What is Reddit's opinion of

""




Categories:

Check price

1 comment of this product found across Reddit:
alr44 /r/greatdanes
2 points
1970-01-19 17:46:01.473 +0000 UTC

There are quite a few new puppy posts I recommend you search through, but here are my recommendations.

We got the Midwest crate so I can’t comment on the other one. We specifically got a crate that had a divider because they are tiny to start and a massive crate isn’t appropriate. As they grow you remove the divider.

We got a few different leashes- a retractable so she could explore after having all of her shots, a climbing rope leash for everyday. We ended up getting two different sizes of long lead while we were off leash training.

I highly recommend a front clip harness. You’ll quickly see that as they grow, they will easily be able to pull you to the ground if they haven’t quite gotten the hang of leash manners. The harness can also be extremely helpful later on when taking them to the vet or places they are initially nervous. We briefly used an e-collar during off leash training (I know they are super controversial but it worked of us, and now our girl gets safe off leash time every single day. I am never worried about her recall and she can safely follow any command from quite a distance. As long as she can hear me, she’s good to go. I would never have used one without a trainer’s instructions though, and at the very end of a training series. Just putting one on when they haven’t fully grasped all of the commands is just cruel).

For toys, our girl really didn’t respond to the xxl toys while she was young. This unfortunately meant that we went through a couple sizes of toys. We bought a variety to figure out what she liked. Turns out she loves to shred things and thrash them, so the kong toys still don’t really interest her.

Treats- freeze dried are great, cheese for training and when she needed to learn that eye drops and the nail clippers aren’t torture devices.

https://www.chewy.com/purebites-beef-liver-freeze-dried-raw/dp/53160

https://www.chewy.com/stella-chewys-lamb-wild-weenies/dp/177122

Be careful with fruit, as they should avoid high amounts of sugar. No grapes unless you want a dead dog (which you probably already know but it’s worth mentioning). Whole carrots while they are teething are amazing as well as watermelon rind. Raw meat is also a controversial topic. I had multiple vets at Midwestern University tell me there is no significant data and evidence to support that a raw diet extends longevity or decreases health issues. The highest quality kibble available, a topper for moisture, and absolutely zero table scraps. We trust them because they are one of the best vet schools in the country, so we have only done freeze dried treats, avoided grains and the occasional frozen marrow bone (appropriate size needs to be found. The grocery store or local butcher can slice a femur lengthwise so there’s no chance of it getting stuck on her jaw.) If you plan on feeding raw consult a vet so you can get a diet plan to ensure they are receiving proper mineral/vitamin and fat concentrations. We just started using this as a topper and so far she LOVES it. We’ll see how it goes. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/the-honest-kitchen-dehydrated-grain-free-beef-recipe-dry-dog-food No puppy food unless it is giant breed specific.

We take our Dane everywhere so I can recommend a collapsible bowl and gallon water cooler. They need to drink slowly to avoid bloat, but will splash everywhere or blow bubbles so having a large supply of water is crucial. We carried food to start because we fed multiple small meals.

https://www.amazon.com/Guardians-Collapsible-Portable-Foldable-Carabiner/dp/B07FM224VC/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=collapsible+dog+bowl+large&qid=1619158439&sprefix=collapsible+dog+bowl&sr=8-4

https://www.amazon.com/PetAmi-Carrier-Collapsible-Container-Accessories/dp/B08R7VNMX5/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=travel+food+container+pet&qid=1619158483&sr=8-12

This was our first crate bed and then we switched to orthopedic K9 ballistics. It’s definitely crazy expensive to get a ballistic bed for crate and my office, but felt is was worth it in the long run for her joints. Starter (largest size to fit crate)- https://www.amazon.com/Brindle-Shredded-Memory-Removable-Washable/dp/B015ELWBBA/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?dchild=1&keywords=memory+foam+dog+beds+for+large+dogs&qid=1619158673&sprefix=memory+foam+dog&sr=8-13

Mentioned a little above but we used a highly recommended trainer because off leash and perfect command response were our primary goals. We’re doing scent training right now, which stellar recall was necessary for. Treat bag can be helpful. Part of our training method was to hand feed most of their food for practicing commands as the first stage. Carrying that much food outside for practice definitely needed a bag.

Best poop bags by far in my opinion, wide opening, thick material, handle and easy to open. https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Rated-120-Count-Unscented-Easy-tie/dp/B00LWFFA4S/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=dog+poop+bag+with+handles+large+breed&qid=1619158818&sprefix=dog+poop+bag+with+handles&sr=8-8

We use whimzees dental treats once in a while because greenies have a ton of extra crap we weren’t comfortable with. They shouldn’t have dental treats until after 6 months.

Bully stick holder- SUPER necessary if you plan on providing them, crucial to make sure your Dane doesn’t swallow a huge chunk. Best- https://bullygrip.com

Used a puppy toothbrush to start and then we switched to a child’s soft brush. We started brushing frequently when her adult teeth came in. Healthy teeth, healthy body!

Highly recommend the pet nail dremel over clippers. We tried clippers and I really regret it. After months I’m still trying to get her used to the dremel instead. Touch and play with their feet constantly so they aren’t scared of nail clippings, having their paws checked, or booties if you live in a climate that needs them.

It’s mentioned a lot but no puppy pads. They should never ever learn that it’s ok to pee inside. Our girl had very few accidents because I am lucky enough to work remotely and just constantly took her outside to pee.

Couple randoms- Take a ton of pictures. They grow sooooo quickly. We put her on the same spot on the couch every few weeks for the first year and it produced some great photos.

Crate training has worked extremely well for us, she never sleeps on the bed and she’s the light of our lives.

Happy to answer any additional questions! You’re going to be great and your dog will be very lucky to have an owner that cares so much about them.

Enjoy your new goofy companion!