Adding a new member to the family comes at a big expense. Or so you think. It doesn't have to be that ridiculous and there are some corners you can cut depending on your situation and goals. Corners that are cut are purely meant to be temporary, in that you should upgrade to better things as your puppy gets bigger. I am just trying not to gatekeep puppyhood, having a low budget does not make you a bad pet parent and I think everybody deserves to have a pet.

Here are some things that I used with Kazoo and my suggestions for better prices and use. If yo're a little crafty and resourceful you can cut down on a lot of stuff.

Collar and Leash

A small size collar is a good bet for a new puppy, however if you are getting a toy breed an extra small or cat collar might be a better fit. Keep in mind that your dog is going to outgrow the collar. Try asking around for a collar a friend's dog outgrew or shop at discount outlets.

Depending on the type of leash you get, your dog can use it their entire life. For something that is best for a puppy, I would not get a retractable leash, instead keep to the basics ribbon.

Identification Tag

A tag isn't something that a dog will outgrow, so it is okay to splurge on a fancy custom made tag. On the other hand, I didn't name Kazoo until a week in. In that time, she went through the airport and to the vet and a tag was a necessary thing for her to have. My solution was to 3D print a temporary dog tag for basically free. If you have a 3D printer, know somebody who does, or have a library that lets you use theirs it is very easy to make a custom dog tag.

Food

Talk to whoever you are getting your dog from to figure out what type of food they are already on. If you change food suddenly, it can lead to an upset stomach. Unfortunately, this is a section that you should not skimp out on, and instead research what food is best. Be prepared to spend more than the bargain brand.

Bowls

You're going to need one for food and one for water. Look at places like TJ Maxx, Marshals or other stores that place themselves in a discount category. Target also seems to have cheaper bowls. When I brought my puppy home, I used human bowls. I knew she was eventually going to need a raised food bowl and I didn't want to buy a nice set that would only last a month.

Toys

Check sales at pet stores, you can often find toys for less than two dollars. At this point durability is not a huge concern as puppies are not as rough as adult dogs and they will be supervised while playing. Plus, if you have a larger breed of dog, they will quickly outgrow toy sizes anyway.

Around the house, stuffed animals with embroidered eyes make great toys instead of throwing them out. Stuffed animals can also be found cheap at thrift stores. There are also multiple ways to make dog toys with scrap fabric and old clothing, you can find some in the DIY section of this website's blog.

Training Treats

Early on, I do not recommend bulk discount amounts on treats since a puppy may not like them. Instead buy a few smaller sample bags. To cut costs you can also make your own treats, we have easy and cheap recipes in the recipe section on this blog!

Grooming

Grooming supplies can be used post puppy stage, and in fact I recommend getting adult supplies already so that they can get used to them. Things like nail clippers, brushes, scissors, and soaps are all included in this. Because of an early introduction, Kazoo does not put up a fuss when I use a nail grinder. Similarly try to get them used to bathing with a puppy shampoo.

Bed

Kazoo still doesn't have an official bed. Originally, I didn't get her one because she would outgrow it. Instead, I gave her pillows and blankets, however she preferred to push everything into the corner and sleep on the floor. She still prefers floor.

In a perfect world, a better bed situation would be a pet bed inside of a crate to get your pet used to being crate and comfortable with sleeping in it. If you find that your pet is finicky about beds, keep your receipts.

Playpen

When you leave the house for more than a few hours, or while you're working from home, a pen gives a puppy a lot more space to stretch, sleep and play than a crate. If you plan to stay home and give your puppy attention all the time, maybe you don't need one, but I found that if I didn't put her 'in jail' the first two weeks I had her, there was no way I was going to get anything done as she kept waking up without me knowing and peeing randomly in the house.

I didn't actually buy a pen. I looked for a section in my house that had the potential to be blocked off easily. Then I blocked it off. It has to be an area where there is nothing a puppy can get into, so no plugs, chemicals or other unsavory things. Or rather nothing savory for a puppy. To do this you can purchase a gate which is cheaper and more reusable than a pen, or you can use things from around the house.

Kazoo's playpen was my blocked off kitchen. I had blocked it off with large bins that I was using for storage. These bins were heavy enough that Kazoo could not push them, and tall enough that she could not jump over them. Eventually she could jump over them, so I added a second layer. If you add another layer of height, make sure it is not something a puppy can pull down and crush themselves with.

Cleaning Supplies

Look at what cleaning supplies you have, and if they are pet safe. I didn't use a fancy enzyme cleaner, but if your pet frequently trashes hard to clean areas like carpets it is smarter to invest in a stronger cleaner instead of a new carpet.