finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896 
|
Post by finaledition on Jun 24, 2016 3:38:00 GMT
In about a month or so we will be getting a puppy. It's been nearly 10 years since our last dog and I know in that amount of time there have been some new, must have dog products come to market. So share with me your favorites so I can start making a list.
|
|
|
|
Post by Basket1lady on Jun 24, 2016 3:54:25 GMT
What kind of dog are you looking at? I really love the monks of New Skete and recommend their book on raising a puppy. There is a lot of really sensible methods that didn't even seem like training--just living (happily) with your dog. But you really need to read the book before getting the puppy. Most importantly, make sure your whole family is on the same page with training. I got sick shortly after we got Emma and other family members did the walking with her for a few months. They let her tug on the leash and didn't expect her to listen like I did. It made a difference and I went from a puppy who never, ever, put tension on the leash to a dog who pulled. It took me months to break her of that. The Art of Raising a PuppyI honestly don't think that I had anything special for a puppy. We got Emma 4 years ago and it had been 20 years since we had had a puppy. We had a lab/chow that lived to be 12 and a golden lab who lived to be 13, but she was 5 when we got her. I did have to replace my leather leash--Emma (new puppy) was tugging and I gave the leash a hard yank and it snapped right there. 3/4" leather! It surprised both of us. But I'd wait until your puppy is past the chewing stage. Emma never chewed on her leash, but our first dog did. I was a SAHM, so I was with her day in and day out. She seldom left my side except to sleep in her crate. I would have out with her in the kitchen (tiled) or tie her leash to my belt loop. I am definitely her person now. We had a lot of chew toys for her. She really liked the antlers and we went through a few before the heavy teething stopped. Train from day 1 in short bursts. By 9 weeks, Emma knew sit and leave it. I had dog treats in my pockets at all times and would constantly reward her for positive behavior. Labs are very food motivated, so 5 minutes of attention and treats was great even early on. And puppies need a lot of sleep at first. I'd forgotten that. They really are just like babies in that respect. |
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
|
Post by finaledition on Jun 24, 2016 4:02:11 GMT
A friend mentioned that same book-but she couldn't remember the title so I'll get that and start some reading. We are getting a comfort retriever. Our last dog was a chocolate lab and lived to be 13. She died just before I got pregnant with my youngest so we were baby raising. I have 2 older kids who are very excited as well and I think will be really helpful during the puppy stage.
|
|
michellegb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,915
Location: New England and loving it!
Jun 26, 2014 0:04:59 GMT
|
Post by michellegb on Jun 24, 2016 9:17:55 GMT
What kind of dog are you looking at? I really love the monks of New Skete and recommend their book on raising a puppy. There is a lot of really sensible methods that didn't even seem like training--just living (happily) with your dog. But you really need to read the book before getting the puppy. Most importantly, make sure your whole family is on the same page with training. I got sick shortly after we got Emma and other family members did the walking with her for a few months. They let her tug on the leash and didn't expect her to listen like I did. It made a difference and I went from a puppy who never, ever, put tension on the leash to a dog who pulled. It took me months to break her of that. The Art of Raising a PuppyI honestly don't think that I had anything special for a puppy. We got Emma 4 years ago and it had been 20 years since we had had a puppy. We had a lab/chow that lived to be 12 and a golden lab who lived to be 13, but she was 5 when we got her. I did have to replace my leather leash--Emma (new puppy) was tugging and I gave the leash a hard yank and it snapped right there. 