Recommended Puppy Supplies

These are my suggestions based on years of research and personal experience.

Each of these products are recommended for specific reasons pertaining to your dog’s health and longevity. If you choose not to use them, please do thorough research and make sure you are picking high quality food, treats and supplements for your dog! Be aware of product recalls and educate yourself on canine nutrition. Prevention is key to slowing age related issues, immune problems and stopping illness or death from poor quality control or unsafe products. For that reason, and from personal experience, I recommend you use the products for the life of your pet.

When you pay a deposit and pick out your puppy, you should start ordering supplies. Below is my list of recommendations…

Daily food and supplement-

I consider the daily food and daily supplement to be important items!

You should order your puppy’s food and supplements several weeks before bringing him home. If you don’t, your puppy will not have what it is accustomed to eating and will get an upset tummy and diarrhea.

Daily food: pawTree Real Chicken and Oatmeal Recipe

Your puppy is eating pawTree Real Chicken and Oatmeal kibble. I chose this food because of the quality of the ingredients like real meat, fruits and vegetables, antioxidants, and Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids for a healthy skin & coat. I also like what it doesn’t have in it- animal byproducts, corn, wheat, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. This is a nutrient dense food so you can feed less than other brands which equates to less poop to clean up. My dogs love the taste and I love how great they look on it. I do not have samples of this to give you so you need to order it several weeks before your puppy comes home!

CLICK HERE TO PLACE A PAWTREE ORDER

Money saving tips for PawTree orders:

Use the code Intro4u to receive a discount.

Buy the XL bag of food (which is actually three small bags) and set it to autoship every 3 months so you never run out of food. You may need to adjust frequency of autoship dates as your puppy grows.

Add 3 toys or treats to each autoship to receive free shipping. You can edit your autoship each cycle to try different products.

Daily supplement: NuVet K-9 wafers

Daily supplement- NuVet K-9 wafersYour puppy is getting a NuVet Plus K-9 wafer daily to support its immature immune system (very important during puppy vaccination time) and help boost it during times of stress such as going to a new home. My adult dogs also benefit from it because it contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which promote a longer lifespan by fighting the effects of free radicals. It is highly recommended that you give your puppy a daily treat of half a wafer, switching to a whole wafer daily around 6 months. I like giving my dogs a “treat” that also has health benefits!

CLICK HERE TO PLACE A NUVET ORDER

Use order code 79172 when placing your NuVet order.

Money saving tips for NuVet orders:

Save 15% by selecting the “auto ship” option at checkout.

Instead of a whole daily wafer, break the wafers in quarters for young puppies and in half for puppies under 6 months.

While these are not mandatory, I highly recommend the following treats and supplements…

As I said before, I like to treat my dogs while ensuring great health. These are items I use to add dietary variety and to prevent or address specific health issues. There are many supplements available for dogs but these are some of the ones I feel are needed most. If you ever have any other issues with your dog please contact me for an individual recommendation.

Healthy treats- pawTreats

Treats are important for bonding with your dog and for use as a training aid. Most treats available at the grocery store are unhealthy and made with cheap ingredients. PawTreats are actually good for your pet and I like the variety of flavors available. I usually buy the Freeze Dried Beef, Sweet Potatoes, Peas & Carrots or the Freeze Dried Beef Liver and then try one of the other flavors for variety. They are easy to break into smaller pieces for puppy training. Plus my dogs go nuts for them! Trust me, they know who gives treats and that’s who they love the most!

Other edible treats I use are SmartBones rawhide free bones made with real chicken and Greenies Dental Treats for fresh breath. Both are available at most pet stores and I will also give you a sample of each when you take home your puppy.

Food topper- pawPairings Superfood Seasoning

PawPairings are food toppers that you sprinkle on your dog’s regular food to add different tastes, boost nutrition and add a variety of protein sources without causing an upset tummy. There are 10 seasonings to choose from and each contains a freeze-dried meat protein, 8 Superfoods and a powerful blend of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I usually pick one made from a protein than other chicken (since that is what is in the daily food) like Duck, Bison or Lamb Medley. For pets that are feeling poorly, not eating well, or who have dental issues I would recommend the Beef or Chicken Bone Broth which can be made into a gravy to soften food and encourage the appetite. I like PawParings because they are useful for picky eaters, help avoid mealtime boredom, provide different protein sources without changing the diet, and my dogs enjoy the variety.

Omega 3 supplement- Wild Salmon Oil or Salmon Drops

PawTree Wild Alaskan Salmon & Pollock Oil (comes in a pump bottle) or Salmon Oil Drops (a soft chew) are high in Omega 3 fatty acids which are used to prevent excessive shedding, dry skin, dull coat, itching, irritated skin, hot spots and seasonal allergies in both dogs and cats. I use the pawTree brand because the source and the manner in which the fish is processed makes a difference in the quality of the oil and in how effective it is for your pet. Plus, for the quality of the product it is very reasonably priced when compared to other products of the same effectiveness. It’s up to you whether a daily soft chew or the oil which is pumped into the food is more convenient. Both are readily consumed by my dogs.

