Wild West Mini Aussies
One of the most common questions we get from new puppy families is "what do I need to buy for my new puppy?". So we decided to put together a list of some of our favorite products that you can easily refer back to anytime, and we will continue to update this as we discover new useful and fun products for your pets! Be prepared, there is A LOT of information here, but it is all GREAT information!
Kennel/Potty Training
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Potty training and kennel training… usually the most daunting part of raising a puppy. A family who got a puppy from us a while ago shared a YouTube video series they used to kennel train their puppy and said it worked incredibly well for them in less than 2 weeks. So, we checked out the entire “Dog Training” video library this YouTube channel offers, and we have been very impressed and our puppy families have seen great results! We highly recommend using these methods for potty training, kennel training, preventing chewing, and a handful of tricks (and don't forget the NéVetica™ Wet-a-way - accidents will happen!!)
Grooming, Toys, Chews, etc.
We’ll keep this one short… here are links to some of the WWMA crew’s favorite products
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"Fluffer Comb" The best and only grooming brush you will ever need
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goDog Dog Toys (recommended by a puppy family & the closest thing to indestructible we have found!)
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Food & Nutrition
(and why you should not feed grain-free dog food!)
I’m sure a lot of you have heard about why you should not feed grain-free by now, but thought I would share it here as well just in case, since we are one big happy dog family.
Plus, another very common question is “what should I feed my new puppy?”.
Recent studies have been investigating dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs linked to grain-free dog foods that use carbohydrates like peas, lentils, chickpeas, potatoes, etc. in place of grains like rice, oats, barley, corn, etc.
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So, we can kill two birds with one stone here. Let’s begin... Grain free does not necessarily = healthy. What = healthy is a balanced diet of protein, carbs, and fat. “Dr. Lisa Freeman, a veterinary nutritionist and researcher with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, sees this moment as an opportunity to view grain-free diets skeptically. ‘Contrary to advertising and popular belief, there is no research to demonstrate that grain-free diets offer any health benefits over diets that contain grains,’ she said. Grains are an important source of protein and other nutrients in many meat-based pet foods, she continued. “Grains have not been linked to any health problems except in the very rare situation when a pet has an allergy to a specific grain.” (1)
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While further research is being conducted on grain-free diets in dogs, it’s best to play it safe and ensure your dog food ingredient label consists of protein, carbs from grains, and fat, and the first few ingredients are not peas, lentils, chickpeas, potatoes, etc. (non-grain carbs).
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What we feed:
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We feed Purina Pro Plan Shredded blend. We alternate proteins every few months - salmon, lamb, beef, chicken - but we only recommend this if your dog is not sensitive to certain protein or food changes. It is just good practice to switch up the food and nutrients your dogs are getting so they are not eating the same thing for years. You can simply alternate the bags of food every few months, gradually introducing the new food.
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These foods are exceptionally made and contain a great ingredient list with nutritional balance, and the doggies love the taste. I recommend this dog food to everyone. We purchase the food (any many other items) through Chewy's autoship service.
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Lastly, this should not cause panic or anything even close to that if you are currently feeding a grain free food, it’s simply a FYI. Check out the ingredient label on your dog’s food, and if it doesn’t seem right based on this information, make a gradual switch to something that does. If your dog’s food does seem to raise an eyebrow, look for symptoms like fatigue, difficulty breathing/constant heavy panting, coughing and fainting (2) and get them checked out by a trusted vet if you’re concerned.
PLEASE NEVER GIVE YOUR DOG RAWHIDE CHEWS/TOYS/TREATS!