3/4" leather! It surprised both of us. But I'd wait until your puppy is past the chewing stage. Emma never chewed on her leash, but our first dog did. I was a SAHM, so I was with her day in and day out. She seldom left my side except to sleep in her crate. I would have out with her in the kitchen (tiled) or tie her leash to my belt loop. I am definitely her person now. We had a lot of chew toys for her. She really liked the antlers and we went through a few before the heavy teething stopped. Train from day 1 in short bursts. By 9 weeks, Emma knew sit and leave it. I had dog treats in my pockets at all times and would constantly reward her for positive behavior. Labs are very food motivated, so 5 minutes of attention and treats was great even early on. And puppies need a lot of sleep at first. I'd forgotten that. They really are just like babies in that respect. Great tips here! I loved both books by the Monks of New Skeet. They were very helpful to me when I got my first puppy. I'm also a believer in using Apple Bitters (I've only been able to find it on Amazon lately) on things I don't want the puppy to chew on. I tried a couple other brands and neither of them worked very well. And the best tip: Pick up your shoes! Put them where the puppy can't get them. Ever. Trust me on this.  SaveSave |
|
|
|
Post by Patter on Jun 24, 2016 10:31:12 GMT
Definitely would love to know what breed or size of dog you are getting. That can help with products to suggest. I have a toy breed and two large breeds. We also have had a medium breed all over 27 years. I have 3 currently. Would love to help enable if we have a bit more info but a crate is a must IMO. If you are getting a large breed, get one with a divider so you can buy the largest crate for the full grown pup but block off part of it until the pup is bigger. You don't want them to have run of the full-sized crate when they are small. |
|
IAmUnoriginal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,894
Jun 25, 2014 23:27:45 GMT
|
Post by IAmUnoriginal on Jun 24, 2016 11:11:05 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by STBC on Jun 24, 2016 13:40:56 GMT
I second this. They work well and are easy to clean. We've had ours for a couple years and it still looks great. |
|
|
|
Post by STBC on Jun 24, 2016 13:42:52 GMT
We are getting a comfort retriever. What is a comfort retriever? |
|
|
|
Post by peano on Jun 24, 2016 14:25:15 GMT
Invest in a well-made leather leash. I've had mine for 30 years. They last forever and are so much gentler on your hands than the webbing type. I got a surprisingly painful leash burn on my leg this week from someone using a webbing leash who was having trouble controlling their dog.
|
|
scrappert
Prolific Pea
RefuPea #2956
Posts: 7,824
Location: Milwaukee, WI area
Jul 11, 2014 21:20:09 GMT
|
Post by scrappert on Jun 24, 2016 14:35:01 GMT
I just googled comfort retriever. Cute!
I don't have any advice on a puppy, just wanted to say congratulations!
|
|
georgiapea
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,846
|
Post by georgiapea on Jun 24, 2016 16:05:05 GMT
You will need a car seat for the puppy so he can see out while riding, yet be securely tethered to said doggie car seat.
He/she will need a back pack. Actually the back pack is work by a family member, so the puppy can go hiking with you and not get tired.
You'll also need a stroller so puppy can ride in style.
I know because my Abbey has all the above!
|
|
|
|
Post by Patter on Jun 24, 2016 16:39:10 GMT
Agh, beautiful breed. I highly recommend an Easy Walk Harness. Our rough collies started in them at 8 weeks old. His overall size will be smaller than my boys but the harness is a GREAT thing. We had to buy a couple of different sizes as they grew but it worked great. We had the breeder measure their girth about a week before they came home so I had time to get the right size from Amazon before picking them up. Yes, they started in the harness from day 1 with us. Best thing we ever did. We also love and always use with all of our dogs the Poochie Bells. We also start that training from day 1. The rough collies understood it by 9 weeks old. And like I mentioned above, a crate. Kongs are also good to have on hand as well as canned pumpkin to stuff them with. Freeze the stuffed Kongs. Great for the dogs mental stimulation, chewing, etc. And pick the food you want the pup to eat. You will want to transition the pup from the breeder's food to yours over the course of 7-10 days. Check this site to choose what food will work for you. We use Acana and have it direct shipped from chewy.com. Hope some of this helps. Enjoy, and can't wait to see photos! www.dogfoodadvisor.com |
|
|
|
Post by Basket1lady on Jun 24, 2016 17:11:46 GMT