Probiotic Supplement- Gastro Pro Plus

PawTree Gastro Pro Plus contains prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes and digestive herbs that are great for helping your dog or puppy not have diarrhea from stressful situations. This is helpful when taking a new puppy home, traveling with your dog, boarding your dog or any situation that causes stress. I also give this supplement to any dog that takes antibiotics to restore good intestinal flora. It comes in capsule form so you can easily open it and sprinkle it on the daily food.

Joint Supplement- NuJoint Plus Supplement

NuJoint is a supplement to support bone and joints in canines of all ages. It contains MSM (shown to reduce the rigidity of cells in the soft tissues of the body thus reducing pressure), Glucosamine (helps animals synthesize new cartilage and therefore alleviates discomfort from wear and injuries), Chondroitin (attracts and holds fluid within cartilage tissue helping to lubricate joints and increase mobility) and Vitamin C (supports immune function, promotes cartilage growth and tissue repair).

I give this as a treatment to all dogs over 5 and as a preventative any younger dog who participates in more strenuous athletic activities such as agility, hunting, running with their owner or any other activity which involves impact to the joints. It is also very useful after injuries.

Toys

Toys are a necessity for dogs for many reasons. They aid in teething, can provide comfort, occupy bored dogs and help maintain dental health. Choose safe toys- no rawhide because they can choke on it. Also, be aware that some toys are better for puppies and others for adults. Puppies love plush toys but if they are an aggressive chewer as an adult they may not be able to have them. You will know your puppy has outgrown a toy if he or she can tear it up easily.

Lots of Textures and small Chewster bone

Lots ‘O Textures Bone

PawTree Lots ‘O Textures bone is great for teething puppies and for keeping adult dog’s teeth clean. For older dogs that are aggressive chewers the PawTree Small Chewster Bone is fantastic.

Small Chillax to the Max Bone

PawTree Chillax to the Max Bone is perfect for comforting dogs during stressful times. It is coated with CBD to calm nerves. You can also keep your dog occupied by spreading a small amount of peanut butter, cream cheese, yogurt or soft cheese into the tiny holes. For extra nutrition, sprinkle some pawPairings Superfood Seasoning in the holes and then cover them up with one of the spreads. I like this toy because it’s a boredom buster and stress reliever in one toy! This bone is harder than the Lots ‘O Textures bone making it good for aggressive chewers.

Sticky Bone

PawTree Sticky Bone can be stuffed with treats or food to entertain a bored dog, encourage healthy chewing and stimulate a dog’s mind by making them use problem solving skills. They are also great for keeping a dog occupied when they want to play and you can’t. This bone sticks to hard surfaces. I stuff it with treats and stick it on my kitchen floor so food isn’t carried into other parts of my house.

8” Plushees Turtle

PawTree Plushees toys are soft and plush toys that are great for cuddling during nap time. All have squeakers and a grunter to encourage play. These are 8 inch toys that I use to keep my puppies company during weaning and any time they are alone. There are different animals available such as an octopus, bear, duck and rabbit but I love turtles so that’s the one I usually buy.

4” Lil Squeeze puffer fish

PawTree Lil Squeeze toys are smaller than the Plushees collection and easier for young puppies to pick up. Also, they bounce and squeak so it’s great for playing fetch. Again, different animals are available but my favorite is the puffer fish just because I think it’s cute.

Grooming and Sanitation

These are great products for potty training, waste management and keeping your puppy smelling fresh.

PawTree Shampoo

At some point your dog or puppy will need a bath. PawTree 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner (Fresh Spring Petals scented) and PawTree Aloe, Oatmeal & Chamomile Itch-Relief Shampoo (Coconut & Aloe scented) are nice because they are one step rather than a separate shampoo and conditioner. So it’s a bath in half the time! Both are moisturizing to keep your dogs fur soft and shiny and helps relieve itching due to dry skin or allergies. My favorite is the Coconut & Aloe because I love the smell of coconuts and it smells like a Pina Colada. The Fresh Spring Petals scent is a fresh (not floral) scent and is also nice. I also like that these shampoos are gentle and tear free so I can use them on my puppies and adults.

PawTree Deodorizing Mist

PawTree Deodorizing Mist is spray that is great for keeping your pet smelling great between baths. It comes in the same scents as the shampoo and conditioner so get the matching spray to whichever shampoo you choose. You can use it daily or whenever you think your pet needs it. It’s safe for all dogs even those with sensitive skin.

PawTree Urine Eliminator

This is what you need when there is an accident. It treats stains and odors with one product. PawTree Urine Eliminator uses enzymes to permanently remove odors to prevent your pet from going back to the same spot again. It also discourages “marking” territory where multiple dogs try to use the same spot because they smell another dog’s urine scent.

Waste Management

If you live in the city or plan on going to the dog park you will need poop bags to clean up after your pet. I like the pawTree poop bags and dispenser because the bags are thicker than most and you don’t “feel” the waste as much or worry about them breaking. The dispenser has a clip so you can attach it to a leash or bag making them easy to find when you need them.

I also recommend pee pads for potty training and lining carriers or crates. Disposable pads are convenient and some even have an attractant to help your dog know where to go potty. If you don’t mind washing, reusable pads are earth friendly and can’t be torn up by playful puppies. I use pee pads for all my puppies so they are already started on pad training when you take them home.