October 7, 2026
Bringing a Xoloitzcuintli puppy home is exciting, but it is much easier when everything is prepared before the puppy arrives.
You do not need to buy dozens of unnecessary things. A Xolo puppy needs a few basic items for eating, sleeping, walking, playing, toilet training and everyday care.
At Sine Metu, we recommend preparing the essentials in advance and keeping the first days simple and predictable. A puppy should arrive in a home where it already has its own place, food and water bowls, a sleeping area and things that are safe to chew and play with.
Here is what you really need.
The first thing you should prepare is two separate bowls:
The puppy should have its own feeding area from the first day.
We also recommend keeping the feeding routine as stable as possible after the puppy arrives. The first days are not the right time to experiment with different foods.
Your breeder should tell you what the puppy has been eating. It is better to continue with the same food initially rather than make a sudden dietary change.
Our book recommends having the food used by the breeder ready before the puppy arrives.
This is one of the most important things to prepare.
When a puppy moves to a new home, everything around it changes: people, smells, sounds, routine and sleeping place. There is no reason to add an unnecessary dietary change at the same time.
Ask your breeder:
At Sine Metu, we recommend keeping the puppy's familiar feeding system during the initial adaptation period.
The puppy's appetite can temporarily change after moving because of stress and a completely new environment. The most important thing is a calm routine rather than constantly offering different foods.
Have treats ready from the first day.
They are not only something tasty. For a young Xolo, food is an excellent tool for:
The book specifically recommends having treats from the first day for positive reinforcement.
The important thing is moderation. Treats are an addition to the main diet, not a replacement for it.
Your puppy needs its own sleeping area.
For a young Xolo, we prefer a practical, easy-to-clean sleeping place rather than an expensive soft sofa-style bed.
A plastic bed with a blanket or washable pad inside is particularly practical during puppyhood. Puppies can have accidents, so being able to wash everything easily is a real advantage.
The puppy should understand from the beginning:
this is my place.
Show it where the bed is, where the bowls are and where its resting area is. This helps the puppy understand the new home and creates a sense of stability.
A Xolo puppy needs warmth.
Prepare at least one or two washable blankets that belong to the puppy.
They can be used:
The book recommends having a blanket or basic warm shelter specifically for the puppy.
A familiar-smelling blanket can also make the transition to a new home easier.
A crate is not absolutely mandatory for every family, but we consider it a very useful tool for a puppy.
A correctly introduced crate becomes a safe little home, not a punishment.
It can be used for:
The important rule is that the puppy should not live in the crate permanently. It should remain an active member of the family during the day.
Our book describes the crate as a safe shelter where the puppy can hide, rest and sleep. Many dogs eventually choose it themselves as their sleeping place.
You can read more about this in our separate article Xoloitzcuintli & Crate Training.
You will need:
According to our book, puppies usually leave the breeder with a basic collar and leash, so you may not need to buy an entire set immediately. As the puppy grows, the equipment will need to be replaced with the appropriate size.
For a young Miniature Xolo, the book gives a small puppy collar as the typical starting point.
This is an area where our approach differs from generic puppy advice.
For a growing Xolo puppy, we do not recommend automatically buying a harness simply because it is popular. The book specifically warns that an incorrectly fitted harness during growth may affect the development of the chest.
If you want to use a harness, discuss the particular model and fit with your breeder.
Toys are not a luxury for a Xolo puppy.
They are especially important during teething.
Prepare several different types:
There is a very simple principle from our book:
the more appropriate things a Xolo puppy has available to chew, the less likely it is to choose your shoes, furniture or other belongings.
Do not give a puppy unlimited access to every toy at once. You can rotate them so that old toys become interesting again.
Even if you plan to teach your puppy to toilet outside immediately, prepare for accidents.
We recommend having washable reusable puppy pads at home.
A puppy may still need to toilet indoors during the first months. Our book also describes the option of a toilet tray with absorbent wood or oat pellets.
Depending on your situation, you may want:
You do not necessarily need all of these. Choose the system that works best for your home.
