All Things Puppy!

“Get a puppy during quarantine”, they said. “It’s the best time to have a puppy,” they said. I am not sure I agree with that, lol! I am kidding (kind of). It’s a great time to have a puppy because you are home all day every day but on the other hand, you are home all day, every day with your puppy, lol. You get me? Being home with Reese is amazing, don’t get me wrong but it is exhausting! It’s nonstop! At first, Geoffrey and I felt a bit sleep deprived but we were so excited because Reese is amazing and it was all so new. Well, after weeks and weeks of feeling like that, we hit a wall and really needed a break! Our dog trainer explained, similar to humans that need a break from other humans, when spending too much time together, you and your dog need some time apart. It is so important for our pets to feel comfortable at home without us and while being quarantined you want to make an effort to leave (in my opinion) for at least one hour a day. It is healthy for the relationship you have with your pet as we all need our alone time! It has been great to have this quality time with Reese while she is a puppy and we wouldn’t change it for the world.

Fun fact: I am allergic to cats & dogs. Having a hypoallergenic dog was a must for us, not only for my allergies but no shedding is a game changer! Geoffrey & I wanted a Goldendoodle for as long as we can remember but the timing was never right. We knew in college that with our hectic schedules, it would not be fair to a dog. We really wanted our dog to see both of us consistently so we decided it would be best to wait until we were finished with school. Deciding to take the plunge and start looking for a puppy was very spur of the moment! I am very Type A and like to plan out every minute of every day.  Geoffrey is the exact opposite (opposites attract, right?!) but one random day, I told him I was ready and wanted to start looking! Geoffrey was so excited & immediately started researching (he had been researching for months & months prior) so he had a good idea of what our options were. One of the breeders we wanted to use, would not have available puppies for 3-5 months (cue me being very upset) but G was determined to find an available puppy. He started contacting the breeder we used (if anyone wants her information, email me) just a few days after we decided to take the plunge! Within 48 hours, Reese was coming home with us and it did not feel real! Reese is a Miniature F1b Goldendoodle & will be 25-30 lbs when full grown.

The following points in this post are all things that I wish I would have known of or more about, prior to getting Reese. If you are getting a puppy soon or know someone that is, they will find this helpful!

FOOD: I had heard that the classic ‘doodle belly’ could be a bit troublesome, so when it came to what we chose to feed her, we were very careful! Obviously, the breeder will provide the food they were feeding your puppy (she gave us enough for one week) to mix in with the food you decide to feed your puppy. This gets their little bellies ready to change foods (you can always feed what the breeder fed if you like it). Long story short, we feed Reese what the breeder fed her. At first, we tried a different food but Reese is a picky eater so we consulted our vet and they recommended feeding exactly what the breeder fed (good breeder!). Reese eats the Royal Canin Puppy kibble & depending on her mood, we alternate between raw and canned food (mixed in with her kibble). We have experienced a few tummy issues and after a few trips to the vet, we have found what works for her. I am a believer in feeding your dogs the highest quality food you can get for your budget and the higher the quality, the longer they live (in my opinion). If you eat cheeseburgers & French fries every day of your life, you most likely wouldn’t live as long as someone that eats lean meats, fish & veggies. The canned food Reese likes is the ‘Merrick Puppy Plate’ & the ‘Nulo Puppy’.  We serve these mixed in with her kibble and some warm bone broth (spoiled much, lol!). Since I am living at my parents’ home right now, Reese has had the luxury of indulging in ‘Nom Nom’ & ‘The Farmers Dog’ raw food because that is what my mom feeds their dogs. My parents have a very different budget than G & I so we most likely won’t be feeding her that when we move.

TREATS: Typically, puppies LOVE food. Treats are a great way to train and gain their full undivided attention. The key to Reese’s heart is TOYS, so when it comes to treats, she is indifferent. We use ‘Zukes’ and she loves them. Reese knows when the yellow bag comes out she is getting something yummy. We have found that she prefers fish-based food/treats and the Salmon are her absolute favorite! The treats are small but when training, I will break each one in half. Reese also loves her ‘No Hide’ bones that we found at our local natural pet store!

TOYS: More the better. Reese is infatuated with any toy. Luckily, my parents had so many toys already from their dogs. It didn’t take Reese long to find the toy bin and drag every single one out (we are working on training her to put them back in!). We have only purchased a few toys that we thought were really cool and/or different from anything we currently had at home. I have linked some of her absolute favorites!

TEETHING: The joys of having a puppy and getting to experience teething together. I looked over at Reese the other day and said “Girlfriend, I get it. I had two sets of braces. I feel you.” It’s hard to watch them suffer and be in pain. We have been really diligent with what she has access to chew on because we are focusing on creating good habits now and don’t want our belongings ruined. We have found several teething toys that are very comforting and aid in alleviating her pain. Her favorite teething toy is one that you place in the freezer! If you are getting a puppy or have one that is currently teething, get the “cold bone”, as we call it, just get it. Trust me!

