Taking Home Puppy
The number one thing our families tell us is that we've prepared their puppy for them in a way unlike any others. This is something we strive for and will continue. When you get a puppy from us, you are getting one who has been loved BIG and started for a life of success and enjoyment, for both you and your puppy.
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Their are several things we recommend to help this relationship begin as best possible. Not only do we offer a shopping list (further below on this page), but we will also send you home with a Puppy Packet full of goodies, including:
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Our New Puppy Packet filled with training resources, socialization tips, daily logs of exercises and activities done while with us, growth log, Veterinary visit information with health certificate and vaccine/de-worming records, pedigree, AKC paperwork, and much more information about our protocol for a successful start.
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A Collar- each puppy is given a new custom made buckle style collar from our friends at "My First Collar by Woofus"
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A Snuggle Puppy- Your puppy will be sleeping with his/her Snuggle Puppy when they start sleeping in crates at night
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Will be Microchipped (unless you tell us not to by 7 weeks old) which you must register
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A sample pack of food
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A blanket with Momma and Litter mates smell
We also have recommendations for trainers to watch on YouTube, and other helpful tips. If you decide to get a puppy from us, your puppy will be well on its way in crate and potty training and hopefully adjust with as little stress as possible.
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Please enjoy this page as a resource for you to refer to, but also know that once you take your puppy home, you will have access to a lot more!
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E.D., TX
"Oh my gosh, I didn't believe you when you said you had already started all the hard work for us. But, I was so wrong! Chile slept all night from 10pm to 6am in his crate and we woke HIM up! His crate training is done and he goes in to it on his own to rest. I'll be coming back as soon as hubby lets me for our next pup!"
M.J., NM
"Wow, Stella slept all night and already knows to sit, place, settle and here! It's like we've brought home an already trained puppy."
C.J. CO
“The amount of time you spend exposing your litters and the individual time you spend with each puppy as an individual pays off. I've now worked with three of your puppies as service prospects and I'm pleasantly surprised every time. They are intelligent, confident, biddable, and above all else, know and want love. Keep up the incredible work!”
Shopping for Your New Puppy
One of the most exciting things about a new puppy, but one that can easily become the most stressful too, is buying all the things for your puppy!
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We often have new puppy parents who come to us with questions, regardless of whether or not the puppy came from us. We've even helped with beginners obedience and offered group and individual classes to help get puppies started off right. Often times, the articles I send home with my puppies get lost so I have included a basic list of the items included in those articles here for anyone who is interested to hopefully gain guidance and wisdom. I hope you enjoy!
Your Shopping List Before Bringing Puppy Home
Here are the things we use and love to share with others (you can click on the item to be taken to a web page for that item).​ We've also set up a user friendly SHOP! page with all these links.
Trainers to Watch on Social Platforms:
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Food:
What brand to buy…? We do not recommend grain free but if you want to go that route, discuss it with your vet. Your puppy will be started on Specialty Feeds Valu Pak, the Black Bag, with Origins added in as well as the herbs we recommend under Health below. If you choose to continue with kibble, keep in mind that it is recommended to continue feeding an All Life Stages or Puppy Formula until at least two years old for large breed dogs.
IF YOU DO NOT READ ANYTHING ELSE, PLEASE READ THIS:
If you decide to try another route for food for your dog, please consider talking to Christie at Lucie's Legacy about RAW FEEDING. We feed RAW to our dogs and the change in overall gut and skin health has been HUGE! If you have one of our puppies, please know Christie is already expecting a call and is ready to consult, complimentary to you. If you should choose to feed kibble, we HIGHLY recommend you use Origins 5-in-1 Food Supplement by Rogue Pet Science. Not only does this supplement help with skin, gut, and overall health, but it also helps break down kibble to become more digestible for your dog. It takes your dog upwards of 10+ hrs to digest kibble but with Origins it reduces that time drastically. Dogs on Origins have reported less burping, gas, less skin and stomach issues, and better health over all.
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Health:
1. For the Love of Horse’s “Essential Immune Health for Dogs” herb blend - our puppies are started on this blend and we encourage you to continue it throughout your dogs life, but especially until your puppy is at least two years old. This special blend of herbs will help your puppy fight off most virus’s he/she may come into contact with as a young pup and will help out until vaccines take full effect. The staff at For the Love of Horses is wonderful and will be happy to discuss any health issues you are witnessing with any of your pets. They're fabulous and backed by Veterinarians. When purchasing, please tell them I sent you.
2. Probiotics- a MUST for your puppy/dog! Getting gut health is extremely important for helping ward off viruses and illness. We recommend using *Purina Pro Plan Fortiflora Probiotics
3. Nordic Naturals Omega 3 Pet - This is a Fish Oil Liquid for Cats and Dogs, full of Omega-3s, EPA and DHA. It supports Skin, Coat, Joints and Overall Health and is in Triglyceride Form for Optimal Absorption. This is the brand we personally use for ourselves and trust them wholeheartedly.
