Did you think it was Christmas in July or which ever month you’re watching in?
Wondering if we are talking about holidays with our puppies?
Nah, not today!
But I have covered that topic before!
Today we’re going to go over all my favorite things!
It’ll be like I’m Santa with a bag full of goodies!
I have so many things that I’ve used with my own dogs and my clients over the last 20
years.
Let me share all these things with you and save you the hassle of all that trial and
error.
Michele here with HTTADD
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Ok let’s start in order of what you’ll probably need first.
Don’t feel like you have to go run and buy all these things all at once.
Take some time to get to know your puppy and determine which of these items might be useful.
We always have to take our puppy’s individual preferences into account when deciding on
our spending habits.
Oh, and if I go a little fast for you today and you’re trying to take all kinds of notes,
well just save yourself the trouble
because all of these things I will mention today are linked on my website and in the
description below this video .
Let's get started.
Every puppy needs one of these.
The crate!
The crate is a lifetime tool for safety and security.
It’s a place of rest and relaxation, and you’ll use the crate for naps and nights
- at least for quite awhile.
And for forever you’ll want to use it when you leave the house.
My pups are 2, 3 and 8 years old and every time we leave the house they go in their crates!
I heard of a dog who was left out in the house who caught the house on fire.
Pups who are left alone can get very curious, not to mention anxious and potentially harm
themselves.
And of course, potty accidents.
That’s not what you want to come home to!
I recommend either the wire crate or this plastic one, also called the travel crate.
Over the years I’ve started to prefer the plastic one.
It just seems like most pups settle better in it.
But the wire one can come with a divider that is easy to change as the puppy grows.
So do some research and maybe you’ll find the best of both worlds.
Next up: the Snuggle Puppy.
This little guy is great to put in the crate when your puppy is young.
The little heartbeat mimics that of the mama dog or littermates.
And if you can get the mama smell on this guy, even better.
Pro tip: make sure your puppy isn’t a chewer.
Most pups will be fine with it for a few weeks but then sometimes they start chewing it.
If chewing happens, move it to the top of the crate.
Your puppy will still feel the vibration of the heartbeat, I promise.
As you are working on crate training, you’ll also be working on potty training!
Do you want to know what’s NOT on my list of favorite things?
Pee pads!
Nope, nope and nopety nope!
Pee pads send the message to your puppy that it’s OK to pee in the house.
Pretty soon that pee pad becomes a chew toy and your kitchen rugs become the new potty
spot.
Just say no to pee pads!
Instead, say yes to this free kit that will guide you through all the best potty training
tips and teach your puppy to go potty in the right spot: outside!
Here’s something you’ll definitely love, and so will your puppy.
Fillable toys!
These rubber toys have compartments to fill with tasty treats, or even just part of your
dog’s regular meal.
Some dogs love to work for their food.
These toys are also great for mental exercise and if you freeze them, they feel great on
sore puppy teething gums.
I usually have about 4 or 5 in my freezer at all times.
Kong is a popular brand but I also recommend the West Paw Toppl.
This is a little wider at the top and a little easier for young puppies to get to the yummy
stuff inside.
For ideas on what to fill it with, check out this video.
Ok, you’ll definitely need a leash - from day 1!
You’ll actually want two different leashes.
One of them can be shorter, for training and more exciting walks.
Usually 4 or 6 feet is plenty.
You’ll also want a long leash for those awesome decompression walks where the pup
gets to meander and sniff and explore.
Take into account the size of your puppy when getting a leash.
If you have a very small pupper, you don’t want a heavy leash that could bother him while
he’s doing very important sniffing work!
It’s not uncommon to go through a couple of different leashes in the course of your
dog’s life.
I like the kind that are easily washable.
My leashes get pretty dirty when we go on walks.
Of course you’ll want a collar AND a harness for your puppy.
Collars that buckle are great for those early potty training months.
Having it ready near his crate, with the leash already attached, is going to make the outing
even more efficient.
Think like a firefighter and have all your gear prepared!
But you’ll also want a harness for decompression or neighborhood walks.
I hate to suggest you buy even more things, but the proper tools are important.
A back clip harness is a must for decompression walks.
With a long leash the pup can gain some serious momentum if he goes running, and a back clip
harness will protect his neck and spine.
ut for neighborhood walks where you’re teaching him not to pull on the leash, a front clip
harness will help.
Ok let’s talk about management of the space.
As part of my training course, we teach our students the importance of managing the space
to set their puppy up for success.
This means that if there are areas that the puppy finds very exciting and she just can’t
control herself, they should be blocked off while you are in training.
The excitement could lead to potty accidents, chewing on furniture or even digging.
If you don’t want her to destroy it, teach her what you want her to do instead AND
block off the area so she can’t keep doing that unwanted behavior.
Here are a few of my favorites in this category.
This pen is great for a puppy pen, where your pup will hang out when she’s awake but you
can’t supervise fully.
I like this one with the vertical bars so the pup can’t climb!
Those of you with little puppies might have to do a little extra DIY to keep those curious
creatures from slipping through the bars.
This pen is great to use as a border around the potty spot outside or on your balcony
around your spot of grass.
This can help your puppy really understand that THIS is the place to go potty, and cut
down on distractions during those potty breaks.
It also keeps out other critters.