STAIRS: Allowing your dog to jump on and off furniture is totally a personal preference. Some dogs may never learn how to jump down and that can be nice because they are confined to said area. For me personally, it was very important that Reese believes she cannot get off a bed unless her stairs are there (mission accomplished!). Unfortunately, last year, one of my family dogs had a spinal injury and although rare, I never want to chance anything. I love these stairs from Amazon because they are the perfect height for my bed & they are offered in many sizes so you can use them in multiple places, your couch, bed, etc. They are ivory linen and match my room perfectly!

GROOMING: My sweet little Reese isn’t looking so sweet right now! She got her final round of shots last week so we can finally make her grooming appointment. No matter the breed of dog, it is important to maintain their coat. We brush Reese 2-3x a day and bathe her 1x every week & a half. I took a gamble when ordering brushes from Amazon but the brushes I found are GOOD. I love using this one for getting out those pesky matts & and this one for gentle quick brushing. It has rained a lot since we have had Reese and these wipes have been a game-changer! After taking her outside, we just wipe down her paws! Geoffrey purchased this spray recently and it smells SO good and is great for the time between baths!

CRATE: Oh the crate. Another personal preference, but I recommend crate training your puppy. I feel that crate training is not only great for assisting in potty training but if experienced when the puppy is young, they will be comfortable allowing the crate to be easily used later on if necessary. I am not going to sugarcoat it. Crate training has been quite a task. We are at the point where Reese is sleeping through the night in her crate but it took about 6 weeks to get there! I think having a ‘cover’ on the crate really helps because your puppy can’t see as much and it sets the tone of ‘it’s bedtime’! I got this cover from Amazon and love that it has the option to zip up the side and roll up so you can adjust if necessary. The advice I have in regard to deciding what size crate to get is to get a much larger crate than you think you need at the time of purchase. Obviously, your puppy will grow & I promise they grow much faster than you think! We are on crate #2… I wish we would have purchased a larger crate that had the ‘divider’ option from the beginning but now we know for the future. We purchased this to help soothe Reese while in the crate at night. The stuffed animal has a heating pad and heartbeat and she loves it! She will go in the crate for the night and curl up on top of the animal. We like to put Reese in her playpen while we are eating, working, or really doing anything that distracts us from watching her every move. At first, the pen was fine & she didn’t mind spending time in there & then one day she figured out that she could jump & scale the pen. Reese figuring this out was not only bad for us because now we had no way to keep her in there, but also very scary for her because it’s a three ft. drop. I have ordered a cover & fingers crossed that helps! I have this gold pen at my house & I love this pen because you have the option of attaching your puppy’s crate & creating a ‘run’ if you will. I only recommend a playpen if your puppy does not try to escape. It can be extremely dangerous if they try to jump out like Reese so we are looking into an alternative.

INSURANCE: Health insurance for our puppy is something that never crossed our minds. A girlfriend of mine has a puppy and recommended looking into health insurance for many reasons but especially the ‘doodle belly’. Geoffrey and I went back and forth trying to decide if we should get insurance and if so, what plan, etc. Think of it like this, if your puppy experiences a freak accident or illness, do you have the money to cover thousands of dollars in vet bills? For someone that would not be able to afford that, the insurance is a safe bet and definitely gives us peace of mind if anything were to ever go wrong. The insurance company we use is Pumpkin.

LUCY&CO: Reese is on the wild side and loves to run. G & I knew we needed a good harness situation and I am SO happy we got Reese a few from Lucy & Co. Not only are these the CUTEST, they are also extremely comfortable and I love how the leash has a lock feature. At first, I didn’t use the ‘lock’ feature but after Reese pulled hard enough, she came loose from the leash and ran into the street. We now use the lock, lol. Lucy & Co. has so many unique color and pattern options, which I love. Reese is still using her ‘ice cream dream’ harness and leash but now that its Fall, we will start to use her fall-themed set (Reese is trying to stay ‘on trend’, lol!). All of their harnesses are reversible so you get two patterns with one harness! **If you sign up with your email on their site, you get 10% off your first purchase!** I am working on getting a discount code for y’all as well!

BARK BOX: I personally do not have a Bark Box subscription, but my parents do, and thank goodness. G & I had no idea how toy obsessed Reese was going to be. When we brought her home and saw how much she loved toys, we grabbed all the toys that my parents had been collecting from their Bark Box each month! I have to say their toys are GOOD. The quality is amazing and they are so detailed. My parents’ dogs are older and mainly enjoy the treats that come in the box so the toys are all Reese’s now! I think I get just as excited as Reese when the Bark Box comes in!

My goal for this post is to help my fellow ‘new dog parents’ and help prepare anyone that is planning on adopting a dog! Looking back, I wish I would have looked for a blog that covered all things ‘puppy’! Of course, we did our research and looked things up as they came along but that wasn’t always helpful. If you have any questions for me or need any advice, please share! I swear everyday Reese is learning new tricks and we are constantly trying to keep up with her. Cherish the ‘puppy days’! Have you gotten a dog during the pandemic and if so, what kind?

Xoxo, Kayla