Recommended Products For Your New Puppy
Puppy Food - We DO NOT recommend a puppy food with a main ingredient of lentils, legumes, or potatoes. Foods with these as main ingredients are typically your boutique or grain-free diet and are linked to canine heart failure. We DO recommend a diet that is complete and balanced. Our favorite brands are Iams Smart Puppy Large Breed, Royal Canin Large Breed Puppy, and Purina Pro Plan Puppy (either lamb & rice, chicken & rice, or sensitive skin and stomach). Chewy is normally where we order from.
Crate - Bigger is not better! Your pup should be able to comfortably stand up, turn around, and lie down with outstretched paws. Any bigger than this will deter potty training, and your pup will have less hesitation to pee or poo in their crate. You can avoid having to purchase multiple crates by starting with a large crate with a divider that allows you to increase the space as they grow.
The Snuggle Puppy is awesome to have for those first few weeks of the puppy arriving. It is designed to comfort a new puppy in their new home during crate time. A heart beat is inserted into the velcro belly to comfort a puppy and give it the sound and feeling that they are used to having when they slept with their littermates prior to their new home.
Hygiene Products
Shampoo - We recommend a gentle shampoo that will not irritate the skin. We use Chi from Chewy and Bobbi Panter's Soothing Dog Shampoo.
Oral hygiene - We recommend getting them used to their teeth being brushed right away. The longer you wait to introduce this, the more difficult it will be.
Ear cleaning - Due to the doodles floppy ears they can be prone to ear infections. Their ears need to be cleaned regularly with an ear cleanser. We use the brand linked.
Enzymatic Cleaner - This is a must to have around for the accidents that are bound to happen. They are designed to remove stains and odors to keep that puppy from returning to that spot to potty. Urine Away by Ceva is our favorite.
Chewing
All puppies like to chew on things they shouldn't, especially your favorite pair of shoes.
Bitter Apple Spray is a deterrent for puppy chewing. It can be sprayed on clothing, shoes, edges of furniture, cords, ect. This product works really well for some puppies, but for others it doesn't work 100%.
Chew toys - It is important to have plenty of chew toys around in different textures. Plush, soft, squeaky, hard. I've linked some of our favorites.
Other products we like for crate time or just in general when you want your puppy occupied for a short period of time. Kongs are fantastic for playtime and you can fill them with fun treats. Puppy puzzles, snuffle mats, ect are great as well.
This food dispenser toy is great to have around for different situations. It's nice for breakfast time if you need your puppy to take longer to eat so you have time to get ready for the day or get your kids ready for school. Also is nice for outings, and you need something to occupy your puppy for a period of time.
Treats - Having treats on hand are important for training your puppy. Our personal favorite are Zuke's minis, Natural Balance, and Wag brand.
Having a treat pouch during training sessions are very handy and convenient. Carrie's favorite is the fanny pack style, while Logan prefers the silicone one that clips to his waistband or belt.
Grooming - Your doodle will require regular grooming. Important grooming tools to have around is a slicker brush, and a steel comb. A rake is also fantastic. Our routine is to use the rake for any mats or tangles, slicker brush for all over brushing, and then finishing off with the comb.
For a slicker brush the Chris Christensen is hands down the most recommended by groomers and doodle owners. However, these brushes are expensive so I've included a link for a brush that also works well as a less expensive option. If you choose to purchase a Chris Christensen I do not recommend purchasing through Amazon as they are often not the real thing. However, I've attached a link so you know what to look for.
Puppy Playpen - A playpen that can be set up indoors or outdoors is really nice to have for containing your puppy when needed, but not necessarily wanting to crate.
Food and water bowl - The safest pet food bowls are made of stainless steel. They are durable, and easily cleanable. Although plastic bowls are less expensive, and come in all kinds of fun colors and patterns they scratch overtime and will harbor bacteria. The second best option to stainless steel is glass or ceramic. These bowls are non porous, and also easy to clean. The downside is they can chip or break, and would need to be discarded if that occurred. We love the petsmart gravity water station, and use this for our puppies. The Hydrapeak bowl is of good quality, and is non slip.
Lupine collars, leashes, and ID tags - Lupine Pet products are made in the USA, and come with a lifetime guarantee (even if chewed).
Training - Resources as an alternative to in-person puppy school. Baxter and Bella is an online puppy school and is an excellent alternative to traditional classes. If interested in this option you can use our 25% off coupon code "TCP25". Other options are youtube channels and books. Social, Civil, and Savvy is a good read on behavior and socialization. Kikopup and Zak George are a few of my favorite trainers to view on Youtube.
However, nothing beats in person puppy training so I above anything else will always recommend puppy classes in person once puppy vaccinations are complete. Group basic obedience classes are generally very affordable, and are super helpful in getting you started with training.
