Preparing For Puppy
Welcoming your new puppy home is very exciting! With that excitement may also come some anxiety about how to be best prepared for your puppy especially with all the information and opinions floating online. We have provided some guidance on best practices as well as some special offers to help you feel prepared for your newest four-legged life companion.
Optional Puppy Package Add-on
Unwind and Prepare, We'll Ensure Your Pup's Needs are Met!
We take on the personal shopper role to help you put together all the quality necessities and ship it to your home before puppy arrives. We understand how confusing it could be deciding on what to get for your puppy with all the ads targeted at you! All you need to do is let us know you need this help and we will take it from there. Our puppy parents have found this Add-on very helpful. Currently available for our Canadian & American parents only!
Puppy Package
1 / Healthy Puppy
An intentionally and ethically raised socialized puppy adopted in good health, Vet checked with age appropriate vaccines and safe deworming. We offer a 1 year health guarantee and complimentary 30 day starter insurance with the option of paid extension.
2 / Puppy Starter Pack
Puppy will come home with a bag of essential items to aid a smooth transition such as: health booklet, a small bag of food, blanket with mom and litter scent, some toys, sample supplements, puppy pad, collar e.t.c
3 / Lifetime Support
You will be supported in any way that you need. We have built a wonderful community around our puppy parents.
Puppy Proof Your Space
Let's face it, puppies are inquisitive curious and explorative by nature. They can't help it and we can stop it but there are some things you can do to make your shared space safer. Below are things you should ensure are out of reach for your pup:
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Electrical wires – Make sure electrical wires are out of their reach especially when not under your direct supervision.
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Household chemicals – Bleach, ammonia, disinfectants, rat poison, paint, oven & drain cleaners.
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Heat producing devices – Hot irons, coffee pots, kettles, ovens, stoves, and space heaters. Always use a fireplace screen to keep your puppy away from the fire
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Bite size items – Medication, moth balls, litter fluid, cat litter/feces, balloons, coins, socks, panty hose, underwear, rubber bands, cigarette buds, thread, string, ribbons.
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Poisonous plants – Aloe, eucalyptus, daisies, amaryllis, azaleas, begonias, carnations, gardenia, holly, hydrangea, ivy, lavender, tulips.
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Hot tubs / swimming pools – Until your pup is much older be sure to directly supervise them around hot tubs and swimming pools. Keep covers on them when not in use
Some Human Foods That May Be Harmful:
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Grapes and raisins
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Avocados, onions, garlic
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Chocolate in all forms: It's not a rumor. Chocolate can be dangerous for dogs. It contains theobromine, a powerful stimulant that is toxic for pets. Sweets like cakes and cookies can also upset a dog's gastrointestinal tract and lead to diarrhea and vommiting or pancreatitis, which can be serious.
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Gum, candy, or foods sweetened with xylitol
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Salt
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Moldy or spoiled foods
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Raw yeast dough
To avoid any accidental ingestion, it's best to always remember to keep these foods out of your puppy's reach at all times.
Below are a list of supplies that we recommend having in place for your puppy:
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Start finding your Vet
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Comfort & Safety items
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Quality Wire crate – 42” with double door and divider : the divider is important for limiting the space to accelerate potty training. They will grow into the crate as adults so need to get a new one.
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Quality Play Pen (optional) - 8 panel: a nice to have to replace the crate after trainings are achieved so that the crate becomes a travel carrier, overnight pen etc. The pen gives your pup/dog more room and a home-inside-home feel.
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Crate pad/liner – washable in machine, suggest a nice plush, microfiber rug
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Food & Water bowls – stainless steel or ceramic recommened
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Hypoallergenic shampoo
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Hair brush
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1 pack puppy pads – the idea is to start outside training as soon as puppy is home
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Towel
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Poop bags
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Toys – chew and cuddly toys, plush toys, squeaky toys (a puppy's favorite), kong, fetch toys (tennis ball etc), chew treats (bully sticks, sweet potato chews etc), NO RAWHIDES. The idea is to have a variety of toys to find out what puppy likes!
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ID tag
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Nail clippers
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Ear wash/cleaner
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Blunt edge scissors (for trimming around the eyes)
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Vet approved flea & tick treatment
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Car seat cover (optional)
Food and Nutrition
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Puppy food – Your puppy has been fed NOW Fresh Puppy Food. We strongly encourage that you to continue with this food for your puppy or one of equal or higher quality. If NOW is unavailable in your location then GO Solutions is a good alternative (Petcurean is the mother company of both brands). Your puppy will come with a small bag of the NOW Fresh food. If you choose to feed a different food after the first 30 days please be sure to transition gently reducing the ratio / quantity of the food you are phasing out and spread out over a few meals as to not upset the digestive system of your puppy. See NOW's website (click here)
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Food scoop & air tight storage bin (recommended)
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Training treats – Go for a treat as natural as possible. We like Zuke's dog treats [ click here]
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Vitamins & Supplements – From the time puppies are born they have been receiving NUVET Plus Immune System builder through moms milk and afterwards. One of the reasons we love Nuvet is for its protection against environmental toxins and its support for dog's health from puppyhood into their senior years covering all three stages of life. NUVET is also available to the public with a code from a pet professional. Please call 800-474-7044 and use Order Code: 990244, or visit the website [click here] to order.
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Probiotics – Your puppy has had probiotics as part of their meals in our care. We recommend adding probiotics to your pups diet/feeding. You can administer it as a twice monthly regimen, once weekly or even daily (sprinkled in food). Probiotics are great for fighting toxins, healthy skin, healthy and shiny coat, optimal gut health and many more. There are many wonderful probiotics for dogs out there and your vet should be able to recommend a good one for you. We are also happy to share a few options with you too.
Board N' Train
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Extended Stay
The Dreamdoods Extended Stay offers our Parents who may need up to 4-6 additional weeks to pick up their puppy. We will board and offer: basic Obedience, Crate, Leash and Potty training. Perfect for families who have a vacation planned, need more time or just needs puppy to have the basics before coming home.
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15 Day Good Dog
Our Partner Training School Sunnidale Boarding Kennels offers a generous discount to Dreamdoods Puppy Parents on the 15 Day GOOD DOG Behavior Modification Package. The package is designed to give your dog a solid foundation into obedience commands, loose leash walking, impulse control exercises and recall. Must be 16 weeks old to enroll.
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21 Day Good Dog
Our Partner Training School Sunnidale Boarding Kennels offers a generous discount to Dreamdoods Puppy Parents on the 21 Day GOOD DOG Behavior Modification Package. The package is designed to give your dog a solid foundation into obedience commands, loose leash walking, impulse control exercises, recall and much more. Must be 16 weeks old to enroll.
DIY Training Resources:
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Alternatively you can find a positive reinforcement trainer to come to your home within the first two weeks and/or to take puppy classes once vet approves puppy to go to puppy classes.
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You can also follow the MyLoyalHound online training program and train puppy yourself. Use our partner code BREEDERSGIFT60 for $60 off [ click here]
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Here are a few other suggested resources:
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Video – Your Complete Puppy Training Schedule By Age [click here]
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Raising Puppies & Kid’s Together A Guide for Parents by Pia Silvani and Lynn Eckhardt [ click here ]
