PREPARING FOR YOUR PUPPY

These items are must-haves for any new puppy owner! I list additional “nice-to-have” gear in the section below, but please make sure you have these items or similar ready for the day your puppy comes home.

Your puppy will need a 36” crate with a divider. When your puppy first comes home, you will use the divider to keep your puppy’s area smaller. This will encourage your pup to keep their crate mess-free and aid in potty training. As he or she grows, you can expand the space they have, eventually removing the divider altogether.

My dogs and puppies are obsessed with this bed. Australian Labradoodles prefer high-sided beds to flat mattress-type beds as they provide a sense of security and comfort. The texture of this bed also feels like mom and siblings, and I like it as I can easily throw it in the washing machine and dryer when it needs a freshening up.

Bowls are a matter of personal preference, but your dog will need his or her own set of water and food bowls, especially if there are other dogs in the house already to prevent any competition or resource guarding behavior. I recommend stainless steel bowls that flare out with rubber bottoms. Stainless steel bowls go into the dishwasher easily for cleaning. The flare will prevent your puppy from accidentally tipping over the bowl and the rubber bottom will keep the bowl from moving around while feeding or drinking.

The gorgeous, non-shedding coat of your Australian Labradoodle puppy requires care and maintenance. Use a slicker-style brush frequently to prevent mats in your puppy’s coat. If your puppy’s coat does become matted, don’t be surprised if your groomer recommends shaving the coat as a result. This is not a tragedy, but a “naked” Australian Labradoodle is not the fluffy teddy bear you brought home. Prevention and upkeep is worth it!

Australian Labradoodles are an intelligent breed. Our puppies are easy to train and eager to please. They have been working on potty training since there were four weeks old with litter pans in their living space. When they come home to you, they should be fully trained easily within weeks if you are diligent from the start. Potty bells make the process even easier. As you take your dog out every time, start by ringing the bells. The next step is to encourage your puppy to ring the bells before you go outside. Soon you will have a polite, well-trained dog that rings the bells on their own to indicate their need to go outside.

It happens to the best of us – your puppy will likely eat something he or she shouldn’t! Be prepared with hydrogen peroxide. If you have to call the ASPCA Poison Control hotline at (888) 426-4435  or your vet, they will ask if you have this on hand. It is used to induce vomiting and needs to be used as quickly as possible to be most effective.

An appropriately busy puppy is a happy puppy AND a happier home! These are a few of my favorite items to give the curious new power chewer in your family busy for a few extra minutes.  

Hard Chews

I learned these sticks about a year ago, and they are a total winner in my book – my dogs love them, and they last a long time, with lots of chew time for the money. 

My dogs love the smell and taste of these, and the smaller size is perfect for growing puppies. Like the Yak Chews above, these are a safe, healthy chew, and are made with no added salt, no artificial preservatives, and no artificial colors

This is a special treat in our house, as a focused chewer can get through one of these in a day. That said, if you want something extra special for those times when you really need to keep your pup buys, your dog will love chewing on these free-range, grass-fed water buffalo chews. They taste delicious (to them!) and are an all-natural way to help reduce tartar and contain no additives or preservatives. 

Kong toys have been around forever with good reason. Durable, washable, fillable, these toys check all the boxes. We like to put canned pureed pumpkin (not pie filling) or greek yogurt or peanut butter inside and freeze them. When you need something to keep a puppy busy or happy in a crate, these are what we reach for over and over again.

Soft Chews

Classic types of soft chew toys include plush squeaky toys, and Lambchop is always a favorite. 

Rope toys are a classic – great for games of tug and a satisfying chew. I have to give Amazon the win for a nice set of five rope toys for a very reasonable price.

Puppy tested and approved in my house! These also make a great tug toy, and their flat, unstuffed long bodies are great for shaking and squeaking for puppies with smaller mouths.

These octopi are squeaky and crinkly – another texture and noise that puppies love to chase and chew. We use these in the puppy pens as well and are always a fan favorite.

Puzzle Feeders

I only recently started experimenting with feeding mats and puzzles, but I wish I had given them a try earlier. This mat, in particular, is so popular I had to buy a second to keep my big dogs busy while my puppy is working for food, too. I like that the mat has lots of hidden pockets and flaps for kibble and is also very well constructed with durable materials.

Buy the large and the small pieces so that they fit together. I put a half cup of the Life’s Abundance food inside, and my puppy will spend a good ten minutes rolling this around to get his meal out. I recommend not using this outside on the lawn, though, or your pup will spend “potty time” searching for any missed treats!

One more great way to serve a meal to your puppy and buy yourself 10-15 minutes of an independent, engaged puppy. Lots of different places to hide kibble with enough tiny holes for your pup to sniff the reward 

Not a puzzle, but entertainment in another form. Rolling this ball causes it to make a variety of animal noises. It is also small enough for a puppy to chew, and the ridges make a satisfying surface in the mouth.