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Puppy Care

Chewing

Aussies like to chew, especially in the first one to two years. I usually buy cow hooves for my dogs since of all the chews I have given them, hooves seem to be one of the safest and most-enjoyed options. I have also had excellent luck with rawhide, especially in rolls; my mini Aussies seem to chew rawhide safely at an appropriate rate. According to the AKC, “It’s safe to assume that your own dog’s chewing style will change over time, and the treats considered safe for your dog will vary alongside those changes.” So please watch your dog and see what works best for you and your individual puppy. Sometimes I buy the hooves online at Chewy. Chewy has free shipping over $50, so it makes sense to combine purchases if you shop there.

Puppy Food

I try to get puppy food that has meat as the first ingredient, and I avoid food that contains corn. I usually switch between Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy, Chicken and Rice Formula, a common brand which I usually buy at my local feed store, and Baby Blue, which I usually buy in-store at Grocery Outlet.

Dog Training & Treats

I suggest watching Dogmantics Kikopup videos on how to train your puppy. They’re not flashy, but rather are high quality with excellent reward-based techniques. For the techniques in the videos to work, you will want a lot of small dog treats. I find that Purina Moist & Meaty or Ol’ Roy Soft & Moist dog food (I buy these in-store at WalMart) make excellent training treats. Your dog can eat as much of the food bits as it likes because they are dog food with complete nutrition, even though most dogs love them as treats.

Parasite Control

(Heartworm, Flea, Tick)

For heartworm and flea/tick control, I like to use Revolution at the same time as Frontline Plus (also sold under the brand name Steelcoat Plus) . They are both drops, and each one protects the dog differently, so they can be used simultaneously.  Revolution is important because it protects against heartworm, but since it isn’t the best at protecting against ticks, it is important to also use Steelcoat or Frontline. There are other very effective heartworm, flea, and tick treatments, and some come as chewable tablets. How effective a treatment is can vary by region.

Deworming

You should deworm your dog every year or two. Safe-Guard (fenbendazole) is a good option, and there are other options as well.


Links

Chewing:
Chewy:
https://www.chewy.com/
Hooves:
https://www.chewy.com/hotspot-pets-cow-hooves-dog-chew/dp/298310
Rawhide:
https://www.chewy.com/bones-chews-made-in-usa-5-rawhide/dp/256625
AKC:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/are-rawhide-chews-dangerous-for-dog/

Food:
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy, Chicken and Rice Formula:
https://www.chewy.com/diamond-naturals-small-breed-puppy/dp/34908
Baby Blue:
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/blue-buffalo-baby-blue-natural-chicken-and-brown-rice-recipe-dry-puppy-food-24-lbs-3096263?cm_mmc=PSH-_-GGL-_-CMB-_-PME-_-PET-_-AQU-_-0-_-PM_GGL_FY20_SBU02_Consumables_BOPIS_ALL_LIA-SMRT-_-0-_-0&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgI-ehsjq9AIVhBTUAR2lZAVyEAQYASABEgLDR_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Dog Training & Treats:
Dogmantics:
https://dogmantics.com/puppy-training/
Purina Moist & Meaty Dog Food:
Moist & Meaty Burger with Cheddar Cheese Flavor Dry Dog Food
https://www.chewy.com/moist-meaty-burger-cheddar-cheese/dp/127725
Ol Roy:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ol-Roy-Soft-Moist-Beef-Cheese-Flavor-Dog-Food-216-oz-36-Pouches/881405623?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5751&adid=22222222277881405623_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-293946777986&wl5=9032145&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=881405623&wl13=5751&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqq6yrcrq9AIV2BPUAR3nXQB3EAQYASABEgJgg_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Parasite Control – Heartworm, Flea, Tick:
Revolution:
https://www.revolution.com.au/about-revolution.aspx
Steelcoat:
https://www.firstcompanion.net/Featured-Products/Steelcoat2

Deworming:
Safe-Guard:
https://www.chewy.com/safe-guard-dewormer-hookworms/dp/249589