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Where do you buy your dog supplies?
In preparation for our new addition next month, I am working on getting the supplies we need. I was wondering where most of you buy things like crates, kongs, dog beds, food and water bowls etc?
This is my list so far if you would like to critique it:
-crate
-dog bed for inside of crate
-at least 6 chew toys - biscuit balls, big kahunas, squirrel dudes, kongs
-stainless steel water and food bowls (although we plan to feed mostly in Kongs for a while)
-dog food (getting recommendation from breeder)
-collar and leash
-dog treats (I've read that freeze dried liver is good, any other thoughts?)
-feliway infusers for cats, special treats to help introduce cats to pup
-we already have several pet gates
Thanks in advance for helping this dog newbie!
Kristina
Re: Where do you buy your dog supplies?
I got my crate on craigslist for $25. I just wiped it down and cleaned the tray and it was good as new.
I'm not a big fan of stainless steel bowls, I think they get rings in the water bowl way too fast (we have hard water), I like ceramic bowls that I can wash out and throw in the dishwasher.
Dog food I get from Tractor Supply (we feed Taste of the Wild).
Treats and toys I usually wait to go on sale and then pick up a bunch. My boys like these treats that I get at Sam's, they're a slice of apple with a piece of chicken wrapped around it.
I get most of my supplies from a local pet supply store.
-crate -- I got one wire one new from TractorSupply.com, another wire one used from Craigslist, and a plastic airline crate used from a family member. I forget, are you getting a puppy? If you do find one on Craigslist, make sure it has a divider panel, so you can make the crate just big enough for the puppy to stand and turn around -- if it's too big, the puppy can urinate at one end, and sleep at the other.
-dog bed for inside of crate - if you are getting a puppy, skip this, for the reasons Stargazer mentioned. My dogs each have a bed on my bedroom floor (which are purely for decoration, since they sleep in my bed), which we got from MollyMutt.com
-toys - I wouldn't buy these yet. I would wait till you get the dog and see what they like to play with. I would recommend at least one stuffable Kong, though.
-dog food (getting recommendation from breeder) - what brand did they recommend?
-collar and leash - I get mine from Etsy.
-dog treats (I've read that freeze dried liver is good, any other thoughts?) - I rotate -- Wellness biscuits, Nature's Variety Instinct Biscuits, K9 Granola Factory . . . we use Zuke's Mini Naturals and Natural Balance logs for training treats.
I buy supplies from petedge.com, cherrybrook.com, naturalk9supplies.com, dog.com, and jefferspet.com.
Husbands should be like Kleenex: Soft, strong, and disposable.
thanks for being a responsible pet owner!!
-crate: craigslist {try to get a wired one. you can get them real cheap from someone who just doesn't need one anymore. you don't need to pay retail price for it}
-dog bed for inside of crate: You can get cheaper ones at Ross and Marshalls. We got ours from target, but our puppy is obsessed with ripping up stuffing. We're keeping our eyes peeled for one of those sheep-wool-looking beds that can't we stuffed. I think you can get those at petco
- chew toys: Anywhere, really. Petco, Target, Ross, Walmart, Petsmart, ect..
-stainless steel water and food bowls: Petco, Petsmart, or Ross
-dog food: depends on the food that you want for Fido. Do your studies first, and then find where you can buy it. Don't just look around for anything in the store
-collar and leash: Etsy, or any local pet store
-dog treats: Do you mean like the dog biscuits? you can get those anywhere, but try to get ones that don't have so much ingredients in it. Your fido doesn't need cornstartch or any byproducts in it. I've used the "natural balance" rolls, and i cut them up into little peices, and my pup loves them. she has sensitive tummy and i haven't had problems with them.
-feliway infusers for cats, special treats to help introduce cats to pup: Not sure with this. We had cats and dogs together when i was younger, but they all hated each other lol. my parents never took an initiative to make them get along.
-we already have several pet gates: good job!
This is important, also.
We got the largest kennel possible for our husky/lab mix, knowing she will get big, and it's still large for her size, and from time to time she'll urinate at the end of the kennel, and lay on the other end {it still ends up a big mess}
We bought our crate at Petsmart (that's where it was cheapest on short notice). If you can find one on Craig's List that's in good shape, you can save a lot of money there.
We buy their food and treats at an awesome local pet supply store with knowledgeable employees. Their collars and bowls came from an fancy pet boutique place where they were way too expensive but adorable.
Thanks to everyone for all your help! I have made a ton of notes and bookmarked all of the suggested website. To answer a few of your questions our breeder recommended nutro-natural or blue buffalo. She also said the Costco Kirkland brand is OK (no corn) but it sounds like she prefers the others. That's a great tip about finding a crate on craigslist - I will make sure to get one with dividers and also to sterilize it if I do get a used one.
Thanks again, so excited to be going on this adventure!
Kristina
We've had to go through several dog food brands, including Nutro.
With her sensitive stomach, the best we found was Blue Basics {puppy formula}. And Blue Buffalo seems to have good ratings overall. I would suggest trying BB first
We've had to go through several dog food brands, including Nutro.
With her sensitive stomach, the best we found was Blue Basics {puppy formula}. And Blue Buffalo seems to have good ratings overall. I would suggest trying BB first