Chewing

• • Beef tendons are a great way to clean your dog's teeth and an alternative to bully sticks which get stinky and are high in fat. Use these with a chew holder to prevent choking on any small pieces.

  • Teething rings -- When you’re on a conference call or crate training. These are yummy and will disappear quickly. Think of it like a treat.

  • Himalayan Dog Chew -- These are edible but very hard and will last a few weeks for a young pup. 

  • Benebones -- These are similar to Nylabones. Both are good but I prefer Bene. They’ll last for ages (not a treat). I avoid hard bones like antlers which can crack teeth. 

  • For teething: Nylabone Freezer Toy. You can wet the cloth piece of this one and toss it in the freezer. 

    • You can also dip this in chicken broth to make it more appealing. I'd recommend crate time to chew so your carpet doesn't smell like chicken.

Enrichment Supplies

• • Flirt poles are a great way to burn energy indoors, particularly for herding breeds

  • Food toys (I love asking puppies to work for their food, especially on rainy boring days):

    • For Kibble or dry treats: Bob-A-Lot, KONG Wobbler, Snuffle Mat, and Kibble puzzle

    • For wet food or wet treats like yogurt: LickiMat, and Toppl

Toys

• • BarkBox makes very high-quality toys. In addition to their subscriptions, you can find them on Amazon and at local retailers.

  • Small, fabric balls are a hit with puppies and great for fetch. I like these hedgehogs

  • Duck toy. This was Archer’s favorite as a pup and although he destroyed it many times, I keep buying new ones for foster puppies.

Treats:

• • For puppies, I try to use their normal food as treats. If you want to add a treat to their diet, do so liberally to avoid any belly issues. 

  • Happy Howies Treats -- chop these up as big or as small as you like, but keep them in the fridge after opening.

  • Liver Treats -- You can chop these into smaller pieces for training sessions. Archer’s favorite.

Cleaners

• • Folex for everything. It's a wonder cleaner.

  • Nature’s Miracle Foam for your carpet. This is one of my favorite products. It smells amazing!

  • Pee pads: Any brand is fine. If you get big ones, you can cut them in half as your pup’s aim gets better. Keep these by the door if possible. It’ll make the transition from peeing inside to outside a bit easier. (Unless you have a huge pup, there’s no need to spend extra on the heavy duty pads.)

    • Reminder: Talk to your vet about how safe it is for your pup to go outside. Everyone has a different comfort level. Use pee pads until you talk to your vet to be safe. A few days won’t set you back. Here's a helpful article about vaccines and when your pup can go outside. 

Grooming

• • Dawn Dishsoap for the first bath (will kill any fleas gently) and Johnson’s Baby Shampoo for future baths

  • For puppies with tiny nails, I highly recommend using human nail clippers. Whatever you have at home for your toenails will do.

  • Toothpaste / brush

  • For short hair: Furminator 

  • Dry shampoo

Food

• • 1st - you need food / water bowls. Look for something heavy. There’s a good chance Pup will run through it and knock it over at least once a day. Yeti dog bowls are fantastic. (If your pup is tiny, start with custard dishes or even a plate.)

  • There are so many options out there for food and it's a complex space to understand. I feed my dogs The Farmer's Dog (use my link for a free trial). 

    • If kibble is a better option for you, I'd recommend sticking to vet recommended brands: Purina / Hills / Royal Canin. 

Archer's Jackets (21lb basenji)

• Hoodie - Size M

• Winter coat - Size M

• Fleece onesie - made to measure

Jet's Jackets (9lb chihuahua mix)

• Rain coat - Size S

• Fleece-lined winter coat - Size M

• Onesie - Size S