Breeding is a fun, exciting, wonderful experience! BUT... there is a dark side!!! It is a lot of work and there are a lot of dirty jobs involved! Many have enjoyed watching the whole process unfold on our puppy cams and have asked about the different tools/cleaners we use in our day to day adventures with our puppies. So, here is a page with links to some of our favorite products, actually... products we cannot live without! Hope this helps!
Cleaning Products
Odor Bully-Odor Neutralizer & Multi-Surface Cleaner
Seriously amazing product, great smell and works unbelievably well. We use this to clean up messes as the day goes on and put it in the washer where bleach normally goes when washing toys, towels and puppy bedding. It is a plant based product, so it is safe to use around pets! Really, really, really LOVE this stuff!!! Unfortunately, we have not found this product available locally, however, it is usually available on WalMart or Amazon, or you can get it directly from the company (which is the like above). We usually do a google search to see who has it for the best price when buying it!
Grandeur Hospitality Towels
We buy hand towels and wash cloths by the truck load, at least it seems like it! You can get inexpensive towels anywhere, but this is where we get ours and they are very durable! We do recommend having a good number of "clean-up" towels available when you first bring your puppy home!
Puppy Crates
We generally recommend a 42" crate for our Golden Retrievers. Goldendoodles. However, it is always a good idea to review the size needed based on the expected adult size of your puppy. Below is a chart based on my favorite brand, MidWest:
| Crate Size | Length | Width | Adult Pet Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18-IN | 18 inches | 11 inches | up to 6 lbs |
| 22-IN | 22 inches | 13.5 inches | 6 - 12 lbs |
| 24-IN | 24 inches | 18 inches | 13 - 25 lbs |
| 30-IN | 30 inches | 21 inches | 26 - 40 lbs |
| 36-IN | 36 inches | 23 inches | 41 - 70 lbs |
| 42-IN | 42 inches | 27 inches | 71 - 90 lbs |
| 48-IN | 48 inches | 29 inches | 91 - 110 lbs |
But do your research, each crate company may have different standards! A crate that we DO NOT recommend is the Top Paw crate. While puppies should never have their collars on while locked in a crate, these crates have protruding pieces on the doors that, when open, can easily snag a collar. As mentioned, the brand we recommend is MidWest, below iare links to a couple we link.
MidWest iCrate Fold & Carry Double Door Collapsible Wire Dog Crate
We have found this crate to be more solid that many others and the sliding lock does not seem to have any loops/hooks/etc. that might catch a collar when the door is left open. No guarantee that puppies won't find a way, but so far so good!
MidWest Ovation Single Door Collapsible Wire Dog Crate
This crate is my favorite due to the way the door slides and are totally out of the way when the crate is open!
Puppy Potty Training
We have recently changed our puppy potty training to a new method and we could not be happier! While we do not recommend training a puppy to potty indoors long term, if you have a need for indoor potty training, below you will find the tools used here for the puppy's pottying needs!
Litter Tray - These are actually for Rabbit Hutches, but it works wonderfully for puppies! The size we use in the puppy play area is the 30" x 36", however, for just one puppy the 24" x 24" should be sufficient short term.
Pine Pellets 40lb bag - These are pine pellets used in horse stall bedding. It has the best odor control properties, however, it is possible for some puppies to have a reaction to the pine oil in this bedding. I have used it in the past with no issue, but it is always worth mention and looking out for if this product is used.
Hardwood Pellets 40lb bag - These are hardwood pellets used in pellet wood stoves. Always be sure to check the bag for pellet composition to ensure there are no ingredients that cause concern.
There are other bedding products made specifically for puppy potty training such as Second Nature Dog Litter. Of course, these products are significantly more expensive and, in my opinion, are no more effective that those listed above.
If you set one of these up, make sure your puppy knows where it is by placing him/her in the bin after you have added the pellets. We also recommend having one in each room the puppy is in (or you can drag the one around) until they are older. They are accustomed to using this, so it should be old hat to them. But if they aren't 100%, just be sure to keep and eye on your puppy, especially after naps and meals, and try to help your puppy have as many successes as possible. Then PRAISE, PRAISE, PRAISE! If they have an accident, just clean it up quickly using a cleaner that does not have ammonia in it. Something like Odor Bully or hard surfaces or Bubba's, or Nature's Miracle on carpet or fabric (see above).
To encourage your puppy to do their business is a specific place outside, put some of these wood pellets where you want them to go. That will help them to be directed to that spot.
