I know how hard it can be figuring out all of the stuff your puppy needs, so these are my top recommendations for all of the puppy stuff I could think of. Let me know if you have any questions.
I order most of my stuff from Chewy or Amazon since PetsMart and Petco can overcharge a ton. You’ll get 30% off your first auto ship order so you’ll save on food, treats, and chews. You can cancel the auto ship right away so definitely use it.
Dog food- There are a lot of good foods to choose from these days. I now feed our dogs Wellness brand food so that’s what our pups are used to. Whichever you choose, I’d recommend you also go for a few cans of the same brands puppy wet food to mix in with your pups kibble when you first get them.
Grain Free VS Non Grain Free? Grain free used to be highly recommended but now new research suggests that grain free diets may be contributing to a heart problem called dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM. More research needs to be done on this to find out if its actually the lack of grains or the grain substitutes. Either way it’s safer to stick with grain inclusive formulas for now like the ones I’ll list below.
Wellness Puppy chicken & Salmon- https://prf.hn/l/rwLbPw1
Wellness puppy wet- https://prf.hn/l/7YROEkQ
Victor Active adult & Puppy food- https://prf.hn/l/rvJ1PP3
Victor wet- https://prf.hn/l/reQ8GGE
Treats- for training you want to use a high value treat that’s soft and tiny so your pup will swallow real fast. Every dog is different so experiment to see what they like and don’t be afraid to mix it up so your pup doesn’t get bored.
You can cook up some meat like chicken, hot dogs, steak, or even cheese. You can also go for Hungry Howies meat rolls which dogs usually love. Just cut up whatever you choose into tiny pieces, about the width of your pinky. It’s more work, but cheaper and tastier for your pup, not to mention healthier.
As for more convenient shelf stable options- I’ve had good luck with my dogs liking Bil Jacs chicken liver treats and Zukes naturals chicken treats. I’ve also had great success with Freeze dried chicken liver but it’s sometimes hard to break the chunks into bite sized pieces.
Bil Jacs chicken liver treats- https://prf.hn/l/KXRoOMq
Zukes Mini Naturals- https://prf.hn/l/7EQwvPL
Happy Howies lamb roll- https://prf.hn/l/7J9yP0j
Freeze Dried Chicken Liver- https://prf.hn/l/KjPd55n
Chews– To help with chewing I highly recommend bully sticks, pig ears, cow ears, and deer antlers. These things are lifesavers! I like to alternate what I give to keep my pup interested. Bully Sticks and Deer Antlers last a while the ears will get torn up pretty fast.
6 inch Bully sticks- https://prf.hn/l/rvJBO3Z
Pig ears- https://prf.hn/l/78MwY3J
Deer Antlers- https://prf.hn/l/7AVDjg5
CRATE- I’m a BIG believer in properly crate training your pup. Feed your pups meals and treats inside the crate, never take out when whining unless they need to potty, and soon enough they’ll love it and go in on their own to take naps. My favorite crate is the MidWest iCrate with a divider that you adjust as your pup grows. Privacy covers are great since dogs are den animals and like to feel coddled. All of our pups have already started on crate training but that doesn’t mean they won’t still whine, especially the first night. If pup is being shipped to you a small travel crate is included.
Size guide- Minis: 30″ Mediums: 36″ Standards: 42″
Midwest iCrate- https://prf.hn/l/rpRLO00
Privacy Crate Cover- https://prf.hn/l/64mX03Z
Puppy Play Pen- This is a LIFE SAVER. You can connect this to your MidWest iCrate and you won’t have to close the crate when feeding them inside. This helps a ton with whining and getting your puppy adjusted to their crate. Here again I’d go with MidWest as their build quality tends to be better than a lot of other choices.
Pups can learn to climb this, so I recommend at least 30”, 36” for a standard, and always use the door instead of carrying your pup over the playpen to help avoid climbing. If they do climb you can buy a top.
Midwest play pen- https://prf.hn/l/7gg8Gl1
Leash- I recommend always leaving a leash on your pup around the house. It helps a ton with house training since you can tether the pup to you instead of letting it run around chewing or going potty. As for which leash, up to you.
