Getting ready for a puppy

[Shanthala Rajagopala]

Hi Everybody,
I am sooo excited that I would be getting one of Scarlett/Cooper's babies...but at the same time I am a nervous wreck on how to be prepared with atleast the tools in hand. May be my nesting insticts are kicking in because I am thinking of remodeling a room for my puppies ( I have a Shih-poo who is 13wks old)...so, to calm my nerves i thought the least I could do is do something:-)
So, here it goes...I need your help, any suggestions on what I need before the puppy gets home so as avoid running to the pet store every so often:-)
1. What size crate do i need?
2. What are the grooming tools? Any recommendation? I have bought a couple for my shih-poo and have been unhappy with them so far...
3. Can i use the same grooming tools on both the puppies?
4. Ear cleaning solution? I have seen some recommending Thornit Ear powder. Is this used instead of ear cleaning solution.
5. Food - What worked for some of your doodles? I am thinking of using California Natural.
6. Do i need a bed in the crate? And recommendation?

Anything else???? Thanks to all of your suggestion...And a big thank you for this group...It certainly helps to know there a place to go to find answers!!

[Margo]

Hi Shanthala, You must be so excited. Having a 13 wk old puppy probably leaves you pretty well prepared. I am new to dog ownership and am no expert, but my SC puppy, Lily, is 4 mos old so I've lived the new labradoodle thing recently. It sounds like you've already seen Carol's website..the info there has been so helpful.I'm pretty sure you need a large sized crate. I have a crate with a divider panel so we can expand it as Lily grows. Having the smaller size available is desirable so the puppy is confined to a small space for housebreaking ... And the puppies really like the small size because of their denning instinct.
For grooming tools I use a pin brush,brushing 3 or so times a week. I also have a metal comb for long coats that I've used on her legs and feet. I have two pairs of scissors- one for thinning, an one for cutting (both are blunt tipped). I bought mid range priced ones online (sorry I can't remember the name - I'll let you know!) I have Buddy wash shampoo and conditioner (smells yummy- lavendar and mint) and Cowboy magic detangle and shine leave in conditioner (you don't really need this to start, but will be used a lot later). I have a no- name ear cleaner and use the thornit powder usually the day after cleaning. I haven't plucked ear hair sucessfully myself yet, but a groomer did it once.Vet said her ears looked great.
Lily eats Taste of the Wild and loves it. She has a somewhat sensitive stomach and has no problems with it.
I have a crate pad in the crate, but she often pushes it out of the way and prefers sleeping on the cold metal tray!
Last, but not least: Natures Miracle, tons of paper towels and babywipes (for dirty paws and faces). For me it also helped to have a couple of easy or frozen goto dinners for the family... Sorry this is so long! Have fun! You're so lucky!

[Shanthala Rajagopala]

Margo,
Thank you so much for all the information! I got a chuckle when you mentioned baby wipes - I have a son who is getting close to his 3yr b'day...and he got completely potty trained this weekend. And I was thinking we were out of diapers and wipes stage for good forever...and then you say baby wipes:-)
Please let me know the brands of whatever tools and whatever you think of if you can...I brought a cutting scissor recently paying ($12 - don't know what range it falls in), but i was not happy with it...it is so blunt for me to cut in between my puppy's paws... Same thing with the shampoo...It gave him dry skin. One of my neighbors suggested EarthBound which she uses on her lab...But lavendar ane mint sounds interesting. I am thinking of a crate of 45"L, 30"W, AND 34"H size...I should probably get a divider then.
Lily is sooo beautiful...How is her housebreaking going?

[Sharon, Boo & Cricket]

We have tried the Earthbath hypoallergenic shampoo on Boo and it works well, gets the coat really clean and white even though its a non-whitening shampoo. It leaves the coat a bit dry though, so we have to follow up with a good conditioner. I've been avoiding shampoos/conditioners with oatmeal because I think Boo is allergic to oaty stuff?

I love the Chris Christensen pin brushes. They seem to cause less hair breakage and leave the hair silkier than regular round-tip pin brushes. I've heard that the round-tipped kind cause hair breakage, but I'm not sure if that's true. Anywho, I think there's a discussion about it on this site, I'll see if I can find it. :)

[Sharon, Boo & Cricket]

Found it:
http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum2/topics/2065244:Topic:20087

http://www.chrissystems.com/brushes.htm (the manufacturer website)

We have the 27mm T-brush and the 20mm pocket/toy brush. Both are good, but the T-brush is kinda awkward. I wish I had gotten the 20mm oblong brush instead. The pocket/toy brush is great, and would be a good size to use on furry puppy legs and ears. Good for your shih-poo, too! The 20mm pin length is fine, we've found that the 27mm is not really needed. The brushes are pretty expensive, but definitely worth the cost I think. :)

[Sharon, Boo & Cricket]

Oh and these are a big hit with Boo (and our past doggies):

fleece cuddle nest:
http://www.carealotpets.com/item-detail/?ItemID=4220E

We have the 36" one right now, its a little too big for Boo, but will be good for two doodles to cuddle in. ;)

[Sharon, Boo & Cricket]

Oh, I forgot to mention Snuggle Puppys. I've heard great things about them. :)

http://snugglepuppys.com/category_1/Snuggle-Puppys-SnuggleKitties.htm

[Shanthala Rajagopala]

Thanks, Sharon!