklist and delivery enquiry guide can help structure that conversation.
Ask Alex Dog World
Our only office is D6, Guru AmarDas Avenue, Ajnala Road, Amritsar. Training, grooming and boarding are offered in Amritsar only. Call or WhatsApp +91 95551 00004, daily 9 AM-9 PM, or contact us. Supplies listed here are planning suggestions, not a product catalogue. Availability and arrangements require confirmation; an enquiry does not reserve a puppy.
Sources and review
Reviewed 28 October 2026 using the AKC puppy essentials guide, the American Shih Tzu Club’s daily grooming guidance and Dogs Trust’s puppy preparation checklist. General preparation guidance has been adapted for this enquiry website; UK-specific legal requirements are not presented as Indian rules. The featured image is an AI-generated breed illustration, not available puppy inventory.
