What Your Pup Will Need by Bonnie Schaeffel

Many of our families ask what they will need at home for their new puppy. I spend a lot of time answering these questions, but finally felt it might be more helpful to give a list of suggested items. So many of you spend time and care shopping and wanting the right items for your pup. I always appreciate that and it says something to me about the kind of families we get. Awesome!

Wire Crate

 These come in a variety of sizes. Some will have a divider so that you can buy a large one, but make it smaller for a period of time, while your pup is still a pup. Your puppy will be used to a wire crate. We put newspaper on the bottom of our crates, which automatically helps with potty training. When we take the puppies out for play time, if we put newspaper on the floor, they will go over and go on it about 70% of the time because they are used to the paper under their feet. These can be purchased for $50 to $95 depending on size and quality. You can sometimes get good deals on Craigs List.

                  Pet Carrier

  If we are shipping your puppy, he/she will arrive in a pet carrier such as this one. If you are not shipping, you may want one of these for traveling or at home, to sort of act as your pup's little den or bedroom. Some dogs like the privacy of a quiet, private place to go. You can put a pillow, blanket or rug in the bottom.These vary in price, depending on the size and quality from $40 to $100.

               Pet Gate

These come in a variety of sizes and prices, but I would plan on spending $65 to $95 on one. If that is out of your price range, shop at thrift stores or garage sales for baby gates. You can frequently pick those up used for around $5.00.

These are very handy to have to keep your puppy or dog contained to one area of your house, such as your kitchen. This is especially great when they are young and you are still working on completing potty training or when you have to be gone but may not want to crate your dog.

This is a great example of a pet gate.

                     Coat Rake

This particular rake is excellent! It works better than a furminator for getting the undercoat out. It is MUCH less expensive, about $12.00 and it doesn't cut the coat or the dog, which a furminator can do. This is the main coat tool I use with my dogs.

        Coat Brush

 This is a good example of a coat brush. I don't use this as often as a rake, but it is also handy to have. It works especially well for puppies.

         Puppy Dish

  Most of you would not need a picture of a dog dish. We recommend getting two dishes; one for water and one for food. However, this is a special puppy dish that helps slow them down while they eat so that they don't inhale their food or choke because they are eating so quickly. It slows them down which helps them chew and digest their food better. This helps them absorb nutrients and not get an upset stomach or diarrhea.There are a couple of different styles of this dish. The other one has knobs in the middle. Either type is fine. They cost about $12 to $15.

   Retractable Lead

 This is one example of a retractable lead. They range in price from $10 to $29. I would suggest a sturdy one for large breed dogs. These work very well for walks and runs as your puppy grows. To begin with, when you pick your pup up, you will only need something like a cat collar. You don't want to spend a lot on this first collar because your pup will grow out of it quickly. We have found that to start out, a cat collar will do the trick and a thin leash. We love the whytepine collars as they get older. They fit well and are made so they don't pull or rip the dog's hair.

                  Toys

I do not have room to list all the toys, but I am going to give a few of my favorites for this breed. Pictured is a Kong toy. These come in a variety of colors and sizes, but are very sturdy. Siberians are smart and if left alone can get destructive. This type of toy may keep them occupied for longer periods of time. It is built so you can put liver paste or peanut butter up inside this toy. That gives your dog something to work on for a while that will take some concentration and effort. There are other types of what I call "contraption" toys. You can hide treats in them. If you need to go to work, I would put a new one down each day and just keep rotating them.

Young pups love empty water bottles. Be sure to remove the cap so they can't choke. These bottles make crinkle noises when they bite on them. They are light enough to lift up and throw in the air. Puppies seem to especially have fun with these.

Nyla bones or toys that help clean the teeth are also great. Don't waste too much money on squeaky toys or animal toys. They usually ruin or chew these apart in about 5 minutes and then it is good for nothing but the trash.

Cow bones from a meat market are also an excellent choice once your pup has grown a little. They last a long time and they help to clean their teeth. Our dogs really seem to love these.

NuVet Vitamins & Immune Booster

              Nail Clippers

 Unless your puppy in on concrete, his/her nails will grow very quickly. Puppy nails can be very sharp and scratch you easily, even if they don't mean to. It is good to get into the habit of routinely clipping them. Don't go down into the pink vein you can see in the nail. A trimmer tool or variable speed dremel tool can also work well for this, especially as they get older.

                                        What Else???

  The above are some examples of the main items you will want to have ready. A soft bed, tiny leash and light collar to start with and two dishes. When you come, please bring a small blanket or towel. We can rub this on the mom for you to take along to help your puppy through the first couple of nights. A pet approved stuffed animal may also help. Beyond that, we are as close as your phone. Feel free to call with any questions or concerns! Expect some adjustment time and to go through a few bumps when your pup first comes home. Overall just have a great time with your new family member!

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