Puppy Supplies
Your puppy will come home with an assortment of Life’s Abundance treats, food, and samples as well as a small toy, a small bit of blanket or cloth toy that smells familiar, and a potty pad in case they need to potty or puke on the way home. Supplies vary according to availability.
We will also provide you with a copy of your health guarantee and an in-depth health record (the same one on your pet portal records) including the first week’s weights, nail trims, vaccinations, and de-wormings that have been given as well as any recommended future due dates.
AKC paperwork if ordered will be mailed to you as soon as we receive it from AKC.
The following is a list of what you MAY want to purchase in preparation for your pup’s arrival: All of these are items we have personally used and feel are of good quality/longevity and value.
Food
Your puppy will be used to being free-fed Life’s Abundance All Life Stages soaked in water. It is best to continue free feeding if possible for the first month at the least. Like human children puppies also go on growth spurts one week they might only eat a handful of kibble a day whereas the next they eat everything in sight. If you are unable to free feed then a good rule of thumb is to give them what they can eat in one sitting (around 5 minutes) and remove the remainder until the next feeding however you will see less food obsession and aggression tendencies if you can continue free feeding.
To read more about why we choose Life’s Abundance brand click here
Water should also be kept free choice even if food is not.
Our dog’s favorites are the Life’s Abundance freeze-dried turkey hearts, turkey berry chewies, buffalo strips, and cow hooves. Please do not give your puppy rawhide!
Due to the breed’s history of back issues, we recommend a combination of Life’s Abundance Agility and Skin and Coat supplements for the first year of your puppy’s life at the very least.
Sleeping and Potty Training Supplies
Wire Crate: (we use the wire foldable double door kind) size will depend on your preferred potty method there are also plenty of other styles
Play yard: (depending on the potty method you choose and if you have a fenced yard)
If you have the space we highly recommend having a crate/bed with a play yard (with a potty and food/water area) attached to it for the first little while to keep the puppy safe from chewing cords or getting lost under furniture when not being directly supervised as well as allow them free access to pottying where they cannot yet hold it for long periods of time. You can still absolutely take them out for potty time (every time they eat or wake up) if desired and use it as more of a backup to your chosen training method.
No matter the potty method you use you will likely want a few Potty pads to protect your floor:
disposable or reusable (small) and (large) potty pads.
Grid floor method is the closest to the drainable floor system we use
Brilliant Pads work amazing for apartments, and busy lifestyles as they can be set to auto-clean from an app
We have in the past used Grass and the puppies take to it naturally it was just difficult to keep clean enough with 6-9 pups all using it. One puppy is much easier.
Some of our families have used the bell method with great success
All of our dogs are Doggy door trained. We have tried quite a few different styles over the years. One of our biggest problems with such long dogs is catching their tails in the door. After multiple broken or dislocated tails when the solid flap closed and caught them, we decided there had to be a better option.
Our favorite inexpensive doggy door has multiple joints in it so it “gives” more but still magnetically seals really nicely even during windy days. A bonus point is it does not have easily chewed edges.
This electronic doggy door is one we like to use for our mama’s so they can come and go without the worry of another dog getting to their pups. Petsafe also has an electronic door that has a handy app but it has that tail-catching type of solid door.
No tip Food/water bowl, and auto water or fountain style (We prefer to use stainless steel bowls as there are some scientific studies stating that plastic bowls cause higher instances of cancer in dogs. There is also a link between plastic bowls and staining tears in light-colored dogs.
Life’s Abundance has a spray that works wonders on smells from puppy accidents, as well as a cleaner that works wonders in sink drains, washing machines, and anywhere grease or grime, has built up in the pipes. A little goes a long way with both products.
Toys
Here are some of our diehard favorites that last well even with an entire pack of toy killers
The trifecta! Somehow the stuffed duck actually doesn’t become gutted in 4.5 seconds but usually loses a wing on day one. The carrot is a big favorite for fetch and the octopus is their favorite crinkly toy even if the squeaker loses its noise very quickly.
Multipack of Octopus and the big one is another favorite pack item.
This is the pack’s all-time favorite ball. I was very skeptical at first but somehow it still holds air even after months of wild chase games
Tunnels are a lifetime favorite for Dachshunds
Of all the toys we have tried over the years, the longest-lasting both physically and mentally is still the cow hoof. We switch out every 30 days and freeze the ones that have been in use. 30 days in the freezer will kill any germs you need to worry about. I do accidentally wash them with the laundry on occasion which the dogs love because it makes them softer and thus not as long lasting.
Several of our past buyers have raved about this puppy snuggler for helping the pups adjust and be quiet at night
You will need a collar, leash and harness. We recommend if you do intend to keep a collar on your pup full time use the safety release style like cat collars. while not good for going on walks it could save your pup’s life if it gets caught on something when you’re not around.
Beds
Anything with foam inside usually does not last long however these couches have been surprisingly unscathed and well-loved.
These are my favorite, longest lasting, and easiest to wash beds that the dogs do not de-stuff as readily as well as they don’t bunch up when washed as frequently as mine are.
More favorite hidey holes include this soft cave bed, and this firm cave bed
Bath/Grooming Time
Soothing Spray for irritated skin
Bath fresh mist because it’s not good for skin to be bathed every day yet they still find stinky things to roll in
Almost all of these items can also be purchased at Walmart, petsmart, petco, or your local pet supply store as well it is just easy to show you images this way.
However a word of warning! We always strongly suggest avoiding any place which allows pets inside for grooming or to browse until your puppy is 16 weeks or older as these places generally also have a lot of germs you don’t want to bring home to your puppy. If you must at least be sure to remove your shoes before entering the house and sanitize them.
The same goes for public dog parks, rest areas, anywhere people regularly potty dogs, and vets offices. If you need to visit one of these places do not put your puppy on the ground…..
Maybe you think we are just paranoid but after 40 years of being around puppies of many breeds, I have seen enough to know the risk is plausible.
I have learned many important lessons from watching some of my breeder friends and acquaintances that have had tragedy strike their operations.
A word on Dachshund backs and Stairs
First, let me say our dogs are all health tested, however, this is never a guarantee they will not have any illness in their lifetime. There are still many unknown genetic anomalies we are not able to be tested for. That is where careful record keeping over generations and making hard decisions often come in, to ensure we do not knowingly breed any dogs with known faults.
The Dachshund breed as a whole because of the genetic factor (chondrodystrophic) that causes the shorter legs are more prone to spinal issues. A direct link between IVDD and back problems has not yet been established, but it is known breeds with this gene are more prone to it. you can read more about IVDD here.
We have never personally had a dog that became paralyzed due to a back injury (knocking on wood). Maybe it is our exceptional genetics, or maybe it is the precautions we take. Dachshunds think they are invincible! Some dogs no matter how many precautions you take or ramps you provide will still jump up and down. Several we have had over the years for instance refused to gently jump off couches and instead launched themselves catching as much air as possible. It is nerve-wracking but there is only so much you can do.
Our dachshunds do go up and down the stairs, but it is not multiple times a day. They do however use a ramp to go out of our basement window to the play yard MANY times a day. If you have stairs your puppy will be using frequently may we suggest considering a ramp? I prefer this ramp because it was puppy chew proof and I was able to take it apart at the joints giving me several shorter ramps just the right length for getting on couches. Ramps are pretty easy to build as well if you’re handy. A 4-6′ length of 1×6 shelving with a bit of carpet on it works just fine too.