 Cedar Ridge Beagles
3005 Lexington Court
Bedford, IA 50833
712-523-3646
tonip@frontiernet.net
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Once you pick your perfect puppy, you can begin to shop for the supplies
you'll need to care for him. If you take the time to prepare, you can avoid
rushed trips to the pet store, and you'll have more relaxed time to spend
with your puppy.Safety
Remember that not only supplies are important. Similar to
child-proofing a home, you must puppy-proof your home. Move plants (some are
poisonous) out of areas puppies can reach. Also, check for electric cords
that are on the floor or within puppy reach.
Once that is done, you're ready to think about supplies.
Keep in mind the following tidbits as you plan:
- Our parent beagles are generally 10 to 13" tall at
maturity, and 15 to 30 lbs (most are 15 to 25 lbs). Look at your puppy's
parents' sizes to see where your puppy might end up on that scale.
- Puppies will reach most of their mature size by the
time they are 8 months old. Remember that for those first months you have
your puppy, he will rapidly outgrow collars, winter clothing (if you use
that...beagles are hardy, and don't "need" it), etc.
- Puppies are in need of food specifically designed for a
puppy's growing body. Buy only "for puppy" foods. Click
here to learn what kinds
of foods we recommend.
Collar and Leash
You will need a small collar at first, and then will have to buy another
one or two to fit your puppy as he grows. So, don't break the bank buying
that first collar, as it will not be in use for a long time. We
generally find that 8" to 12" collars work to start. Find
recommendations for choosing a
dog
collar and
dog
leash for your puppy.
Dishes and Food
Pick bowls that are easy to clean, the right height for your puppy's
mature height down the road (beagles will generally be between 10 and 13"
tall), and that are not easily broken or turned upside down. Check out this
dog
dish buying guide.
Purchase with his adult size in mind.
We're now feeding Purina
Puppy Chow because results of our surveys indicated that an
overwhelming majority of people feed Puppy Chow. Actually,
we are mixing Puppy Chow with
NutriSource puppy food, but Puppy Chow is
available nationwide, so we recommend that you begin with
that.
To avoid
stress of changing foods when puppies leave us, we have
decided to feed predominantly what most of you will (Puppy
Chow). If you want to feed
something different, we recommend buying a small bag of
Purina Puppy Chow (look at the picture on the bag and try to
get the one with
brown kibbles, and NOT the one with red and green
coloring...which also colors the stools) to mix with your
chosen food to acclimate the puppy to your puppy food.
-
We keep Purina Puppy Chow dry (brown kibbles
only...no red or green coloring) with the puppies almost all
the time.
-
Once per day, we give them dry
NutriSource puppy food mixed with warm water, and they
think that's a real treat for some reason, even though it's
just dry food with water. :-) You should be fine with just
the Puppy Chow, as that is what most of their diet is here.
A
high-quality puppy food is essential for the first few months. We
love
Diamond
brand Lamb and Rice Puppy for puppies that are 2 months
old and older. We also found a food at Wal-Mart that does
not contain corn called Maxim Puppy Food that might be good
to look into. Science Diet, Eukanuba,
Purina Puppy Chow, and Iams are also good, and your
veterinarian might have a suggestion that he/she prefers. Lamb and
Rice or chicken and rice foods are often recommended for breeds of dogs with
large ears that lay down, like beagles. We also like
the quality of
NutriSource puppy food, and supplement our puppies with
that. However, millions
of puppies have been raised on non-specialty store-bought food, and you sure can choose
that route as well.
How do you know if a food is good? Look at
the ingredients...if "corn" or "corn meal" (or similar) is
in the first few ingredients, it isn't as good as if those
ingredients were lower on the list. Better yet, avoid a
corn-based feed entirely and look instead for rice.
PLEASE DO NOT FEED YOUR PUPPY CANNED PUPPY
FOOD in unlimited amounts soon after receiving him/her.
Puppies are healthiest when fed dry food, and drastic
changes in their diets can cause severe digestive upset. Do keep a couple
cans of soft food on hand to use to tempt the puppy to eat
if he/she is off feed. But give just a couple tablespoons at
a time to prevent overeating. If the puppy eats soft food
until he bloats, he could begin a cycle of vomiting/diarrhea
that could lead to blood sugar problems and anemia which
could be fatal.
Ask your vet about vitamins. Puppy foods are supposed to be complete, so
giving vitamins might just be overkill and not necessary. Lots of people do
give vitamins, though.
Indestructible Chew Toys
Puppies like to chew on things, so have a few chew-approved items around.