You can get any leash you want, my preference is leather, but nylon works too. I recommend 6-foot leashes, and don’t typically like retractable leashes, as they can be dangerous.
Nylon leash- https://prf.hn/l/reQaWbn
Leather leash- https://prf.hn/l/rdaE9gY
Dog Bed– I normally recommend a dog cot as opposed to a dog bed. Most doodles prefer the coolness of a cot over a warm cozy bed. Cots are also great for teaching the “Place” command where you train your pup to go to its cot and stay there.
I’ve had good experience with Coolaroo and K&H brand cots.
Toys– I like having all sorts of different toys around so my pup has options. Go for different materials and types and always have toys around your pup. If they’re biting your hands or slippers give them the toy as a replacement. You should also alternate the toys you leave around the house to keep your pup interested.
I recommend you get a tug toy, some stuffed animals, small balls, chew bones, etc. I love the Kong brand, they’re usually way more durable.
Kong Moose toy- https://prf.hn/l/78MyjlJ
Training Pouch- You should ALWAYS have treats on you for engagement and training. These pouches are great for helping you keep treats at hand.
Smaller Pouch- https://prf.hn/l/61AqQ0l
Bigger pouch- https://prf.hn/l/6Pky0E5
Potty Bell- Potty bells are a fantastic tool to help your puppy let you know it needs to go potty. You basically teach your pup to ring the bell before you take them outside and pretty soon, they’ll start ringing it themselves. I find the ones that hang are easier to teach but both types work.
Collar- Again totally up to your preference. Just get whatever flat collar you think is cutest.
Harness- Any harness is fine. I like the “No pull” ones with the loop on the front to help keep your pup from pulling.
Bowls- Stainless steel bowls for your normal daily use, don’t get rubber bottom, or your puppy can chew on it. Then for travel or long walks I love these collapsible bowls.
Stainless steel bowls- https://prf.hn/l/KzjBOWx
collapsible bowls- https://prf.hn/l/7xOkNld
Medicine- You’ll want to have your puppy on heartworm medication. Vets tend to charge a lot on this so I prefer to buy online.
Heartgard up to 25 lbs- https://www.chewy.com/heartgard-plus-chewable-tablets-dogs/dp/173230
Fleas & Ticks- I recommend K9 Advantix, it’s what I’ve always used, and is usually the most highly recommended. You just put a bit of gel on a few spots on his back and you’re good to go. Frontline is also fine.
K9 Advantix- https://prf.hn/l/6qXBzWE
Brushes- It’s important to keep your doodles well brushed especially If you have a curly pup. I use a De-matting comb if the hair is matted up, a Slicker brush when its not, and a finishing comb.
De-matting comb- https://prf.hn/l/75mYd3l
Safari Self Cleaning Slicker Brush- https://prf.hn/l/KXRjaQq
Finishing Comb- https://prf.hn/l/6lJd5wl
Shampoo- You want something good so you don’t dry your pups skin out. You should try to only wash your pup every 3 – 4 weeks but don’t sweat it if you need to wash them sooner then that.
Buddy Wash shampoo- https://prf.hn/l/75mYdaj
TropiClean shampoo- https://prf.hn/l/7ojxlqJ
Nail clippers– Important to get your pups used to this while young. Be super careful and only clip a tiny bit.
Dog Blow Dryer- Not necessary but if you plan on washing your pups yourself this makes drying SOOO much faster. Make sure you get them used to the dryer and vacuum when they’re young.
https://www.chewy.com/go-pet-club-dog-cat-grooming-dryer/dp/243814
Pet Storage container– Helps keep the food fresh.
Dog poop bags– Now be a good human and pick up that poop!
Pooper Scooper- Keep the yard clean with one of these-
Stain and Odor eliminator- This is great if your pup has an accident on rugs or carpet- https://prf.hn/l/7EQwvP0
Pet insurance- Vet bills can be crazy expensive, and pet insurance is pretty affordable, for the peace of mind it gives you. I like Trupanion and give a free month with all our pups.