Puppy Recommendations
Here you will find a list of what we recommend the most, to make new home transitions as smooth as possible.
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Crate
We highly recommend crate training your puppy. Our puppies have all been exposed to crates in a familiar environment. Remember, adjusting to a crate while alone can take time. Consistency is the most important factor.
Attached below is a link to my favorite crate and crate pads - the crate comes with a divider. We prefer to utilize the divider while potty training is still taking place. Giving your puppy less space within the kennel will deter them from using it as a potty. We recommend either the 42" or the 48" it truly depends on personal preference. We have found that we prefer the 48". The crate pads provide adequate comfort to the base of the kennel and are very easy to wash.
Enrichment
A bored puppy tends to be a “naughty” puppy. A simple way to deter boredom is to give puppies (and adult dogs) enrichment toys. Attached are a few of our favorites. We prefer to make our own pupsicles using variations of pure pumpkin puree, nonfat plain greek yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, bone broth, treats, we also love to use dogma superfoods as a healthy additive. Same with the Toppl’s, our dogs really love it when we add a chicken foot into the Toppl! The toppls are also interlocking, meaning that you can intertwine a small and large or a large and XL to create an interactive puzzle by adding treats. These are dishwasher safe as well - which is a HUGE plus! The snoop toy is simple, just add a few treats, and it keeps them busy for a while. For outdoor enrichment our dogs LOVE the jolly ball, and chuck it balls!
Treats and Food Toppers
As you will read in your "puppy information packet" our puppies are fed a raw topper. We have linked the topper that they are currently eating (Stella and Chewy's Patties) as well as some of our favorite limited ingredient training treats. Essentially we try to use treats that do not contain fillers. Treats are vital in the training process. Labradors tend to do just about anything for a treat, meaning having plenty on hand is very important.
Grooming
Always ensure that your dogs nails are kept at the proper length. If nails are not maintained the quicks will grow out, making trimming them to the proper length impossible. Occasionally accidents do happen and quicks do bleed, we highly recommend keeping Kwik Stop on hand. This powder almost immediately stops bleeding, as well as reduces pain. We have trimmed your puppy's nails on a very regular basis and recommend that you consistently handle their paws even if they are not in need of a trim. We have attached our favorite nail clippers, which do come with a guard for those who are less confident in nail trimming.
Labradors shed... we have attached our favorite brushes As well as our favorite fish oils. Since adding fish oil daily to each of our dog's food we have noticed a significant reduction in the amount of fur balls rolling around the floor. It's great for them, and less shedding is quite the benefit.
Supplements
We know supplements are not for everyone. Our dogs each get green lipped mussel daily. Below is a link to educate you on the benefits of this as well as a link to the one that we give our dogs. Each dog gets one daily, since adding this to our routine we have noticed significant improvement in the mobility of our dogs who are 10+ years old. Your puppy is also currently getting egg shell powder, we make our own at home with our fresh eggs, linked below is a brand that comes highly recommended.
Miscellaneous
We highly recommend The Forever Dog Life book to anyone with a dog. It is full of incredible information as well as many fun recipes and enrichment ideas.
Our favorite dog bowl. We recommend stainless regardless of which brand you choose (it does not harbor bacteria like plastic does). These are reasonably priced and very easy to clean. When plastic bowls are used puppies are more susceptible to puppy acne.