Preparing for your Puppy

Every Sunny Ridge Puppy goes home with a 6lb bag of the food he/she has been eating. Puppies over 20lbs (anticipated adult weight) eat Purina Pro Plan Sport 30/20 All Life Stage. Puppies under 20lbs (anticipated adult weight) eat Purina Pro Plan Focus Small Breed Puppy. Both are chicken based. Please wait a full 2 weeks before changing your puppies diet. If you switch to a new brand of food, its best to stay with a chicken formula for 1st transition. Any 1st treats should also be chicken. We then recommend a rotation between multiple proteins/formulas throughout the year.

We send each puppy home with 3 of our favorite toys! Some to squeak, some to tug, some to chase! Toys will vary from litter to litter and are size appropriate for your puppy. We recommend toys with reinforced edges and without stuffing! 

A blanket is a wonderful security item for your puppy to have during transition from our home to yours. Each puppy will have a soft cozy blanket that smells like their Momma. We recommend using it in your puppies crate instead of a bed. Its washable and puppy can move it aside if they get too warm.

Each puppy will receive a Slicker Brush. This is the appropriate tool for doodle hair and should be used frequently to maintain a tangle free coat. As adults, this brush should be paired with a metal comb for best results. Brush thoroughly before and after every bath!

We include your puppies medical history and important information in an organized folder. This includes: Birthday & Parent info, Deworming schedule, Vaccines & when next ones are due, Health Certificate from our Vet, Microchip information, & signed copy of Purchase Agreement/2 year Health Warranty.

Our bags are pretty cool too! They are reusable shopping bags & we hope you enjoy them.

We highly recommend crate training your new puppy. This is an excellent tool for both house training & safety. All our doodle puppies can use a small size crate (24 in) but puppies under 5lbs at 8 weeks would benefit from starting with an even small size. Crates should be metal and not fabric or plastic. Any questions about crates please ask Kelly.

The ideal setup to start with when your puppy arrives home is a playpen. Space should be 4'x4'-4'x6' and 24"-36" tall. Inside, place the crate to one side with the door open, and a litterbox on the opposite side. Food & Water dishes can also be placed inside for meals & don't forget the toys! Any questions about this setup please ask Kelly.

All our puppies are LITTERBOX TRAINED! This not only serves as a way to maintain a clean & sanitary environment for our puppies while they're with us, but also a tool to help them transition to your home and avoid accidents. We recommend continuing to provide your puppy with their familiar bathroom setup for the 1st 2 weeks at home. This is completely optional, and should be paired with indoor/outdoor potty training as well. Any questions please ask Kelly.

We recommend starting your puppy with a size small adjustable nylon collar. 1/4" wide for puppies under 5lbs at 8 weeks, and 1/2" wide for all larger puppies. Puppy should only wear it while supervised until they're older. While your puppy should not go for real walks until they're fully vaccinated, its good to introduce them to leash walking around your home and yard. Use a 4-6' leash, NOT the retractable kind. Small doodles can be walked on a harness for safety but a collar is the best training tool. We discourage using harnesses for doodles who mature over 25lbs.

~ Food and water bowls. Ceramic or metal non-tip/skid, no plastic.

~ Puzzles & Chews to stay busy. Elk antlers and Bully Sticks are favorites.

~ A bed to use outside the crate.

~ Any other items you like! Shopping for a new puppy is so fun!