Here at A+E Farms, we LOVE puppies. We also know that preparing for a puppy can feel a little overwhelming. As dog owners ourselves, we know what it is like to panic and hope you have all the necessary supplies for the new addition to the family. After adding a few pups to our own home, here are the top ten things we think every puppy owner should have on hand before they bring home the fluffy bundle of joy.
Patience: All puppies are... puppies :) they will chew on things, have accidents in your house, whine the first few nights away from mom, and will be little babies. Be patient, loving, and kind with your pup! If you aren't prepared to lose sleep a few of nights, and deal with poop and pee on the daily.. you might want to reconsider getting a puppy.
Rules: Talk with everyone that is going to living with and helping with the puppy and hash out your rules of your house. When my husband and I got our first dog, it was really important to me that the dog wasn't allowed on the furniture, nor was it allowed to sleep with us in our bed. Even though my husband didn't mind if the dog slept with us, we made it the rule the dog wasn't allowed on the furniture or in our bed. Fast forward three years, and I can have a white linen sofa that has stayed clean because our dogs don't get on the couch. I know that is a silly example and maybe you don't care if your dog cuddles up for a nap on your sofa, but really think about what your day to day life looks like. What behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable for your dog? Will you have certain rooms that are off limits or can the dog go anywhere in your house? Start thinking about these things now and decide on your rules with your puppy early and have everyone agree to stick to them!
A Vet: All puppies from A+E Farms go home with their first set of vaccinations, a microchip, and vet check from my vet. Please get your puppy into a vet ASAP so that your vet can sign off on the puppy's health as well. Your first visit with your vet is a great opportunity to develop a relationship with someone that will help you to keep your puppy happy and healthy! Your vet can also answer any questions you have about how to help your puppy grow into a happy, healthy member of the family.
A trainer: I am a strong believer in the work good trainers can do. I also believe that you can train your dog yourself BUT make sure you have a plan! I really recommend https://www.baxterandbella.com. They are an online training company that can help you train your puppy all from the comfort of your own home. I love recommending their online puppy training program to all my puppy families. If you use the code AEFARMS at check out, you will get 25% off a lifetime membership to their amazing online program. Another option is My Loyal Hound, a premier training program which helps families confidently raise calm dogs. With remote training options and free resources, there is a range of valuable information for new puppy families. Check them out at: Www.myloyalhound.com . Lastly, if you are book person, check out: "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by the Monks at New Skete. I think we can all agree that the best dogs is an obedient dog ;)
A crate: I know the coronavirus has us all at home a lot more than usual, but eventually we are all going to go back to work and the puppy will end up with time to wander the house unsupervised. By training your puppy now how to use the crate as its safe haven and quiet space, you puppy will learn to enjoy having downtime in the kennel while the family is out and there is no one to supervise the dog. I suggest getting a large wire crate with a divider that you can use to section off a place small enough the puppy has room to turn around, but not so big it thinks there is room for a potty place. (Baxter and bella has great potty training tips on their website!) Here is a link to the crates that I use for my pups and make sure you get a comfy dog bed to fit in your crate or to just serve as the place your puppy can go to take a comfy nap!
A collar with your contact information in the unfortunate event that your pup decides to go on an adventure without you, there needs to be a way that whoever finds your puppy can contact your.
A leash: How else is your pup going to go on walks with you??
Chew toys: All puppies are chewers! Chewing helps them to develop their brain and to help them loose their baby teeth as they start to fall out. Some of my favorite chews for puppies are called Bully Sticks (Google what a bully stick is made of.... haha you'll never look at them the same. I'm sorry but I also hope it brought a smile to your face when you discovered what they are... because the lord knows we all could use a good laugh!) I also love Kong Toys or other dog toys that make the puppy work to get the treat. These thinking/chew toys will help keep your puppy happy and entertained.
Grooming Supplies: Get a dog shampoo, conditioner, detangler, slicker brush, and poodle comb. Bernedoodles need to be groomed regularly. I love when a bernedoodle has a long fluffy coat, but to have the long fluffy coat, you need to brush your pup and brush them often. Grooming your dog will help you bond with your puppy and build trust. You also need to make sure to keep your puppies ears and eyes clean (talk with your vet and groomer as to how to best clean them).
Puppy Food: We are raise all of our puppies on pawtree's Turkey and Sweet Potato recipe. I recommend this all stages dog food to everyone because I respect pawtree and their commitment to formulating high quality dog foods and supplements. If you decide to feed a different food, make sure you transition your puppy slowly and that you choose a puppy formula that has beef, fish, turkey, lamb, or another meat as the first ingredient. Obviously, please don't forget the water bowl and food bowl to feed the puppy out of ;)
So there you have it, 10 items that every puppy owner should have on hand before bringing their puppy home! If you think of any thing we should add, send us an email!
Xoxo,
Elli
**As a dog breeder, it is important to me to suggest quality items that I use myself. However, please keep in mind that some of the links used in this post are affiliate links. If you use them to help you make a purchase I do make a small commission. By earning commission it helps keep my income a little more steady with the ups and downs of litters. If you choose to use other products that is perfectly ok! I just wanted to let you know about some of my favorites.