Doodle Puppy Supply Recommendations

You're bringing home a new puppy!! You're excited and want to do everything you can to help your new little doodle transition as easily as possible to their new home! But what exactly do you need for your new family member? Here's a list of supplies I recommend for your new puppy.

Food

We feed our puppies Victor Select Beef Meal & Brown Rice Formula. This is an all life stages formula which means that puppies won't have to transition to an adult food as they grow. It has several ingredients that we like to feed our puppies such as omega-3s and probiotics, and beef is the first ingredient. We will send every puppy home with a sample of food.

Stainless steel bowls are my favorite food and water dishes for puppies and adult dogs because they are easy to clean. Plastic bowls can be chewed on and harbor bacteria. I really like the ones that have a silicone mat to place the bowls in to prevent them from being scooted all over or spilled. The mats can be thrown into the dishwasher or handwashed just like the bowls. Make sure you check how tall the bowls are. Little puppies may need shallow bowls until they grow taller.

Cavapoos have a high food motivation which makes using treats for training a wonderful tool. I like Pet Botanics Training Rewards treats because they are small, come in several flavors, and are loved by all of our dogs.

When your cavapoo has adult teeth, I recommend some type of chew that is effective for teeth cleaning. I especially like CET Enzymatic Oral Chews for Dogs because in my experience, dogs are not able to quickly gulp them down, but spend time gnawing on them which is what makes them effective at cleaning tartar. Make sure you get the recommended size for your dog.

Toys

Part toy/part teeth cleaner, I recommend Nylabone brand teething bones or rings for puppies. They come in many shapes, varieties, and even flavors, so you will have many to choose from. They have edible ones, but you should stick with the non-edible kind for young puppies. They are softer than other chews and are meant for a puppy's softer teeth.

I have heard tremendous things about Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy dogs. They are stuffed dogs that have a simulated heartbeat and even come with a disposable heat pack to help puppies transition to life without their littermates. Whether you are planning on crate training at night or will be leaving the puppies for work or school, these have been highly recommended to help comfort puppies and ease their transition to their new home.

Our dogs love to chase nylon frisbees and rubber nubbed or spiked balls, especially ones with squeakers! I like Chuckit brand frisbees and have found the Top Paw Spiky Squeaker Ball, Top Paw Bones, and Top Paw Active Bone Squeaker Ball to be favorites that have lasted for years.

Grooming

Doodles need to be brushed regularly to prevent matting, and a slicker is the best type to get the job done. I like self-cleaning slicker brushes that make it easy to remove their hair from the brush with the click of a button. Chris Christensen slicker brushes are highly recommended but are more expensive.

If your puppy has more wavy than curly hair, you may find a metal pin brush suits their fur really well.

You will also want to have a metal dog grooming comb. You can watch videos on YouTube on how to line brush which can be very helpful.

As soon as your new puppy comes home, you should continue to work on teeth cleaning. Begin with rubbing your finger gently around their teeth daily. Use a small dot of dog toothpaste on your finger and allow them to lick it off. They will love the taste! After establishing this routine with your puppy, transition to a finger brush or regular toothbrush for puppies. I really like the Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Dental Kit for puppies because it contains toothpaste, a finger brush, and a toothbrush that are all appropriate for puppies.