Agh, beautiful breed. I highly recommend an Easy Walk Harness. Our rough collies started in them at 8 weeks old. His overall size will be smaller than my boys but the harness is a GREAT thing. We had to buy a couple of different sizes as they grew but it worked great. We had the breeder measure their girth about a week before they came home so I had time to get the right size from Amazon before picking them up. Yes, they started in the harness from day 1 with us. Best thing we ever did. We also love and always use with all of our dogs the Poochie Bells. We also start that training from day 1. The rough collies understood it by 9 weeks old. And like I mentioned above, a crate. Kongs are also good to have on hand as well as canned pumpkin to stuff them with. Freeze the stuffed Kongs. Great for the dogs mental stimulation, chewing, etc. And pick the food you want the pup to eat. You will want to transition the pup from the breeder's food to yours over the course of 7-10 days. Check this site to choose what food will work for you. We use Acana and have it direct shipped from chewy.com. Hope some of this helps. Enjoy, and can't wait to see photos! www.dogfoodadvisor.comI use Chewy.com as well. Love that the food comes right to the door. If you subscribe, there is a savings per bag. But you can change the delivery date really easily if your dog eats more or less in a given time frame. (Like if the kids are feeding her vs me!) And I agree with the crate. And actually, there isn't currently a car restraint for a larger dog that passes safety inspections. If that is a concern for you, your pup should be crated in the car. And a retriever won't need a back pack or a stroller--they like to walk! If you are looking for a smaller version of a golden, you could look at mixed breeds that may be more budget friendly than a genuine Comfort Retriever, or a labrador breeder that breeds smaller dogs. Our first girl was a lab mix and was only 40 lbs. And Emma is a purebred/AKC registered labrador retriever, but she is only 61 lbs. She looks so small next to regular labs. It wasn't planned that way (by us, although her parents were both on the smaller side), but she is petite! |
|
naby64
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,959
|
Post by naby64 on Jun 24, 2016 17:14:36 GMT
Oh be still my heart. It just melted a bit when I looked up comfort retrievers.
I cannot help stress a crate enough!! My DH always thought they were inhumane until we crate trained our puppy just before the one we have now. Best Thing EVAH!! Our newest loves his crate. Seren loved it when she was in it. It's their safe spot. We feed them there also. I leave one door open during the day and when Scout needs a time out, that is where he goes.
Kongs, which I see Patter recommended, are good. We got a mini one when our newest puppy came home and he loved it. I think so much that we are having a hard time getting used to the larger one. He does like it with peanut butter. I will do the pumpkin in it next.
As they are teething, frozen washcloths are good. Wet it, wring it and leave it twisted. Freeze it. They will like chewing as they teeth on these.
Until just recently we haven't had a problem with things other than his stuff, being chewed on. Until last week. I wear Crocs around the house for my feet. He wasn't put in his crate when DH left the house and my yard Crocs met a fatal end. New ones arrive today. One day this week, I had taken my sandals off and they were by my chair while cooking. I heard something odd and looked up. Yep, chewing on the back of new sandals. Got that stopped. I do have some Bitter Cherry spray to hit the edge of some chairs with. I noticed him chewing the flap of one of my chairs last week. It is time for the spray now. Oh and he found one of my DS's Chacos and chewed on a bit of the webbed strap. I caught him before too much damage was done. I have reminded EVERYONE in the house to put it up if you don't want it chewed up!
|
|
MsKnit
Pearl Clutcher
RefuPea #1406
Posts: 2,648
Jun 26, 2014 19:06:42 GMT
|
Post by MsKnit on Jun 24, 2016 17:15:33 GMT
Another happy chewy.com customer.
We feed our pups Fromm. I would feed them Orijen if I could afford it.
For chew toys, I would start out with a Kong. Mine didn't like it. But, I think she is an oddity. Other good toys are the Skinneez (sp?) (a stuffingless toy) and there is a bright blue 'jack' that my girl loves.
Have fun with the new member of your family.
|
|
|
|
Post by khaleesi on Jun 24, 2016 17:19:22 GMT
Puppy must haves in our house are:
- Puppy Kong
- Peanut butter (for the Kong)
- Harness
- Lots and lots of training treats
- Nylabones or softer things for puppy teeth to chew on. Lamb ears are a good option.
