Shampoo. There are a few good shampoos out there for dogs but a major factor in our decision was to prevent shedding. So we opted for the furminator shampoo. It works awesome. It leaves Biggie soft and smelling good. But more importantly it cuts down on his shedding and since he's an indoor pup this was very important. I will post more on the subject of being vigilant against shedding in another post. But back to this shampoo, we had got Biggie washed at a groomed a few times without this shampoo and, therefore, got to see firsthand the shedding that ensued! We also got the waterless furminator shampoo, which we actaully use more often, to make Biggie smell fresh and clean when guests come over or after a rainy day.
On that same note you will need a good brush to help keep the coat from getting mangled or tangled as well as limit shedding. Ask your breeder and/or groomer for what products work best on the coat your pup has and how often you will have to groom it. We got lucky in that Biggies coat is low maintenance requiring a regular hair brush daily and this de-shedding brush once a week.
Collar with ID tags. Aside from being practical for using a leash the ID tags on there are super important. In our search for a new pup we visited lots of shelters and saw how many dogs are lost or displaced from there owners. I also realized the fast turn around for dogs at some of these shelters. I learned that at some of the overcrowded shelters that do euthanize dogs they only have at most 2 weeks to be rescued or found before they are put down. It's a sad reality. So an ID tag is crucial to making sure your pup is returned and, if you can, get the dog microchipped that is another insurance. Since we rescued Biggie he was already chipped and the ID tags are cheap at the local pet shop
Back to the collar. I can't say that I've found one amazing collar based on reviews. This is something where your and your dogs personality will make the decision. There's the classic spike collar or fancy bling bling collars and everything in between. Have fun! As for pinch, choke, gentle leader, etc. I'll cover those in another post. Here I am reffering to a flat collar everday leash.
here's Biggie's:
Leash. At this point we have 3 leashes for Biggie. A 4 foot leash for walks. A 26' retractable leash for times when we want him to have room to run or distance training and a buddy system leash for hands free jogging. I'll go in to more detail on leashes in another post but I'll say a little bit here. I'd reccomend the 4 or 6 foot leash first. That is the best all around leash. Great for training, walks, jogging, biking, etc. Even around the house if your pup is not housetrained yet. Leash training is very important from the beginning and therefore a retractable leash should only be used after you have solid control of the dog. Same thing for a hands free leash.
As you walk your dog he/she will inevitable "pop-a-squat" in the neighbors yard while the neighbor is sitting on the porch staring at you two. So make sure you attach one of these to each leash. And, trust me, you'll need these refills.
On that note, every dog practically comes with a guarantee of accidents. We have used this more times than we'd like to admit (especially to the landlord!) but luckily we're still on our first bottle!
Treats. This is a broad topic so I'll just say a few things here and cover more in depth in another post. You'll want treats because these are like currency in the dog world. One thing Cesar Millan emphasizes in picking a dog is to test their food drive. It's because treats make for great positive reinforcement for good behavior, tricks, training, etc. You can also use toys, affection, games, or anything your dog loves as well but most dogs love food. As with dog food you want to make sure it's a healthy treat. Its hard to go wrong here but I'll make a post in the near future listing some top rated treats.
Toys. Again, this is a broad topic but I'll say just a few things and expand on this in another post. You'll want a few toys but there's no reason to buy one every week. Although, as my wife will tell you I'm guilty of this - it's very hard not too! But you'll want toys so your buddy can entertain him/herself, feel comfortable, and, most importantly, can be taught what is ok to chew on. A great way to save your furniture is to stop your dog from chewin on it then give them an acceptable chew toy so they learn what's ok to sink their teeth in to. If a puppy is teething this is especially important. There are so many kinds of toys that you'll just have too see what your dog likes. Biggie is now limited to tough toys only. Although he absolutely loves soft stuffed toys he rips them apart in minutes! I'll have a whole post with some top rated treats soon.
Well that's it for the essentials! With those products you are set to be a great dog parent/pack leader! Thanks for reading!