If you are bringing home a Hairless Xoloitzcuintli, you should prepare some basic skin-care products.
The exact products depend on your puppy's skin and the season, but your basic kit can include:
The book lists skin-care products among the things to prepare for a Hairless Xolo and refers owners to the dedicated skin-care section for detailed recommendations.
For a Coated Xolo, the routine is different because the coat provides additional protection and requires its own basic grooming care.
A plastic travel carrier is one of the most useful purchases you can make.
You will need it for:
The book recommends choosing a carrier in which the dog can stand comfortably, turn around and lie down without its ears touching the top.
You do not necessarily have to buy the final adult-size carrier before the puppy arrives. The book specifically notes that you can buy the carrier after the puppy comes home and choose the appropriate size as the dog develops.
You might think you need to buy a complete wardrobe before the puppy arrives.
You don't.
If you are buying a puppy from a responsible breeder, the puppy may already have some basic clothing, particularly if it is leaving during a colder season. You can then buy additional pieces as the puppy grows.
The book specifically recommends not buying a large amount of clothing immediately, because the puppy will grow quickly.
For a Hairless Xolo living in a European climate, however, appropriate clothing will become important during autumn, winter and spring.
The priority is always:
comfort first, appearance second.
Diapers are not an essential purchase for every puppy.
They can be useful in particular situations, but you can wait until the puppy arrives and decide whether you actually need them.
The book describes:
They are considered an optional tool rather than a necessity.
A small dog first-aid kit is worth having at home.
The book recommends keeping basic materials such as:
However, one important point deserves emphasis: a first-aid kit is not a substitute for a veterinarian.
I would also not recommend keeping prescription emergency medications such as corticosteroids and deciding yourself when to administer them without a veterinarian's instructions. The book mentions these medications for severe allergic reactions, but medication and dosing should be discussed with your veterinarian in advance.
There is one thing you don't buy — you prepare.
Before bringing your Xolo home, look around the house from the puppy's perspective.
Remove or secure:
If you have a garden, check it carefully as well.
The book specifically warns about rodent poisons, chemical fertilizers and other toxic substances that may be accessible to a puppy.
This is just as important as buying the right bed or toys.
If you want the shortest possible checklist, start with this:
☐ Two bowls
☐ The food your breeder recommends
☐ Training treats
☐ Washable bed
☐ Blankets
☐ Collar
☐ Leash
☐ Several safe toys
☐ Reusable puppy pads
☐ Basic skin-care products for a Hairless Xolo
☐ Safe sleeping area / crate
☐ Safe home environment
☐ Travel carrier
☐ Toilet tray and suitable pellets
☐ Seasonal clothing
☐ Basic first-aid kit
☐ Extra blankets
☐ Travel supplies
☐ Large wardrobe
☐ Expensive designer bed
☐ Lots of diapers
☐ Adult-size equipment
☐ Dozens of toys
☐ Every grooming product you see in a pet shop
A good breeder can tell you what your particular puppy already has and what you actually need to buy.
When you collect your puppy, the most valuable things are not always objects.
A responsible breeder should give you clear information about the puppy's food, routine, veterinary records, vaccinations, parasite treatment and care. Professional puppy kits commonly include current food, medical records, feeding instructions and information about the puppy's daily routine.
At Sine Metu, we believe that bringing a puppy home should be the beginning of a relationship between the puppy, the family and the breeder — not the end of the breeder's responsibility.
You really don't need a huge shopping cart.
A Xolo puppy needs food, water, warmth, a safe place to sleep, appropriate walking equipment, toys, toilet-training supplies and basic care products.
Everything else can be added gradually as you learn your puppy.
The most important thing is not how many things you buy.
It is that when your puppy arrives, it already has a safe place, a predictable routine and people who understand that the first days are about security, trust and adaptation.
Is a mono-breed Miniature Xolo kennel.
We know everything about the Xolo breeding and even more.
We choose only the best Xolo bloodlines in the world for the breeding purpose in our kennel.
Our graduates live in more than 15 countries in Europe, the USA and Canada.
All our breeding dogs get tested for genetic diseases and are in excellent health condition.
