Top 5 Must Have Puppy Products
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I’ve had Derby my yellow Labrador Retriever GDA puppy in training for a few weeks now and during that time I’ve re-familiarized myself with some must have puppy products. It’s only been a year and a half since I began raising Stetson, but time has eroded my memory and forgotten are the misbehaviors associated with puppyhood.
Well…that has all changed now that Derby is here. The joys and frustrations of owning a puppy are once again at the forefront of my life. Derby now reminds me that there are several products essential to raising a puppy. Although there are many other items you should have before, during, and after puppyhood I decided to put together a list of my top 5 must have puppy products.
Top 5 Must Have Puppy Products
I’d recommend you have all 5 of these products before picking up your puppy.
- Dog Crate – Do you plan on crate training your puppy? Crate training is an important part of raising a guide dog and also a great way to house train your puppy. The crate I currently use is the Midwest Life Stages Fold & Carry Wire Mesh Dog Crate – 30″L
. I prefer the wire crate because it comes with a divider that allows you to partition your crate allowing your puppy to use the crate from puppyhood to adulthood. A second advantage to this crate is it collapses allowing for easier storage.
- Durable Nylabone – It’s a good idea to have several toys made of different textures. I’m a fan of the Nylabone for redirecting a mouthy puppy. The Nylabone is durable and will usually last a long time. When my puppy puts his mouth on my hand I always have a Nylabone handy, slide my hand out, and replace with Nylabone
- Bitter Apple Spray – Does your puppy chew on his leash, your carpet, your shoes, your hand? I use the Bitter Apple spray to deter my puppies chewing habit. When I notice Derby chewing on his leash I douse it with Bitter Apple. He will not put his mouth on anything I spray with Bitter Apple. Over time he’ll learn what is appropriate and inappropriate to chew on.
- Large Classic Plush Mallard – As I mentioned earlier it is important to have many toys with different textures. A plush toy with a squeaky in the middle will entertain your puppy for long periods of time. I also use it to work on Derby’s fetch and retrieve skills (GDA puppies in training are not allowed to play fetch and retrieve with the standard tennis ball). There are many plush toys out on the market and one of my favorites is the Jakks Pacific line-up of plush toys. My dogs and puppies really like the Mallard for some reason.
- Nature’s Miracle Stain & Odor Remover – A puppy as young as Derby is bound to have one or two accidents in the house (probably more like one or two a day). If you’re puppy has an accident in the house it’s important that you properly clean up the mess. Nature’s Miracle completely eliminates urine odors and stains with no perfume cover-up discouraging new pet soilings.
There are definitely many other essential products required for raising a puppy. What other products do you consider essential when raising a puppy?
Related Article:
Top Picks For Our Puppies
- BEST DOG CHEW
We Like: Beef Collagen Sticks - All of our pups love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Collagen Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. - BEST PUPPY TOY
We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home. - BEST DOG TREATS
We Like: Crazy Dog Train-Me Treats - We use these as our high-value treats for our guide dog puppies. - BEST FRESH DOG FOOD
We Like: The Farmer's Dog - A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer's Dog.
Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist.
We as a Family raise Guide fog puppies and extremely reccommened using KONG medium squeaky tennis balls. Not every dog is food oriented and these add another source of distraction rather than using things like bitter apple spray and the like. Also remember to use your voice in a high playful way also as a distraction. Pups react in different ways. Use the first weeks at home till all pups vaccines are completed to bond and get that all important basic training in like sit, down, sit, come. Lol No I haven’t stuttered, I have gone through what each of our basic commands that our pups by 16weeks puppy class will have achieved as well as good manners in and outside the home.
Most of all however, LOVE & ENJOY your pup. They are extentions of our family not things to be forgotten.🐶
Yes, it seems as if I should expand this list of puppy products. Expect an update…coming soon!
My family always has a dog bed (or two or three) for the puppy to lay on in the living room. Soft blankets too.
Those are all DEFINITE must haves I agree!!
@Morgan, I’ll have to try the everlasting treat ball when I have the chance. Unfortunately, I think it might be shaped too much like a tennis ball to be used with a guide dog…guide dogs aren’t allowed to play with tennis balls.
I make no claims about how good or bad these treats are for a dog, but I know that our dogs loved the Everlasting Treat Ball:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00063AU10
Getting the right size is crucial, as our bigger dogs got the treats out of the smaller sized balls. This treat keeps them busy for a long time, which was a lot better than giving them a treat that they swallowed in about 3 seconds.