Tuesday, April 6 2020
Raising a puppy is tough but having the right supplies makes a world of difference. Our DMs frequently have questions from people getting new puppies that want to know what to purchase. So, we wrote this article to list our essential puppy products. Please note that these are the products that helped us and continue to be essential for Bee. Do what works best for your puppy, but we wanted to share what worked for us!
Puppy Book
Please buy Puppy’s First Steps: A proven approach to raising a happy, healthy, well-behaved companion by the faculty of veterinary medicine at Tuft’s University. I cannot recommend it enough. Any information that I share is either from that book or from my experience working in veterinary clinics. We have written so much on this book throughout our blog, so I’ll link our main summary:
Bitter Apple Spray
Puppies bite and nip. It’s a part of growing up. The mouth of a dog is similar to the hand of a baby: it’s their main means of exploring. However, puppies do not know the sharpness of their teeth or the strength of their bites. This leaves most owners frustrated when they get a puppy. Our solution: bitter apple spray. We heard of it not working with some dogs because they like the taste, but it worked like a charm for Bee. If he started nipping at my ankles, I’d spray them with bitter apple. Next time he went to nip, he would get the flavor and stop. I used the same process for my hands, baseboards and anything else he tried to chew. We tried other means of teaching this lesson like yelping or staying still, and they didn’t work. One note: we do not recommend spraying the bitter apple directly into your dog’s mouth. Bitter apple spray is essentially diluted rubbing alcohol, so spraying directly in the mouth is bad for your dog’s health and your relationship with your puppy.
Accident Spray
Cleaning up accidents (pee and poop) must be done effectively. If enzymes remain after cleaning, your puppy can smell the enzymes and will associates that spot with where to go potty. If you can, we recommend avoiding carpet until they are potty trained, but a good cleaner is also essential. We recommend the Zero Odor pet spray. It is recommended in Puppy’s First Steps: A proven approach to raising a happy, healthy, well-behaved companion by the faculty of veterinary medicine at Tuft’s University. It can digest enzymes; thereby, it leaves a scent-free spot. The puppy will not associate that spot with where to go potty. We noticed that when we didn’t use Zero Odor and used something else, there were more accidents. So, we highly recommend this specific cleaner.
Crate
We crate trained Bee, and it was one of the best decisions we made. I cannot deny that crate training is a hard process, and most owners decide it is not worth the trouble. For me, it was well worth the work. Bee loves his crate because it serves as his bedroom. If I take too long to put him into his crate at night, he will walk in himself and go to sleep. When he feels overwhelmed if I have people over, he uses the crate as a safe place. It is his bedroom, and I love that he has his own space to feel comfortable. For puppies, we recommend buying the size crate the dog will grow into and buying a divider to ease them into the size. If the puppy isn’t potty trained yet and has too much room within the crate, they will go potty on one end and sleep on the other. For a full guide to crate training, please refer to online resources, your veterinarian or our article.
Camera
You do not want your dog to develop separation anxiety because it is one of the worst problems to have. Separation anxiety leads to dogs crying when alone, destruction and bad behavior. When people talk about common dog problems while they’re at work, most are due to separation anxiety. These problems can be avoided by teaching your dog to be ok alone from an early age. To train Bee to self-soothe and to be comfortable alone, we used a dog camera. There are a lot of cameras on the market from the Wyze to the Furbo. We linked the Wyze because it is 1/10th the price of the Furbo, and we used it for Bee. We set up the camera to face him, and we left in small increments working up to longer periods. By working slowly, we allowed him to learn that we would come back and he didn’t need to worry. I watched the camera and when he stopped crying, I came back inside. By waiting for him to stop crying, I taught him to self-soothe and that crying isn’t the way to get what he wanted.
Puppy KONG
If you follow our account, you know that we love KONGs. Puppies always get hiccups from eating too fast. As your puppy grows up, eating too fast can become a serious threat for bloat which can be deadly. Therefore, we recommend teaching your puppy to eat slowly from the start. You can teach this with KONGs like we did or with a slow-feeder bowl. We filled the KONG with his kibble till almost the top and sealed the kibble with a tablespoon of mushed fruit before freezing. Bee still eats with this method at one-year old.
Tooth Brush and Paste
Oral and cardiac health are directly linked. Having good oral health can prolong your dog’s life. Most dogs will get teeth cleanings throughout their life; however, the procedure is more intensive than with humans. Most dogs need to be put under anesthesia to do a costly cleaning. We recommend introducing a dog toothpaste and toothbrush when you have a puppy. We introduced the toothpaste by giving a little bit as a treat, and we introduced the toothbrush as a toy. This enabled Bee to get familiar with both products before putting them in his mouth and brushing. We brush Bee’s teeth once a week, but we are trying to increase to 2-3 times per week. Bee’s veterinarian is very impressed with his teeth now that he is about one-year-old. He told us that by brushing once a week you can delay a cleaning by 2 years and by brushing 3 times per week can delay 5 years. Also, brushing is the best way to keep your dog’s breath fresh. Think of tooth-cleaning toys/treats like mints. They temporarily cover up the smell, but they will not get to the root of the issue. Please note: there is specific toothpaste for dogs, do not use human toothpaste.
Playpen
We read that introducing your puppy to your home in small spaces can help with potty training and with introducing to the other animals of the house. We found this to be true. We introduced Bee to the house with a playpen. We had two cats, and they were able to watch Bee and get used to him from the safety of the other side of the pen. Bee also mastered potty training in the playpen, and we slowly introduced larger spaces. I think the easing of space helped Bee to learn potty training faster. The one reality of most playpens is your puppy will learn to escape eventually.