- Puppy wipes (because sometimes things get stuck on the fur and they need extra help. Or at least my tiny girl does on occasion).
- Crate with a divider so he/she cannot have full reign of the crate until they are older and potty trained.
We got a new puppy about 3 weeks ago and she loves things to chew on and that she can carry around the house. She's a shihpoo like our other dog so she's not very big. I only have experience with smaller breeds and these are the staples in my house.
|
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Jun 24, 2016 17:26:51 GMT
I can't really share favorites with you, because with our dogs, what they like and don't like is very individual: Two of our dogs LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to chase toys (esp. rubber squeaker toys or a tennis ball) and bring them back to you, but the third dog?? You show her a rubber squeaky toy and she turns her head away. I can't get her to play with ANY toys but apparently our pet-sitter knows her secret, because she will play with HER, darn it.  Our first dog? Every plush toy with a squeaker inside got chewed open and un-stuffed as soon as possible so the squeaker inside could be killed. Our dogs all love to chew on rawhide bones, so I tried to switch them to antlers-- that was a TOTAL bust; they were a waste of money. Wait, I do have one: One thing I DO recommend is the 'floppy disk' which is a Frisbee-style toy made out of heavy-duty fabric; the rim has rope inside for the dog to catch hold of but since it's made of fabric, it's not hard on their mouth like a plastic Frisbee can be. Have fun with your new furry family member!! (and, you know the rules, right?? pictures, pictures, pictures!!  ) eta: one more tip-- we have long-haired dogs and sometimes they have 'dingleberries' (that's what we call them, lol) and we've found that a Q-tip is very useful for flicking them loose from their butt with minimum fuss or muss. |
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
|
Post by finaledition on Jun 24, 2016 17:39:58 GMT
Thank you for all the helpful responses. I'm certainly going to be spending a good part of my day looking up these items. I've already ordered the book suggested. I know I'm going to need puppy specific items, but am also interested in purchasing items that will be with us a long time, like the leather leash and the crate with the divider. Actually there are lots of things mentioned that I've never heard of so this is exactly what I was interested in learning about.
We have been talking about a dog for 3-4 years. We just could not agree about what to get. We loved our lab, but wanted something smaller this time. But my husband had zero spatial awareness-like none at all so a small breed was not an option. We also wanted less shedding and considered many doodle options, but he just did not care for that look. Anyway, my oldest son found this breed and seriously after 3 years, my husband finally had his cold heart melted. :-p. Anyway our lab was a pure bred, but we got her at a year from the pound so this puppy thing is new to us. It is a priority that we have a well trained dog so we are committed to that.
|
|
|
|
Post by BeckyTech on Jun 24, 2016 18:34:12 GMT
|
|
IAmUnoriginal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,894
Jun 25, 2014 23:27:45 GMT
|
Post by IAmUnoriginal on Jun 24, 2016 19:09:35 GMT
Kong trick if you have a chewer or need to keep the dog busy for a while -- stuff the Kong with a mixture of peanut butter, canned pumpkin, and little training size treats. Stuff it full. Throw it in the freezer. I keep a couple in the freezer at all times. The dogs get them when the weather isn't nice enough to take them out to play. But, they are also great for when we have company. It keeps them busy and out of the way. By the time they are done chewing, licking and eating the treats, the guests are old news to the dogs. Works well for teething pups, too.
|
|
|
|
Post by gmcwife1 on Jun 24, 2016 19:15:13 GMT
I had never heard of the comfort retriever or even any dog that was trademarked. That is interesting. Are you getting your puppy from this 'original' trademarked breeder. These are some expensive dogs  I also had no idea there was a designer dog registry! |
|
|
|
Post by 950nancy on Jun 24, 2016 19:19:05 GMT
I have two herding dogs that don't like toys or need much at all. They wouldn't need a leash if it wan't for laws living in the city. They do need a bed, food bowls, leash, and brushes. Perhaps the Furminator brush would be good for this kind of dog. If it mixes with a poodle, it might not have the shedding issue that many retrievers have. I think what makes a good dog is a lot of time to train and letting them be members of the family at all times (when they can be trsueted not to chew). All of our dogs have been obedience trained and are good with kids and other adults. Enjoy your new baby.
|
|
bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,542
|
Post by bethany102399 on Jun 24, 2016 19:34:29 GMT
Our nearly 4 month old Great Pyr mix loves his kong and his antler but we're deep in the chewing stage right now. My work black flats bear the marks of my own inability to keep shoes out of the way.
