Please keep in mind that these are just items that we have found in our experience work great for OUR dogs. We in no way claim that all of these will work perfectly for you and your situation even though they have worked for us. As with all advice, take it with a grain of salt and for any serious medical needs, please consult your vet for specific recommendations and treatments.
Must have supplies for your dog!
Slip Leads/Leashes (available on Amazon and other stores in various sizes, lengths, and colors). We aren't big on collars in our house. Too easy for them to get caught in mouths when playing or on crates/kennels causing strangulation. Instead our dogs go "naked" until it is time for a walk. Slip Leads are the best!!! Simply hold them up so that the lead makes a "P" shape (this allows the lead to tighten when the dog pulls back, but will automatically loosen when pressure is removed. If you put it on the other way, it will stay tight) and then slip it over their head. They provide better control than a typical collar and leash plus dogs can not pull out of them (no one wants to have their dog pull out of a collar on a busy road, parking lot, or public place). Our dogs really respond to these for teaching heel and they come in many sizes for big and small dogs.
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Crates (available on Amazon and other stores). We tend to be a fan of MidWest Wire Crates for use inside our home, but there are many brands to choose from. For daily use, labs should be in a 42" minimum (a divider may be used for a puppy learning to house break), but we prefer to give them as much room as possible by using a 48" made for Giant breeds. This size allows them to spread completely out to rest and I feel less guilty about leaving them crated for the day when I am working. Obviously a smaller crate must be used for car travel. For our duck dogs riding in the back of a truck, we use a heavy duty plastic travel crate that is strapped to the bed of the truck (in the winter, we use an insulated camouflage waterproof cover over the crate zipped closed to hold in the heat after they have been out on a hunt).
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K9 Ballistics Chew Proof Armored Dog Crate Pad This is the ONLY bed I will keep in my crates, especially with puppies. They are not cheap, so it is best to purchase one that your dog will be using when full grown, but it is worth every penny! Blankets, towels, and typical dog beds can be chewed. When a dog eats stuffing or fabric, it can cause an intestinal blockage that can lead to major surgery or death. With these dog beds, I do not need to worry. Even with digging and chewing, my puppies have yet to damage them, they are tight to the bottom of the crate so no flipping them, and they can be taken out and hosed when dirty. This company offers other styles as well for dogs that are not persistent chewers. They also offer a First Responder/Military program that will discount the price of the bed.
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Kuranda Elevated Aluminum Dog Bed Talk about indestructible! I have these in my kennel and opted for the heaviest duty beds that Kuranda offered and have not been disappointed. My dogs have dug, chewed, and flipped these over repeatedly until they gave up. They are also not cheap and not the most attractive bed, but well worth the money. They are easy to clean and disinfect, dry quickly when leaned against the pen to allow excess water to roll off, and are weatherproof. If your dog is not a big chewer, you can also downgrade the materials (choosing PVC instead) and buy a comfy cover that attaches to the top and can be easily thrown in the washing machine when it needs to be cleaned.
If you plan on buying one anyway, please use our special link (the price you pay is no different) so that we get credit that can be used to buy our pups more dog beds. https://kuranda.com?partner=27556 |
Toys your dog will love!
KONG - Extreme Ball - Durable Rubber Dog Toy for Power Chewers, Black (available on Amazon and other stores). Literally love this toy for our power chewers! It's a ball that is super heavy duty (do not let it hit your walls in the house as it will make hideous black marks) and is large enough that I don't fear them accidentally swallowing it. As with all toys, monitor for wear on the ball that could make it easier for them to destroy.
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Feeko Dog Toys Aggressive Chewers Large Breed (available on Amazon and in various colors). Absolutely awesome toy especially for those with more than one dog. They love to run around with this toy outside with two, sometimes three, dogs holding it. Great for them to play tug-of-war with each other. We do not recommend humans play tug-of-war with your dogs.
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Keeping your dog healthy!
Lisa Leady K-9 Miracle Ear Elixir is the most amazing ear care product I have found!!! Shake the bottle, apply a little in the ear, wipe out, and let them shake. It is great for regular maintenance and it has also helped me avoid a trip to the vet or ear drops when I suspected an ear infection was imminent. Seriously the best!! Just be aware that this great smelling purple liquid is powerful, but it can also stain. Be careful not to spill and if there is too much liquid left in the ear canal when your dog shakes, you may end up unintentionally decorating your walls. ;)
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Chlorhexidine Shampoo is the best way to prevent skin issues. We do not wash our dogs often. Generally just a rinse will do. But, for any dog that has a tendency to develop a skin issue, after being in a nasty pond, when a hot spot starts to develop, when those sharp puppy teeth puncture the neck skin of your older dog, etc. you can use this and it will treat and prevent fungus and bacterial issues fast!!!
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Vetericyn Spray is the bomb! We use it on all our animals including livestock. Spray on cuts, hot spots, skin issues, and watch it go away. For stubborn hot spots that develop occasionally (we have an older golden that is prone and they can also sometimes develop from puppies biting the neck of an older dog) you should clip the area, wash with medicated shampoo, dry well, spray this on & allow to dry, then apply medicated gold bond powder, and keep them from scratching by using a donut collar. Bam! Gone!
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Inflatable Recovery Collar (available on Amazon and comes in various styles). This neck donut is no joke. Say goodbye to the dreaded "cone of shame" and hello to the new way of surgery recovery. With this on, dogs can still function normally. They can eat, drink, go in their crate, etc. The cone on some of our dogs would make them nauseous and they would run into walls. With this, they usually act like it is not there.
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Pet Dremel (available on Amazon and other stores. Comes in various styles). No more worrying about cutting the quick on your dog's nails, especially those dark ones. They are super easy to use, less traumatizing, no risk to bleeding, and your puppy will be coming home having already been exposed to weekly dremeling. Continue to grind those nails every few weeks to keep your puppy compliant and be sure to praise and treat for a job well done.
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***Say NO to these items!***
Retractable Leashes I really hate these. It only takes a quick Google search to see the many disadvantages of a retractable leash. These leashes provide no real control, especially for a dog that is still learning its manners. They can easily tangle around a child's neck reaching down to pet the dog (I've seen it) and cause burns as an excited dog wraps around the legs of a new person they are trying to meet (I've experienced it).
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No Pull Harness First, let me clarify that a non-restrictive harness is fine for a dog that knows how to walk calmly and not pull. For dogs that already pull, a harness only encourages that behavior. Even worse, a no-pull harness intentionally restricts shoulder movement than can eventually lead to permanent structural damage. If you'd like to use a harness, make sure that your dog has the proper training first and can walk on a lead without pulling.
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Rope Toys These seem fun for dogs, but strings can easily pull off the toy and be digested. Because the strings are small and thin, rather than a large object, they are not easily detected until the damage has become too great. As they become entangled in the intestine, they can cause major and irreversible damage Essentially, by the time the dog begins to show signs of an issue, it may likely be too late to save them.
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Rawhides Be careful with these as the wrong ones can be filled with chemicals and heavy chewers, like labs, can break off dangerously large pieces that can get caught in the esophagus or travel down and cause intestinal blockages. Theoretically all dogs should be supervised when playing with all toys and chewing on bones, but we also know that is not always possible. Given most of my labs are heavy chewers, it is not worth the risk of letting them have rawhides.
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