Puppy Essentials

Puppy Essentials 101: 

After over twelve years of owning and loving Australian Labradoodles i've been through my fair share of trial and error with products for my furry friends. I thought that putting together a list of my favourite things will help you prepare to bring your new puppy home.

Training:

With so many options on how to train your puppy it can get confusing. My philosophy is similar to that of Cesar Millans. I do however, adapt it to fit my families specific needs and desires. Its important for you as a family to decide and agree on what boundaries you may have. This should be implemented immediately. For example my dogs don't have many boundaries. I enjoy snuggling with them on my bed over having them sit with me on my couch. This isn't for everyone, but it is for our household! I would recommend doing some research in preparation for your new furry family member. 

Sleeping Arrangements:

 Again, this is a personal preference but for a first time puppy owner I would recommend implementing a crate. This will aid in your potty training efforts. Remember not to use a crate as a punishment or else they will not like to spend any time in there. If used correctly your puppy will use this as a "den" much like our bedroom would be to us. I would start with the crate beside your bed so you can comfort the puppy while it gets used to the transition and its new surroundings. Throughout the day you can move the crate to wherever you are so the puppy can nap, or chew a bone or treat. This helps create a nice, safe place for them as they get used to it.
For those families with small children its important for your children to know that they are to leave the puppy alone when its in the crate. It needs to be a safe place for the puppy to go when they want to get away or need a break. Make sure the crate size is appropriate for your puppy. If you intend to continue to use the crate throughout the puppies life, I recommend buying a crate that will grow with your puppy. Its kind of hard to see in this picture but this wire crate comes with a divider that moves as your puppy grows.

Collars and Leashes:

Choosing collars and leashes is super fun. I often use cat collars on my puppies because sometime the dog ones are just to big. The only thing I would recommend in regards to leashes is don't use the harness. This tends to encourage pulling. Its similar to putting a harness on a horse. You do that because you want it to pull something. Also it mats the dogs hair. 

Veterinary Care:

I have found that it is best if you are able to get a referral from a trusted friend or family member. Your vet will become somewhat like your family doctor. However, veterinarian care is not covered by health care and can become quite expensive very quickly. It is my experience that often, unnecessary precautionary measures can be recommended by the vet. 

Food/ Treats:

I've spent quite a bit of time researching multiple brands of puppy food. In my opinion NOW Fresh Natural Puppy food is the best. Its made out of REAL natural ingredients (that you can actually read and pronounce) like turkey, salmon, eggs and apples. Its also grain free, which can be hard on puppies digestive systems. This food will help keep your puppy happy and healthy, and his/her coat nice and shiny.  I send you home with a sample of this food when you come to take your puppy home.

I always give my dogs and puppies Puppy Love treats. They are also made out of real ingredients and produced locally in Southern Alberta.  They have a large variety of treats to chose from which include beef, bison, chicken and duck. You will receive a sample pack from Puppy Love as well in your puppy bag.  Making sure the product is grain free and free of preservatives will help ensure that your puppy receives the best possible nutrition. In my sales contract I have a list of different brands of food and treats if this isn't readily available to you. 

Grooming/ Products: 

I recommend a specific puppy or oatmeal shampoo and conditioner that will be gentle on their skin. Try not to bathe your puppy to often, as it dries out their skin, and ruins their natural skin oil. Washing their feet and legs is often all they need. This is what I use (mostly because it smells fantastic and it has vitamins and minerals in).  I buy this at Petsmart and if you cant see the label its GNC Pets, vitamin enriched, gentle puppy shampoo, raspberry flavour. 

Your puppies oral health is important. Wether you use some sort of finger toothbrush, toothpaste combo like this....

Or supplement with bones and treats.  I use bones and treats, but again its personal preference.

Before I delve into the benefits of bones I just want to say NEVER GIVE YOUR DOG COOKED BONES. They are a choking hazard. 

Raw bones contain calcium and phosphorus. Raw bones can be found in the refrigerator section at the pet store. There are two types of raw bones you can feed; 

Edible bones: are the hollow, non weight bearing bones of birds (typically chicken wings and necks and turkey necks) they are soft, pliable and don't contain marrow. 

Recreational bones: big beef or bison femur and hip bones that are filled with marrow. They don't supply much nutrition (because they just get gnawed on and not chewed up and swallowed), but they do provide great mental stimulation and oral health benefits. 

When your dog chews on a raw, recreational bone (especially a meaty one with cartilage and soft tissue still attached) it's teeth get the equivalent of a good brushing and flossing. This helps to mechanically break down tartar and reduced the risk of gum disease. That being said, dogs that are aggressive chewers can chip or fracture their teeth on raw bones so be careful! 

Grooming your new puppy: 

If you have never groomed a new puppy before this can be overwhelming for you. I groom my Labradoodles about 4 times a year. Its a personal preference as to how long or short you want your dogs fur. Because Australian Labradoodles don't shed they need to be groomed regularly. Note: I was a dog groomer before I started breeding. Some of my favourite go-to grooming tools include:

Slicker Brush. I find this type of brush gets knots out the best. You can brush them as often or as little as you want. Most times dirt can be brushed out instead of being bathed or washed out. This will help to maintain the natural oils in puppies coat. 

Nail Sander:  I prefer to use a filer instead of a clipper because it is safer, especially when your dogs toe nails are dark and you aren't able to see the blood supply to their nail. When you cut their nails to short, or at the wrong angle it is very painful. Just like when you cut yours to short. 

Ear Cleaner: can be purchased from your vet or pet store. Ear zap is the brand I use. Its very important to keep your dogs ears clean and free of hair. This will help with any ear infections that this breed is prone to because of their floppy puppy dog ears. Make sure you use cotton balls or Q-tips with the cleaning solution. Q-tips work well to get down into the ear canal but similar to your own ear be careful about how far you go. 

The hair inside their ears is dead and needs to be removed either by hand or with a blunt end tool.  Be very careful if you do this on your own. The groomer should do it at appointments and the vet can do it as well. 

Toys: 

I know many families are super excited to go shopping or their puppy, because really who doesn't love shopping! Don't get to carried away because to many toy options can be  overwhelming for the puppy. Just a couple toys at a time will keep them occupied.  Be careful choosing toys, as some are not good for your dogs and can be a choking hazard. For example: Tennis balls. I have found that puppies really enjoy squeeky toys and toys that crinkle. Kongs filled with peanut butter or treats is a special treat. If you're super awesome you can even train your puppy to put its own toys away!

Puppies do not differentiate between their stuffies and your children's special stuffies. Be sure to keep special stuffies out of reach until the puppy stage is over.