Your Aussiedoodle Puppy: What do you Need Before Bringing One Home?

I used to believe I was all about minimalism in my puppy checklists, but the longer I have bred puppies, the longer my lists have gotten. Because Aussiedoodles thrive on attention and mental stimulation, I believe that they will be happiest if you throw a few extras into your shopping cart before you bring your new Aussiedoodle puppy home.

1. A scheduled Vet Appointment is absolutely essential. We do have our vet do a wellness check on all of our puppies when they are 7-8 weeks old. For my 24 month genetic health guarantee to apply, I require that you take your new Aussiedoodle puppy to your vet within 7 days of going home to ensure that nothing has changed and that we have a good baseline for your healthy puppy. Even if your breeder does not have this requirement, it is very important for you to establish a vet for your puppy.

   
   

2. Clearly you will need to feed your new puppy. We are happy with Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat Formula All Life Stages and use it for all of our dogs, from puppies to adult. We do use salmon based food since their are reports that doodles can have sensitivities to chicken and beef. You are welcome to pick your own brand and formula, remember to introduce any changes slowly. While I do not have personal experience with this, I am hearing that grain free foods can cause heart problems. Please research these concerns before putting your Aussiedoodle puppy onto a grain free diet.

   
   

3.  Aussiedoodle puppies are very intelligent and highly aware of any changes in their lives. While joining your family is a welcome change, it still adds some stress to your puppy and this stress can cause the puppy to have a lowered immune system. I recommend the Nuvet Multi-vitamin to help support their immune system during this critical change and throughout their entire life. We add the powder form to the puppies' first mush to help their immune systems plus provide extra nutrients.

   
   

4. Puppies get dirty more often than we may like. Along with the multi-vitamins, we keep our shopping simple by using Nuvet shampoos, conditioners and stain and odor remover. I keep this oatmeal shampoo conditioning spray for any quick cleanups needed between baths. I love the smell of Nuvet puppy and kitten shampoo  and appreciate that it has clean ingredients and is tear free. For cleanup after accidents or laundry, I like a stain and odor remover.

   
   
   
   

5.  Aussiedoodle puppies need clear boundaries and schedules. I find a kennel to be an essential tool to keep them safe and happy. I like this one so that it can be adjusted as your puppy grows. I do recommend making sure that it is put together as directed, because Aussiedoodles can become master escape artists if you let them think that they can escape. By providing a small bed and special chew toy that is safe to use without supervision you can provide the structure that your Aussiedoodle puppy thrives on.  Besides the Nylabone, I also have Aussiedoodle families that recommend these toys for any nap times.

   
   

6. Food and water dishes are important. This is my absolute favorite water dish. We also have an automatic waterer outside so that if the dogs are playing outdoors, they always have a clean water supply. For food dishes, I prefer stainless steel ones with the non slip coating. Ceramic dishes and stainless steel ones can easily be run through your dishwasher on the sanitize setting.

   
   

7. A collar and leash - you can choose which style and color you prefer. Most of my

   Aussiedoodle puppy families prefer a harness for walks. Aussiedoodles have that getting instinct, so the harness seems to help them stay more focused and less inclined to herd other people, dogs or bicycles.

   
   

8. Dewormer and diatomaceous earth - we deworm our puppies every 2 weeks, but let's face it, puppies are into everything and it is best to continue whatever deworming protocol your vet recommends. My vet has us use Panacur but I am experimenting with an herbal dewormer as well, since I have heard that it covers more parasites with less side-effects.

   
   

   Per my vet's recommendation, I also sprinkle a cup of diatomaceous earth into their food whenever I open a new 40 lb food bag. This is just a natural way to help reduce potential parasites. We also pick up poop daily and I love this scooper. Once a week after poop pick up, we sprinkle these areas with diatomaceous earth as well.

   
   

9. Optional items: An exercise pen where they can go and play safely inside when you are home but cannot give them 100% of your attention.

   
   

10. If you are in an area where ticks and fleas are a concern, my vet recommends Frontline. If you are in an area with a high amount of ticks, this may not be adequate, please follow your local vets recommendations. Whatever you use, make sure to use the dosage that is weight appropriate.

    
    

11. Aussiedoodles puppies loves challenges, puzzles and novelty. I recommend adding in new toys and puzzle feeders when they seem to need some new stimulation. Remember that Aussie's are herding dogs and that they are highly intelligent and used to making independent decisions while herding. It is best to keep them entertained and occupied by things that you want them to do.

    Here is a toy that an Aussiedoodle family has found that "Arizona"

    

    loves! They sneak the gingerbread men back into the house when

    she isn't looking!

Other suggestions are a rope tied onto a tree outside (to be used under supervision), puzzle feeders, and interactive toys.