Let’s talk about bedding!
This is definitely not something you’ll need to buy right away.
Young puppies do just fine on the floor, and some of them prefer it!
Doggie beds become a chew toy when pups are still young.
But when she’s ready, this is the one I like.
It keeps your dog off the floor which might feel better for aging joints.
And I like that the dog has to step on and off it.
It makes the cue “go to your bed” a little easier for the dog to understand.
My dog Pickles loves his bed, which was a gift from an appreciative client.
Let’s talk about chew toys.
There are so many so I’m going to speed through these.
You really have to evaluate your dog’s chewing style, which could also change as she grows.
I like Nylabones, Benebone, and Antlers.
I love this indestructible bone.
I have a very aggressive chewer and this one has lasted for months.
It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it for safety and to keep Harper happy.
I’ll share a coupon code with you in the description below!
You know what I don’t recommend, ever ever ever?
Rawhide.
It’s very dangerous for your dog so please, whatever you do, do not give your pup rawhide.
A lot of my students love Bully sticks or things like pig ears or snouts.
For some dogs these are great, but you do have to know your dog’s chew style.
Watch for things that might splinter, watch for any stomach upset if he gets too much
of it at once, and be warned that some of these items can be… stinky.
So don’t buy the Costco sized package just yet.
Start with one or two and evaluate!
I have a whole video on chew toys that will give you even more ideas.
Time to talk about treats!
When your puppy first comes home she may not want any treats.
Her whole world just changed, she is probably not so comfortable just yet.
But this will work itself out and I’m pretty sure your pup will be happy to comply with
your request if it means a yummy treat.
These are two that I like.
The more moist they are, the more your pup will probably like them.
Dry treats are also fine but in the end your puppy determines which ones work best.
And of course you can also use appropriate human food for treats.
My favorites are dog-safe fruits and cheese.
Most dogs will do just about anything if it means a tasty cheese treat will follow!
You definitely cannot forget the treat pouch.
The timing of your treat delivery will play a huge role in how well your pup understands
what behavior you like.
So you’ll want those treats easy to get to when you’re in training mode and of course
on all walks.
I like this treat pouch because it closes easily and dogs can’t jump up to knock out
extras
It has a few pockets to hold poop bags, my phone or keys
It’s very sturdy.
I’ve had this one at least 8 years.
We can’t have Christmas in July without talking about toys!
Of course puppies need toys.
But the type of toy will depend on your puppy’s play preferences.
Does she like to shred?
Dig?
Forage?
Chase?
Fetch?
This might change over time but pay attention to what she finds fun to do, and get some
safe toys that allow her to do that.
Some of my favorites are a flirt pole for chasing - but do not ask the pup to jump until
she is full grown, and a long tug toy to use if she’s doing a lot of biting.
The size of the toy can help keep her mouth away from your hands.
Because biting is a natural behavior we don’t want to discourage it, but we do want to teach
her what is OK to bite and what is not!
My dog Pickles loves to chase.
I mean, he LOVES it.
So for his 1st birthday I bought him this lure course and set it up in my backyard.
He loves to chase the little flag around and it allows him to run faster than I would be
able to lead him!
I never leave him out here alone and this is always done in short increments with plenty
of breaks.
But it’s a good option for some of your breeds who were born to run!
Randy and Deborah, students in my online course, love this dig box toy they bought for their
dog, Jack.
It allows Jack to get out all his digging tendencies but in a safe and productive way.
There are a lot of puzzle toys and ways to deliver treats and meals that make it fun
and engaging for the puppy.
This video here goes into a lot of the different ones, and you can see which ones my dogs liked
the most!
Let’s move on to more tools you might need for your pup.
Even if you have a short haired dog, grooming will be a part of her life.
And if you have a long haired dog, grooming will be a BIG part!
It will be important to do grooming at home, in between appointments, to keep mats from
forming and as a calming down exercise.
With the proper introduction and desensitization, this process can be fun and relaxing for your
pup!
I like this brush, this comb and these nail clippers.
Just remember the right tools won't magically make your pup enjoy the process.
This will come down to a lot of training.
But it’s worth it for a lifetime of a content pup!
Let’s talk about a different type of favorite things.
These are a few of my favorite resources for all things canine!
Don’t forget, the links to all of these are in the description below.
This is a really good site to understand when would be a good time to spay and neuter your
pup.
I’m not a vet but Dr Karen Becker is and I think this is one of the best discussions
on this topic.
Of course you want to get other opinions too.
While on this topic, don’t forget to desensitize the cone your pup might have to wear.
I like the Novaguard cone or the Donut cone.
To understand more about canine nutrition I really love this site.
It’s from the UK but I find it better than the dog food advisory site from the USA.
It’s very comprehensive!
Before I share my last favorite thing, be sure to hit that subscribe button so you don’t
miss what else you need to know about raising and training your dream dog
Ok that was a wild ride with tons of great info but I think you are going to love all
of those resources and products.
Your mileage may vary, of course.
Every puppy is different, but these tools and resources are a great place to start.
My final favorite thing is something that I created - my online course!
With over 50 videos and lessons on all topics including leash skills, counter surfing, biting,
jumping and coming when called, this course will set you up for success with your puppy.
In the comments below, tell me the very first thing you bought for your puppy!