Talk to your vet about this when you have your first appointment, too. For
example, some vets do NOT recommend rawhide chews, because pieces that are
swallowed can cause bowel irritation, obstruction, and bloody stools. Visit this guide to
dog chew toys. Some favorites we hear about are Nylabones and
Kongs. You
don't need a lot of toys. Just a few good ones will be quite sufficient.
Also, some people keep their dog's toys in a basket. We
even have friends that have trained their dog to put toys away in the basket
on command. A "place" for the toys when not being played with is a good
idea. Like with children, you can also rotate toys. When puppy becomes bored
with a toy, put it away for a few weeks. When you get it out again, it will
be like it's a new toy.
Most people don't buy this, but I'll toss it out just FYI.
You can buy Puppy Anti-Chew spray to put on items puppy wants to chew
on...but that you don't want him to chew on.
Dog Crate
Crate training is the easiest way to foster good house training habits,
according to many trainers. A crate can also serve as a safe, comfortable
place to keep your puppy while you're away from home or when you travel with
him. View this guide to
choosing a dog crate. Our beagles will generally mature to 10 to 13"
tall and 15 to 30 lbs.
Purchase with his adult size in mind. Also, determine
your size based upon whether you will use the crate in the home (to
crate train
and to confine the puppy while you're at work) or just for travel to and
from the vet or on vacations.
Grooming Tools
These are an enjoyable part of puppy care for both puppy and owner (well,
maybe not the nail trimming time). Beagles don't require much in the way of
grooming because they have short hair and don't shed a lot. But frequent
brushing can reduce what hair they DO shed, plus will be a time to spend
with the puppy doing a calm activity, as opposed to play time. A
soft-bristled brush and a pair of nail trimmers are a good idea. Also, have
a small bottle of puppy shampoo on hand.
Name Tag or ID
No puppy or dog should be without an ID tag. Whether you opt for a simple
name tag, a tattoo, or an implanted microchip, these help ensure that your
puppy can be traced back to you if he's ever lost.
Miscellaneous
- Pooper scooper
- Folding gate to confine your puppy to a particular room or protect him
from stairs
- Chemical deodorizers or carpet shampoo spray bottle for accidents.
Or, a spray bottle with a mixture of 4 parts water and 1 part vinegar to
spray on accidents on the carpets. This takes the smell away so they won't
consider it their marked area and return to leave deposits. Also, Arm N
Hammer Vacuum Free foam carpet spray deodorizer works well. Spray it, walk
away.
- A dog bed, and Comfort Zone comforting spray
-
Pepto Bismol: You can give puppies Pepto Bismol if needed.
If your puppy has a little bit of loose stools for the first day, you can
give Pepto to him/her to help settle the stomach. The change of leaving
littermates can sometimes cause a little diarrhea. If the puppy is still
eating and drinking, it's normally not something to be worried about. But
if he/she stops drinking, dehydration can become a concern. I have given
Pepto Bismol (or generic equivalent) to puppies as needed....1 to 1 1/2
cc's orally, which is probably 1/4th to 3/8ths of a teaspoon. A couple
times that first day seems to help a lot.
-
SafeGuard, Panacur, or other fenbendazole-containing dewormer. See our page
about Giardia to learn why this dewormer has dual
benefit for young puppies.
Places to Buy Supplies
Links to Other Web Sites
Google thinks you might be interested in visiting:
In Summary...
- Collar and leash
- Food and water dishes (and food!)
- Chew toys
- Large travel carrier/crate
- Soft-bristled brush
- Toenail trimmers for dogs, unless your vet will do it
for you
- Puppy shampoo
- ID tag (or microchip from vet)
- Pooper scooper
- Folding gate, if needed
- Cleaners for carpet, for accidents during potty
training
- Dog bed
- Knowledge of how to potty train, if your puppy will be
inside. Visit here for some
reference for potty training (scroll to bottom).
-
Comfort Zone bedding spray or plug in to help make your puppy
comfortable during times of stress. This is not a drug...it
mimics a new mother's natural pheromones to give your puppy at heart a
sense of well-being.
- Also remember to have pre-scheduled your first puppy
vet appointment for soon after puppy arrives. A health check is an
excellent idea, plus puppy may be ready for another vaccination/deworming
depending upon his age. You can also talk to your vet about a coccidia-prevention
medicine. Visit our page about coccidia for
more information.
It's not necessary to spend a lot of money on a puppy product to keep
your pet happy. Once you have the essentials, wait a few weeks and see what
else he needs. You don't want to buy something that never gets used. Also,
your puppy can quickly outgrow collars, crates, and other items so purchase
with his adult size in mind.
Other Info for New Puppy Owners
Visit our Table of Contents page
for links to information valuable to new puppy owners. This page includes
FAQ's, training advice, and much more!
References
http://www.raisingspot.com
http://www.training-dogs.com/puppy-supplies.html
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