Preparing for Puppy

Wondering what you need to do to get ready to bring your puppy home?  Here is a list of things you will probably want to get.

A crate that is big enough for your puppy to stand up and turn around in. Most crates come with a divider so you can partition off part of the crate and will only need to buy a crate once. Size “large” is the proper size for a Standard Poodle.

A bed – this can be some towels, an old blanket, or a purchased dog bed. Your puppy will like to have a warm and soft place to sleep.

A collar, a leash, and a harness. We recommend the Lupine brand because they will replace them for free if your puppy chews them up! The collar is to keep on all the time with your pup's tags, and the harness is for walks. Remember that if your puppy tugs on the leash they can damage their thyroid gland and trachea, so it's important to use a harness on walks! 

Bowls for food and water

A supply of dog food. We recommend Fromm puppy (that's what we feed the pups!) 

A few bags of dog treats for training (our dogs love http://www.zukes.com)

Chew toys – in order to avoid having your puppy chew on your things, get him his own things to chew on. Nylabone makes some good chew toys for puppies. They also love raw (never cooked) beef bones.

Dog shampoo and hair clippers, if you plan to do your own grooming

A bottle of spray cleaner for the inevitable “accidents”

You will also want to take a stroll around your house and do some “puppy-proofing.”  Puppies love to chew on things, so put away any shoes, clothing, toys, etc. that aren’t meant for puppy.  Make sure poisonous substances, especially cleaning products and medicines, are secured in rooms or cabinets that puppy can’t get into.