Pet Supplies | Lil Bit O Goldens

Recommended Supplies

After breeding for as many years as we have been here at Lil Bit-O-Goldens, we have tried so many different products over the years. Below are some products that we use here and recommend for our puppy families!

Checklist for bringing your new puppy home!

Puppy food
Vitamins
Crate or puppy pen
Bed
Adjustable collar
Leash
Food and water bowls
Waterproof mat for under the bowls
Grooming supplies; brush, shampoo, nail clippers/file
Toys, toys, and more toys!

Food:

We have used MANY foods over the years and have a handful that we have liked and currently use in rotation with our own dogs. Since we have a few dogs that can be picky eaters we generally rotate these foods every few months to keep everyone happy.

Foods that our dogs approve of taste wise and we approve of for the amount of food that they need to be fed to be in great shape, have a nice luxurious coat, and does not give them overly smelly or frequent bowel movements are: Nutri Source Large Breed, Loyall Life Large Breed or All Stages of Life, Black Gold Explorer, and Royal Canin Large Breed or Golden Retriever.

For puppy foods we use one of two brands, either Nutri Source Large Breed Puppy or Loyall Life Large Breed Puppy. We send home a small bag of puppy food with every puppy, depending on what the moms are eating when the puppies start transitioning to solids will determine what brand of puppy food we will send home with your puppy.

NuVet Plus:

NuVet Plus: Heal and protect your pet for life!! As a dog breeder, animal health is my top priority. That’s why we enthusiastically recommend NuVet Plus immune system builder to all of our customers. Simply put, it is the best nutritional supplement available today.

Hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats are using NuVet Plus to provide optimal health and a strong immune system. A strong immune system will protect them from environmental and food toxins such as back yard pesticides, hormones, toxic formaldehyde in furniture and carpeting. NuVet Plus also supports proper development as well as a beautiful skin and coat.

This is not just a vitamin. It’s an immune system builder with a precise balance of vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, amino acids and high-potency antioxidants. That’s why it works so well through all three stages of a dog’s life.

For puppies - Fills the immunity gap all puppies experience. Shortly after birth maternal antibody effectiveness is greatly reduced. By 8 weeks your puppy’s immune system is at a vulnerable point. Once in their new home, the immune system is weakened by the stress of adoption and exposure to novel bacteria and viruses in their environment. This is also when the vaccine series is started. Vaccines are most effective if the immune system can respond properly. Starting NuVet Plus now is important to helping your puppy grow into a healthy adult.

For dogs in their prime - Provides the necessary antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals to sustain peak performance during the prime of their lives.

For older dogs - Helps provide the nutritional needs to live long, happy, and productive lives in their senior years.

We highly recommend NuVet Plus to keep your pet on the path to perfect health! It’s not available in stores, and is only available to the general public with an order code from an authorized pet professional.

For your convenience, you may order directly from the manufacturer by calling 800-474-7044 and using Order Code: 26516, or ordering online at www.nuvet.com/26516. You can also save an additional 15% and assure you never run out of NuVet by choosing the “AutoShip” option at check out.

Crates & Gates

Generally our goldens have free range of the house with gates to keep them in/out of certain areas. However we do have crates for the times that we need to keep them a little more confined. We do recommend crate training your puppy when you first bring him/her home.

Crates & Gates: Most of my puppy families ask about crate training and what crates I would recommend. Our Goldens are not normally in crates as they have free range of the house or we block them in the kitchen/laundry area using baby gates if we need them to stay in one place or be separated but we do have a Collie who likes to cause mischief and needs to be crated at night and while we are away. We have the iCrate for her. Other puppy families have purchased the Amazon Basics Crate and really liked them. I prefer and recommend that you start right off the bat with the extra large crate (approximate dimensions 42L x 30W x 28H), most come with dividers if you want to keep your puppy in a smaller area. I also like to have the double door option but that is totally up to your discretion.

Another option, which is what I will keep the puppies in from the age of 4 weeks until they go home is a puppy play pen. You can get them in various sizes and make them bigger or smaller as needed. These are great for not only in the house but outside as well if you do not have a fenced in yard or just want to have your puppy outside with you but in a safe and secure area.

Toys

You will want a large variety of toys such as bones/hard toys to chew, balls, soft, crinkle, different shapes/textures, toys that you can hide treats in to keep your puppy busy. Plenty of toys during the puppy/teething phase will help to keep your pup occupied and hopefully from chewing on this he/she shouldn't!

The first few nights home are a big adjustment for your puppy as they're not only in a new environment but also are away from their siblings. To help the transition we recommend having a medium sized stuffed animal that your puppy can snuggle with at night. The snuggle puppy is a great option with its heart beat and heat pack it mimics another puppy.

Kong and Nylabone are two of our favorite brands for toys that are tough and can stand up during the chewing stages and even later if you have a pup who is rough with toys.

For bones we use 7" naturally flavored and seasoned beef bones.

While we do recommend having balls to play with, we do not recommend regular solid balls or tennis balls due to them being abrasive to dogs' teeth, they pose a choking hazard, and the dyes/glues in them can be toxic. Instead we recommend rubber balls that have a hole through the middle. With a hold in the middle, if your dog accidentally chose on the ball, the hole provides air flow and prevents suction.

We never recommend rope toys with the fringe pieces on the ends, dogs tend to pull at the fringe and tear them apart, this poses as a blockage risk when too much is ingested. For that reason, we make all of our rope toys out of fleece and tightly braid or knot multiple pieces together. You can also use old socks, towels, or paracord to make these toys. These toys are great for teething as the puppies like to chew on the knots or you can wet the toy and throw it in the freezer for a while then use it as a soothing teething toy. A frozen wash rag works is also great in a pinch for teething puppies! Some dogs are more destructive than others, so you want to be sure to check these types of toys regularly to be sure that your dog is not trying to chew it up/chew pieces off.

We also do not recommend raw hide as it is essentially a leather chew toy that is made with toxic chemicals. Not only do they contain toxic ingredients but also, they pose a serious choking hazard.