So you're getting a puppy and don't know where the heck to start in preparing? We've got you covered!
Listed below are some of the most helpful pieces we'd recommend buying to get your home & life ready for your four legged friend.
1. Shampoo
The world of pet shampoos is pretty scary! The chemicals found in them are not something you want to lather into your dogs skin. Luckily, we know of an amazing shampoo bar that not only works wonders (seriously so much more affective than liquid shampoo) but is completely non-toxic and safe for your furry friend. All our pups go home with a sample & promo for their first order, so check your homing bag for that!
2. Playpen / X-Pen
Every new dog owner should have an x-pen (SERIOUSLY THOUGH!). At the beginning, puppies need a TON of supervision. X-pens are great for teaching your dog light separation training, to be content watching you but not having you. These are also great for times when you go out and don't want to leave your pup in its kennel. Just make sure you break them in when you ARE around, as sometimes if you have a sneaky pup on your hand, they have been known to figure out how to climb them ;)
3. Kennel / Crate
Some people love the wire crate idea, and others love an enclosed kennel. Neither is better or worse. It's definitely worth mentioning that though we LOVE plastic kennels, you can end up buying a few different sizes while your pet grows because you don't want it being so big they use it for a bathroom as well as a "bedroom", but wire crates with dividers included are pretty easy to find, so you can save by buying ONE crate, full size, and just use the divider panel while your pup is still small.
The crate we've linked below is the size our adult dogs use.
You may also find options at your local thrifting store/looking on Facebook marketplace (quite often you will find brand new kennels or lightly used ones as pet's outgrow quite quickly during the first few months, and you can easily sanitize them and save a few bucks).
(Crate) CLICK HERE TO BUY
4. Conair Dog Slicker Brush
We love this brush. Not only does it break up tight curls that can get knotty over time, but it makes the hair so voluminous and soft!
5. A Cute Collar
We love to support local hardworking creatives, so below is a business that makes great biothane collars in Canada. At 8 weeks old these might be too "heavy duty" but by 6 months to a year old, one of these is definitely worthwhile!
If the materials used for these seem a little too big for a tiny puppy neck and you're looking for something that will work well while they're growing, we suggest Rogz Collars.
6. Food
If you haven't decided between a raw or kibble diet yet, we highly encourage you to look into raw. We believe that it's the best option, however, if you're still deciding and want to know some of the options out there, check out our blog post where we share some good healthy options in all kinds of varieties all the way from raw patties, freeze-dried raw, some healthier kibble options, etc, HERE.
We feed our dogs Back to Basics Raw Pet Food and looove it. Couldn't recommend it enough.
However, if you want to go the kibble route, we are quite happy with the ingredients of Nature's Logic Distinction Line Kibble and our dogs (when waiting for a raw food order) love it (drooling may in fact occur while they wait for it ;).
Natures Logic Kibble is available at Tail Blazers, Global Pets, and most other pet stores. Call your local pet store and ask if they carry it! (Amazon doesn't carry the Distinction line from Nature's Logic)
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7. Nail Trimmers
Everybody has different nail trimmer preferences (some use grinders, filers, and other designs), but this is what we've always used! You'll want to trim your pup's nails once every 2-3 weeks.
8. A Leash
Visit our SHOP for more recommendations on everything from a bed, water & food bowls, chew toys, treats, non-toxic cleaning spray & MORE!
We included Amazon options to some of these items, but overall, you can find all these items at your local pet store, and tailor the items to fit your specific taste/lifestyle needs. We always prefer to shop local when we can. Our go-to dog store is Tail Blazers, and if we shop online, we like to do as much as we can through Homes Alive Pets. Love their service, and can find almost everything we need on there.
We hope this post has been helpful and given you some good ideas and places to start preparing for the arrival of your furry friend!
The Rocky Legend Doodles Team
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