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Getting ready for your puppy!
This information is to help you gather all the basic necessities you will need to purchase for when you bring the puppy Home
There are some essential things you should have in place before the puppy comes home. This is a list I have put together from past experience which I hope will help you care for your new companion.This is by no means everything you will accumulate over the years for your dog but they are just the essentials to get you started to a successful relationship.
The first thing you need is a crate or a small place where your puppy is going to spend time while you do other things. Remember, your puppy should be only in these 3 places at one time:outside going potty, in the crate or in a very supervised place almost attached to your hip if not literally! You can purchase a large crate however an M about 30”x19”x22 or a L 36”x22”x25”will do. You can also use your laundry room however, to start house training, this is too large of a space, and your puppy should only have enough room in his crate to stand up and turn around, which it isn’t much, otherwise is going to have enough room to go potty inside the crate. A puppy will rarely go potty in their living quarters and that’s why we try to keep it a tight space.
A dog bed or Crate mat. I know your puppy will come to you as fluffy as a pooch and you would want to keep everything around him or her as confidence as possible but at this time, it is not practical.Keep the crate’s floor as clear as possible from all things including a crate mat. This will only be one more thing you have to deal with; I promise your puppy will not be uncomfortable.If you must have something, just place an old, a very old towel folded up or you can buy a simple, economic, flat crate mat. Please check out the ‘Slumber pet pawprint crate mat’ from www.petedge.com.
A leash and Collar. These items are just as personal as your own clothing. I do not keep my dog’s collar on while inside the house to prevent knotting around the neck area however,you should always take your dog outside on a leash. Also, if you would like, you can purchase a pet ID tag at your local pet store with your information engraved on it for added security.Your puppy is going to be micro-chipped for identification purposes so please, don’t forget to update the information online and keep it current if you happen to move.
Shampoo and conditioner. You will need to give your puppy a bath, I promise! While you might choose to take your dog to the groomer eventually, you should get familiar with howto do it yourself. There are pretty good videos on youtube on how to get a puppy a bath and how to get a dog a bath. I have some info about that on the grooming page of our website.There are a few products I have come do adore with the years and after trying products after products. You can find these items at www.cherrybroke.com. These shampoos and conditioners cost the same as the commercial products you find at your local pet store but they are professional quality. Isle of Dogs tearless puppy shampoo is the best for washing your entire puppy and when he grows up, to wash his face.Crown Royale Conditioning plus is an excellent conditioner. When your puppy grows up, you can start using it in his body (not face) the Crown Royale deep cleansing shampoo, both here in the pictures. You can get all these 3 products at www.cherrybrook.com
Comb, brush and slicker brush. It is wise to get you puppy used to being handle all over his body that way when it’s time for a bath or grooming he won’t pitch a fit! In theseitems you can go as expensive or inexpensive as you like, my recommendation, get the most economical but of good quality. www.petedge.com has a ‘Mater Grooming Tools Brush and Comb grooming kit’ that I personally like or you can buy these items separately at your local pet store
Food and Water. You can choose to feed your puppy in whichever way you like and what works for you. I personally have them eat inside the crate. However, don’t put food in a bowl inside the crate because they will spill it and you will have to clean it up a few times a day. I get the ‘ProSelect Hanging Bowl’ 16oz from www.petedge.com, I also like the hanging water bottles because they don’t get the dogs mustache wet. These you can buy at your local pet store.
For your kitchen, or whichever you choose, there is this neat and fashionable product I’m sure you will like as much as I do. You can find it at www.pawscreations.com its call the‘Pet adjustable water stand’ (PAWS). They come in different sizes and designs. Just make sure you get the 64oz water bottle. Their customer service is excellent.
Accidents! You will have them… they are part of learning. Word of advice, when you take your puppy out, make sure you SEE she indeed went outside! But for those times when you are not sure and they find an accident, you can use this and it works great! You can find this at your local pet store it’s called ‘Natures Miracle Urine Destroyer’
Ears. If there is one thing that you have to be careful with Australian Labradoodles is their ears. Because they are so long they tend to accumulate moisture harboring great amounts of yeast and bacteria. There is a great product I use and it works wonders for me. For a more effective result, I clean my dog’s ears once a week however twice a month is good too. I buy this product at Amazon ‘Vetoquinol ear cleansing solution’
Nail care. This is just some of the inevitable things about owning a dog. While most dogs wear out their nails by walking and or running on concrete, this is something you have to keep up with because if the nails get too long then by pressing on the walking surface they can push back and hurt the dog’s toes, legs and shoulders. Also, there’s what’s call the dewclaw. This nail that is slightly above the foot, sort of where the ankle would be also needs to be trimmed. For this I recommend the guillotine-style nail trimmer and you can get this at your local pet store.
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