My Recommendations

First, if you are getting a puppy from us, please note that your puppy will already come home with the following items:

• Our New Puppy Packet filled with training resources, socialization tips, daily logs of exercises and activities done while with us, growth log, Veterinary visit information with health certificate and vaccine/de-worming records, pedigree, AKC paperwork, and much more information about our protocol for a successful start. 

• A Collar- each puppy is given a new custom made buckle style collar from our friends at "My First Collar by Woofus"

• A Snuggle Puppy- click here to learn about the Snuggle Puppy. Your puppy will be sleeping with his/her Snuggle Puppy when they start sleeping in crates at night

• Will be Microchipped (unless you tell us not to by 7 weeks old) which you must register 

• A sample pack of food with Herbs already mixed in

• A sample of the probiotics we recommend

• A blanket with Momma and Litter mates smell

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Here are the things I love to use and love to share with others (you can click on the item to be taken to a web page for that item.​

Food:

What brand to buy…? We do not recommend grain free but if you want to go that route, discuss it with your vet. Your puppy will be started on Specialty Feeds Valu Pak, the Black Bag. It is recommended to continue feeding an All Life Stages or Puppy Formula until at least two years old for large breed dogs.

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Health:

1.      For the Love of Horse’s “Essential Immune Health for Dogs” herb blend - our puppies are started on this blend and we encourage you to continue it throughout your dogs life, but especially until your puppy is at least two years old. This special blend of herbs will help your puppy fight off most virus’s he/she may come into contact with as a young pup and will help out until vaccines take full effect. The staff at For the Love of Horses is wonderful and will be happy to discuss any health issues you are witnessing with any of your pets. They're fabulous and backed by Veterinarians. 

                                                             Please tell them I, Alyssa McCarter, sent you when purchasing.  

2.   Probiotics- a MUST for your puppy/dog! Getting gut health is extremely important for helping ward off viruses and illness. We recommend using *Purina Pro Plan Fortiflora Probiotics

3.       Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Pet - This is a Fish Oil Liquid for Cats and Dogs, full of Omega-3s, EPA and DHA. It supports Skin, Coat, Joints and Overall Health and is in Triglyceride Form for Optimal Absorption. This is the brand we personally use for ourselves and trust them wholeheartedly.

4.       Wally’s Ear Oil - This is a must with any dog! We use it after bath time, swimming, and after any routine ear care. We do not clean my dog’s ears but once a month to 6 weeks. To do so, we use a baby wipe and wipe the ear clean paying special attention not to go too deep into the ear canal. We do not recommend putting any kind of wet ear cleaner/solution down into your dog’s ear unless told to do so by your Vet. After wiping with the baby wipe, we then put 5-8 drops of Wally’s in the ear, massage it around, wipe any noticeable access away and leave the rest to dry on its own. It is very oily and some people cannot stand the way it smells- it has a garlic earthy smell… It is made of all natural ingredients and has helped many people and dogs! It is actually made for people- we’ve used it on our kids anytime they pull at their ears or complain of an ache- so far we’ve never been to the doctor because of our ears. Years ago, we had a Bloodhound and she had chronic ear infections that no solution, antibiotics, prescriptions, etc. could clear up. A friend suggested Wally’s and after a couple uses, she never had another ear infection. We use it anytime we bathe or if we are around water (swimming and playing) and then like I said, for routine ear care. Standard Poodles have hair inside their ears. We only pluck when necessary. Our motto, God put hair there, it has a purpose. We also use Wally’s if we do end up plucking. You can find Wally’s at most natural grocers and online.

Training:

1.      Crate- The first and most important thing to purchase for your new puppy is an appropriate crate (this goes hand in hand with my crate and potty training articles- available by request and sent home with each of my puppies). I highly recommend getting a wire kennel/crate that has the movable divider, like this one- you can move and remove it. Since you can move it, be sure to get a kennel that will large enough for your puppy once full grown. This saves you from having to buy several crates as your dog grows. If you need a crate for hunting dogs or dogs that ride in the bed of a pickup- we use and recommend Gunner Kennels Dog Crates

2.       Bones- I also recommend buying lots of things to chew. Whether it be turkey tendons or marrow filled bones (I recommend these for outdoor use- they stain carpets). I love the K9 Connoisseur & A Freschi brands for all things 'dog bone'. This will help with boredom, can be used as a great reward during crate training, and will help reinforce with your puppy what is acceptable to chew and not acceptable to chew on. It also helps with keeping tartar and plaque buildup controlled since your dog doesn’t brush his teeth (and bad breath for later when your dog ages if it becomes an issue!).

3.     Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray- This can be a great tool if you have a chewer on your hands! It has helped me deter dogs from chewing on furniture, clothes, etc. You can purchase it at most pet stores and online.

5.       Leashes and Collars- First of all, I do not ever recommend retractable leashes. Your dog will learn to pull and that is not something he/she should do. A nice 6-8 foot leash is good and going through obedience, your dog will learn to heal on and off leash. I recommend you purchase a typical buckle collar which is what my puppies will go home wearing. So, if you are purchasing a puppy from me, know he/she will already be wearing a new custom buckle collar. Don't forget a good tag (check out this one that doesn't dangle!) too in case your dog ever gets away. This, along with your dog's (registered) microchip, is essential in a safe return home! 

6.       Treats- I recommend using pencil eraser sized treats for reinforcement. Your dog doesn't need a steak to be praised. A little goes a long way here. The idea of a treat is to leave your dog wanting more.