Want a sneak peek into our latest Amazon order? We just received a big delivery of dog supplies and toys! Check it out and read on to see what goodies I love (or don’t love) for our adult dogs and puppies. We’re always adding to our list of dog supplies and toys based on our experiences and client feedback.
By the way, I’m not making any money from sharing these items; I’m simply sharing what we buy for our canine crew. Are you ready? Here we go!
Puppy toys -
Zippy Paws Donutz. My puppies love these. They are great to hang in their play areas. They enjoy batting them around, resting their heads on them, and trying to bite them.
Kong Fluffy Bear. If I had to pick a favorite toy, this would be it! They last a long time, and when they get chewed open, there is very little to no stuffing inside. Their skeleton, if you will, is made of rope, making them especially durable. Puppies also love to cuddle with them.
Unstuffed toys with crinkles. These are awesome for puppies but not so great for my adult dogs.
Rope toys. These come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Like the unstuffed toys, rope toys are great for puppies, especially when they’re teething, but they are not good for my mommas and daddies. The grown-up pups chew, tear them up, eat them, and then poop them, so I avoid them for my adults. Also, speaking of ropes, I do not recommend playing tug-of-war with Aussiedoodles. It can be a fun game for bigger dogs with big, tough jaws and necks, but there is no need to play this way with our Mini Aussiedoodles. And depending on the dog’s personality and breed, tug-of-war can instill dominant behaviors. But, again, rope toys can be super fun to hang in the puppy play area.
I’ve mentioned hanging the toys in the puppy area. This keeps them accessible and cleaner. It also provides a mental stimulation element to the puppies. Kind of like a mobile for babies! To create this hanging puppy mobile, I bought the Nuby Linkables used for babies. Watch how I make them here in this video. See it in action here. A word of warning, though. I do not have collars on my puppies for safety reasons. It’s too easy for something to get caught on their collars, these chain links included. I talk a bit more about it in the video.
Elk Horns. Y’all know I love elk horns. They are a wonderful, long-lasting chew toy for our dogs. I buy mine from several different places. I recommend the split ones so the dogs can get into all that marrow. Perfect for that chewing stage!
Training Aids -
Veehoo Elevated Dog Beds. You may have noticed videos or blog posts about box training. We’ve been using these “boxes” that look like very short tables made of sturdy plastic. In this latest order of supplies, we’re trying a new option, about a third of the cost of the ones we’ve been using. These are by a company called Veehoo, and they’re like sturdy hammocks made out of an aluminum frame. I still love my other ones, but we’re seeing if these do just as well. I’ll let you all know how they worked for us.
Gimars Waterproof Floor Mat. These mats are fantastic to place in puppy areas where accidents or messes may happen. They make cleaning up a breeze because they are machine washable. Don’t dry them on high heat, though; dry them at a low temperature.
SportDog Bark Collars & E-Collars. I use the SportDog Bark Collars and E-Collars on my adults for training. Yes, they tend to be controversial, but they are not bad at all when they are high-quality and when used appropriately. It’s a personal decision to use them. To me, it’s a matter of safety and survival. I love my dogs dearly, and they need to learn their boundaries and listen to me when it counts. For instance, you wouldn’t want your dog running into the road or a rushing river. I talk about the SportDog collars and other collar tips a lot more in the video. Also, check out our separate blog on collars here.
Fashion -
Bandanas. I love bandanas on my dogs for holidays or when going out in town. It’s fun, and they enjoy it too! I don’t keep them on them because they’ll chew them or take them off of each other. The link above is to a lady I met at our local farmer’s market. She makes the bandanas that tie on and those that slip onto a leash. Both can be great. You can find bandanas in many places, and they’re usually pretty cost-effective.