4. Wally’s Ear Oil - This is a must with any dog! We use it after bath time, swimming, and after any routine ear care. We do not clean my dog’s ears but once a month to 6 weeks. To do so, we use a baby wipe and wipe the ear clean paying special attention not to go too deep into the ear canal. We do not recommend putting any kind of wet ear cleaner/solution down into your dog’s ear unless told to do so by your Vet. After wiping with the baby wipe, we then put 5-8 drops of Wally’s in the ear, massage it around, wipe any noticeable access away and leave the rest to dry on its own. It is very oily and some people cannot stand the way it smells- it has a garlic earthy smell… It is made of all natural ingredients and has helped many people and dogs! It is actually made for people- we’ve used it on our kids anytime they pull at their ears or complain of an ache- so far we’ve never been to the doctor because of our ears. Years ago, we had a Bloodhound and she had chronic ear infections that no solution, antibiotics, prescriptions, etc. could clear up. A friend suggested Wally’s and after a couple uses, she never had another ear infection. We use it anytime we bathe or if we are around water (swimming and playing) and then like I said, for routine ear care. Standard Poodles have hair inside their ears. We only pluck when necessary. Our motto, God put hair there, it has a purpose. We also use Wally’s if we do end up plucking. You can find Wally’s at most natural grocers and online.
Training Items:
1. Crate- The first and most important thing to purchase for your new puppy is an appropriate crate (this goes hand in hand with my crate and potty training articles- available by request and sent home with each of my puppies). I highly recommend getting a wire kennel/crate that has the movable divider, like this one- you can move and remove it. Since you can move it, be sure to get a kennel that will large enough for your puppy once full grown. This saves you from having to buy several crates as your dog grows. If you need a crate for hunting dogs or dogs that ride in the bed of a pickup- we use and recommend Gunner Kennels Dog Crates
2. Bones- I also recommend buying lots of things to chew. Whether it be turkey tendons or marrow filled bones (I recommend these for outdoor use- they stain carpets). I love the K9 Connoisseur & A Freschi brands for all things 'dog bone'. This will help with boredom, can be used as a great reward during crate training, and will help reinforce with your puppy what is acceptable to chew and not acceptable to chew on. It also helps with keeping tartar and plaque buildup controlled since your dog doesn’t brush his teeth (and bad breath for later when your dog ages if it becomes an issue!).
3. Grannick’s Bitter Apple Spray- This can be a great tool if you have a chewer on your hands! It has helped me deter dogs from chewing on furniture, clothes, etc. You can purchase it at most pet stores and online.
5. Leashes and Collars- First of all, I do not ever recommend retractable leashes. Your dog will learn to pull and that is not something he/she should do. A nice 6-8 foot leash is good and going through obedience, your dog will learn to heal on and off leash. I recommend you purchase a typical buckle collar which is what my puppies will go home wearing. So, if you are purchasing a puppy from me, know he/she will already be wearing a new custom buckle collar. Don't forget a good tag (check out this one that doesn't dangle!) too in case your dog ever gets away. This, along with your dog's (registered) microchip, is essential in a safe return home!
6. Treats- I recommend using pencil eraser sized treats for reinforcement. Your dog doesn't need a steak to be praised. A little goes a long way here. The idea of a treat is to leave your dog wanting more.
GROOMING SUPPLIES
These links are intended to help you get started.
There are a lot more items you'll acquire over time that will be more appropriate for you and your dog. But, to get started, check out the following starter tools.
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Besides the items listed below, a good table (like this one) is essential.
High Quality Brushing/Grooming Tools
Good tools are essential for a health coat. I personally use and recommend Chris Christensen's line of grooming tools.
I also highly recommend buying a good quality slicker brush but please know that there is improper and proper use of such brush, so be sure to watch videos on YouTube specific to Poodle coats. I personally use the Chris Christensen oval 20mm pin slicker brush, but any of the Chris Christensen products are great!
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Chris Christensen Tools & Maintenance Recommendation for Poodles (borrowed from their Facebook page):
• 004 Buttercomb: Perfect for Poodles, this extra long buttercomb comes with extra long teeth to get down in Poodle's dense coats.
• Mark VI Round Slicker Brush: Remove brush lines with ease with this round head slicker brush!
• Big G Slicker Brush: Fluff, separate, tease, and style all with one tool!
More Maintenance Tips:
• Clean Start: Revitalize the skin and coat with Clean Start! Clean Start removes dirt, dander, build-up, and residue from styling products and shampoos leaving the coat and skin moisturized and clean!
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Shampoo/Conditioner
Here are some of our personal favorites for our Poodles. I suggest you try out products and consult groomers and professionals to find your favorite products, too.
For the more serious coat, I LOVE Isle of Dogs products! My favorites are:
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Stand (Up) Shampoo, used with the 2 Build Conditioner
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the Lush Coating Shampoo & Conditioner
I was recently asked to try a product that I cannot say enough good things about for the less serious coat grower. The company is Skout's Honor and they are a naturally based, paraben and pthalate free dog grooming product company. I HIGHLY recommend their products as well.
Dryer
I recommend a few different ones. I personally use both the MetroVac Air Force Commander Pet dryer and the K-9 III High Velocity Dryer. The K-9 will take a long shorter time to dry the coat but is much more expensive than the MetroVac. I also recommend the Flying Pig High Velocity Dryer.
Clippers, Blades & Blade Wash
Andis Super 2 Speed or the Wahl Bravura. Then, you'll want some extra blades so you can swap out when one gets hot (2 #10 blades for face, feet, sanitary and a 4fc for body). It is much easier to do an overall shave when the coat has been blown out with a force dryer (such as the one in #1. above). Coolant, Lubricant, Disinfectant Spray for your blade such as this one.