We crate George during the day and at night. His day crate is bigger, with the partition and he sleeps in our bedroom in a smaller crate. He's allowed out once he's peed usually around 4 am the plan is once I can trust him not to pee, poop or otherwise destroy the house, we'll put that up and let him sleep where he wants at night. The larger crate will always be left out, they really do seem to be ok with it.
He appears to love ANYTHING with a squeaker and has an inappropriate relationship with a kong moose that we got him. It's his second one, he ripped the head off the first one when we think he punctured the squeaker with his sharp puppy teeth. He's certainly been more careful with the second one. He'll sit and literally work the squeaker over and over again. it's hysterical. This is one of those deals I think where every dog is different. the dogs I grew up with never had toys and didn't care for them. George will take his moose over a treat any day.
We did sign up for bark box just so we could try a variety of things and see what he likes. I'll cancel once I feel like we have a good idea, but we use the treats for training (tearing the larger ones up into smaller bits) so it's worth the cost at the moment.
|
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
|
Post by finaledition on Jun 24, 2016 20:38:35 GMT
I had never heard of the comfort retriever or even any dog that was trademarked. That is interesting. Are you getting your puppy from this 'original' trademarked breeder. These are some expensive dogs I also had no idea there was a designer dog registry! Yes, we are wait listed with this breeder. My husband is a bit odd-he's not impulsive and he's very frugal. We keep our cars forever, he never buys himself expensive things, but every once in awhile he surprises me with a splurge. I think he saw these dogs and that was it. It's our 25th anniversary in a couple weeks. I don't expect we will exchange gifts so I told him that I guess we are getting some golden for our silver anniversary. |
|
|
|
Post by gmcwife1 on Jun 24, 2016 20:45:23 GMT
I had never heard of the comfort retriever or even any dog that was trademarked. That is interesting. Are you getting your puppy from this 'original' trademarked breeder. These are some expensive dogs I also had no idea there was a designer dog registry! Yes, we are wait listed with this breeder. My husband is a bit odd-he's not impulsive and he's very frugal. We keep our cars forever, he never buys himself expensive things, but every once in awhile he surprises me with a splurge. I think he saw these dogs and that was it. It's our 25th anniversary in a couple weeks. I don't expect we will exchange gifts so I told him that I guess we are getting some golden for our silver anniversary. Congratulations on your anniversary |
|
|
|
Post by BeckyTech on Jun 24, 2016 20:48:39 GMT
Furminators are great if your dog tolerates them, but go eBay for sure. You will find a brand new one for a fraction of what they cost at the pet store. If your dog doesn't like the Furminator, I've found a lot of love for the Kong Zoom Groom. (blue one is slightly stiffer than the red one.)
|
|
Belle
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,309
|
Post by Belle on Jun 24, 2016 21:10:13 GMT
Natures Miracle is a must, imo! |
|
|
|
Post by crimsoncat05 on Jun 24, 2016 21:10:58 GMT
yup-- natures miracle-- for pee, poop, puke, etc. etc.
|
|
carhoch
Pearl Clutcher
Be yourself everybody else is already taken
Posts: 2,993
Location: We’re RV’s so It change all the time .
|
Post by carhoch on Jun 25, 2016 1:03:39 GMT
That's a lot of money for a mutt
|
|
finaledition
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,896
|
Post by finaledition on Jun 25, 2016 1:33:16 GMT
That's a lot of money for a mutt Yep, absolutely think other people would not choose to spend the money this way. But it's a decision between my Dh and I and our bank account.:-) |
|
)
_on_the_beach.jpg)
