EVERYTHING YOU'LL NEED FOR THE BIG DAY

 

Bringing a new puppy home is a thrilling experience, but if you don't have everything in place upon its arrival, the experience can turn from happy to harrowing. We've assembled a checklist of items you may already have on hand, and a few to purchase ahead of time.

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1. An appropriate-sized crate.

 

Dogs are den animals, and they love the comfort and security offered by a snug space of their own. Ideally, the crate will have three "walls," with a front gate your dog can see through. A wire crate is fine as well, just throw a blanket or sheet over part of it to make it more cozy. Some wire crates come with a divider so you can increase area a pup grows. It's important to find a crate that's just the right size for your puppy. If the crate has too much room, the puppy is likely to have an "accident" inside of it. But the crate should not be so small that he doesn't have room to sit up or stretch out. Add some bedding, like old sheets, T-shirts, or towels, so puppy has something soft to sleep on, and be sure to leave him a few chew toys.

 

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2. Wire playpen.

 

We recommend these wire panels, which can be configured to any size or shape you might need. They can also be used to block doorways to rooms you'd like to keep off-limits. Baby gates are great too.

 

 

3. Chew Toys.

 

A new puppy will chew anything in his path: your shoes, furniture, DVDs. Make sure you have plenty of toys to chew instead, and always offer a toy when you catch him chewing a non-toy. We recommend starting with a variety, as different breeds and individual puppies gravitate toward different things. It will take some trial and error to figure out what your dog likes best. Start with a multipack of puppy bones, furry toys, and rubber balls. We do not recommend squeak toys. Solid bones, antlers or hooves are great and can keep a puppy satisfied for quite a while. Always make sure pups with toys are supervised. Kong’s are awesome filled with puppy kibble. You don’t want to fill a puppy up on treats or junk food!!

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4. Leash and collar.

 

Even if your puppy is not fully immunized and therefore not ready to go outside, you can introduce him to his leash and collar, and get him accustomed to wearing it. Harnesses are safe for young puppies but it’s good to teach them to walk properly with a collar. Harnesses on older dogs can lead to pulling and bad habit

 

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5. Bitter Apple Spray.

 

After puppy-proofing your home, there may still be a few items you can't just place out of puppy's reach, like the corners of your furniture. Bitter Apple Spray can be applied to most household items. It's scentless for humans, but tastes nasty to dogs, and keeps their curious mouths away. Cayenne pepper in holes works if puppy decides to dig!

 

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6. Puppy food and bowls.

 

This is obvious, as puppies need to eat about three to four times a day and require a bowl of fresh water nearby most of the time. Purchase high-quality pet food recommended by your vet or breeder, and serve in a stainless steel bowl (steel collects less bacteria than glass or plastic). We feed Purina pro plan sport 30/20 - Chicken or lamb are both fine. As an adult we feed Purina pro plan sport. This food is all life stages. (We do have a few dogs and litters on Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Stomach Salmon) Start your pup out with 4 feedings a day. Put down a bowl of food for 15-20 minutes, then pick it up. Twice a day we mix a little canned food in to start and Nuvet vitamins once a day. Healthy treats are good in small quantities. Dried Liver treats are great. Anything small and easily chewed is good. Remember a treat is just that, a treat!! Don’t get your pup full on treats.

 

7. Nature's Miracle or other enzyme cleaner.

 

Even the best-trained puppy will have an indoor accident at some point, and it should be cleaned up within seconds, when possible. The difference between enzyme cleansers and your regular household spray is that the enzymes will eliminate odors that only your dog can smell, reducing any reminder that he's gone potty in any particular part of your house. Also, avoid any cleaning agent that contains ammonia — the chemical smells just like pee to a dog, and dogs love "going" where they've "gone" before. Puppy pads are not recommended they teach a puppy to go inside on a fabric surface.

 

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8. Grooming is very important for your puppy.

 

We start introducing bathes at about 5 weeks and They are getting use to a blow dryer. By the time you get your pup it’s already had 2-3 bathes and gotten used to a blow dryer. We also use small clippers for a sanitary trim if needed. We trim nails at every bath. Your puppy will need regular brushing. A soft slicker brush is great for starting out. A high quality metal comb is essential for detecting and preventing mats. It only takes a few minutes a day to run a comb through your puppy’s coat. A bath and blow dry every 3-4 weeks is a good idea. Early training will set your pup up to have a good experience with a professional groomer. And your groomer will love that you have taken the time to get your pup accustomed to proper grooming. Toenail trims are important as well. Puppy nails are sharp and grow fast so you’ll want to trim nails on a regular basis. We do not remove dewclaws so don’t forget to trim Them and let your groomer know!! Remember Doodles need to be kept mat free. They tend to mat most behind ears and on legs. They will need regular trips to groomer and in between grooming at home. Showsheen and cowboy magic for horses work well to help prevent mats.

 

 

9. Vet care.

 

Your pup has had regular wormings (all puppies get worms) and 1-2 vaccines. Pup will have vet check and fecal (to check for worms). We do a strict worming schedule so 99% of the time pups will leave with a clean fecal. On the chance that something is found, we will send you home with appropriate dewormer. Make sure you take a picture of your pups health card to keep on your phone so your vet knows what vaccines and wormers the pup has had.

 

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10. TRAINING

 

The most important thing you can do for a dog is proper training! We've partnered with Baxter and Bella Online dog training. They offer such a great program. Videos, blogs, classes, chats. This is a training program the whole family can participate in! It’s a one time fee for a lifetime membership! Our code is Happy Hollow - use that and save 25% Www.Baxterandbella.com.

 

Remember to set your puppy up to succeed, not fail. While house training, your puppy should be on a leash and well supervised while in the house or in a small confined area with a litter box, do not use kitty litter. Pine or cedar shavings work great, they are used to going on shavings. Don’t give your pup free roam of the house! If you don’t want a certain behavior as an adult, do not encourage it in a puppy (getting on furniture, playing rough in the house, jumping up etc). It’s easier to never allow a behavior than change it as an adult. We are always available to answer any questions in regards to your puppy!

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11. NUVET

 

If you are interested in continuing your puppy on Nu Vet here is a link to the website. Www.nuvet.com You will have to give you our breeder number for you to order it which is 76283. We highly recommend you keeping your pup on this until at least 6 months, it boosts immune system and will make vaccines work better. Parvo is scary and I feel anything we can do to help prevent this deadly disease is worth it. We think you will like it so much that you will continue for the life of your pet. It’s that good! If you continue to use Nu vet, we’ll extend our health guarantee to 5 years ( without using it, it is 2 years). They also have a joint formula that is good if your dog is very active/or getting older. If you sign up for auto ship you will save 15%. It can only be ordered through a breeder. Breeder order code 76283 https://www.nuvet.com/76283 We offer lifetime breeder support. No question is too silly! We also love to be updated on how your pup is doing, pictures and personality.