Baby Gate
Your puppy inevitably will learn how to break out of their playpens. And even if your dog doesn’t, it is important to introduce the house in increments because it will reinforce the potty-training process. For this reason, we recommend a baby gate to expand their space slowly. We used one for Bee. It also helped with teaching “sit” because we trained him to sit before we would open the gate.
Seatbelt
There are no dog seatbelts on the market that can guarantee the same level of safety as a human seatbelt. However, small protection is better than no protection. I never drive with Bee without him buckled in with a seatbelt. We used the seatbelt linked since Bee was a baby, and we highly recommend it. It is easy to use and serves a dual purpose by keeping him in the backseat. Luckily, we have never been in a car accident, but I feel better knowing he is protected if we ever do get into an accident.
Harness
We trained Bee to walk with a harness on from the beginning. When leash training, you are faced with many options such as standard collars, prong collars, leads or harnesses. We did not want to use a prong or standard collar due to the strain it can put on the dog’s esophagus. We almost used a lead, but the visual bias people have for leads deterred us. Leads fit over the nose of your dog and can be very effective for training because the nose of a dog is much more sensitive than the neck. However, since the lead is placed over the nose, many passers-by assume it is a muzzle even though it is not. Therefore, we chose a harness. We have used the Ezydog harness from when Bee was a puppy. It is seatbelt certified and it is very well built. I have no plans to ever try a different harness brand.
Paw Wipes
Immunity is a huge concern with puppies. Until they are about four months, they are at risk of getting life-threatening diseases like Parvo. For this reason, we recommend being very careful about where you take your puppy. We used paw wipes since Bee was a puppy not only to minimize the risk of getting sick but also for general cleanliness. We wipe off his paws whenever he has been outside. We’ve tried a few brands, and these wipes are by far our favorite. They aren’t too dry and the material is strong enough to wipe between the toes.
Activity Ideas
Puppies experience the strongest learning period between 6-12 weeks. They are similar to toddlers in that they are little sponges waiting to learn. For this reason, we recommend planning out some activities for your puppy to do during the learning period. We made a list of common dog fears that I didn’t want Bee to have (thunder, fireworks, balloons, vacuums, umbrellas, etc.). I did positive reinforcement for him to associate those common fears with positivity and treats. I also planned activities to introduce him to new things like bubbles or water. I recommend trying to think of some activities or common fears you want to address while your puppy is in the learning period.
Training Treats
The stomachs of most puppies are very sensitive. Therefore, we recommend picking a training treat and sticking with that type until your puppy is older. Since you’ll be doing a lot of training, we recommend something low calorie. We used Stewart’s Beef Liver Treats, carrots, green beans and Bee’s kibble. The treat you use for each training session depends on the difficulty of the trick. For something particularly hard, use the most delicious. For something easier, use kibble. Also, we realized that the best time to train is not right before a meal because your dog may be too ravenous to keep attention. We found the best training time is in between meal times.
A Variety of Toys
We recommend having a variety of toy types when you bring your puppy home. You want your puppy to have toys to interact with so they learn how to self-entertain. Self-entertaining is a nice skill for your puppy to learn because it will help them when you are away or busy. Look for toys that have different textures and shapes.
Nail Clippers
Being able to clip your dog’s nails on your own will be to your benefit as they grow up. Keeping nails trimmed is important so your dog doesn’t snag their nails and rip them if too long. We trim Bee’s nails every two weeks to keep them healthy. If you introduce nail clipping from puppyhood, your dog will be much calmer when you trim their nails. We introduced nail clipping by giving Bee a bone to chew while we trimmed; thereby, Bee associated nail trimmings with something positive. I recommend having septic powder on hand because you’ll be able to stop bleeding if you do snag the quick. Some people like to use grinders instead of clippers. We prefer clippers, but it is your choice as always.
Sleeping Toy
I’ve heard of this toy making crate training possible, and I’ve heard people say it made no difference. I don’t know if it helped Bee significantly, but he has slept with the toy ever since his first night at home. The toy has a fake heartbeat and a warmer, and these factors mimic a littermate. If you’re struggling to crate train or want to make the whole process a little easier, I recommend trying this toy.
LickiMat
We love our Lickimat! I wish I had one when Bee was a puppy, but I had not discovered the product till later. The Lickimat is a great tool for when you want your puppy to chill out for 20ish minutes. You can mash banana or watermelon on the mat and freeze it. Bee needs about 15 minutes to eat the whole mat, so I assume a puppy would take even longer.
Balls
Some dogs learn to fetch naturally and others take a little practice. Bee did not take to fetch naturally. I recommend starting with rubber or plastic balls rather than tennis balls. You don’t want your puppy to start ripping off the fibers on tennis balls. Another tip to teaching fetch is to avoid taking the ball out of your dog’s mouth. You want to wait until the puppy drops the ball. If you don’t, your puppy will learn that to get the ball thrown again, they must hold onto the ball and wait till you take it. Teaching fetch can quickly turn into teaching keep-away if you’re not careful.
Himalayan Dog Chews
We are torn on recommending these bone alternatives. They are an amazing treat to give your dog, but they can also be dangerous. We gave them to Bee until he was 6 months old, and loved them. When he was a puppy, he’d chew the bone for hours of entertainment. One risk of these bones is choking. You need to supervise your dog whenever they are eating this bone; however, I would argue that it is true with any bone. Also, they are cheese which can cause diarrhea the first couple of times you give them to your puppy. One of the first signs of Parvo is diarrhea, so it can fool you into thinking it is just the bone, not Parvo. We recommend the bones because we did find great use in them. But, I recommend always supervising and being careful when giving the bones to your puppy.