Pet Foods
It has been said "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Many processed pet foods have fillers and by-products we would never imagine feeding to our beloved furry family members. Here are links to a few of the healthier pet foods we have used in our home. We are not veterinarians, and this is not official health advice. Always ask your vet for their recommendation based on your pet's unique needs.
The Farmer's Dog (Chicken) - human grade, fresh food delivery
Spot & Tango Unkibble - human grade, fresh dry food delivery
Open Farm (Ancient Grains)- ethically sourced, humanely raised pet food
The Honest Kitchen (Whole Grain) - human grade, cold pressed whole grain clusters
New puppies going home are eating Diamond Naturals small breed puppy. This can be purchased in smaller 6 lbs. bags (about one month of food for one toy poodle puppy) from Chewy.com. This is also available from Petco and other retailers, but they may have larger bags (if you don't use it in about a month from opening the bag, check to make sure it hasn't gone bad before feeding it).
Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy - Chewy.com
Important:
FDA Advisory DCM - Dog food ingredients to try to avoid
Genetic Testing
If you are interested in learning more about your pet and the common health issues that may affect them, Embark can help identify some of those issues. However, just because something may be listed, does not guarantee that it will happen. This can be helpful if you have other pets in your home that you would like to learn more about. *Disclaimer: Purchasing an Embark DNA test does not change the health guarantee. Some puppies may already be tested with Embark.*
Embark - test your pet's DNA
Veterinarian Services
If you are local to the Chattanooga, TN area, and need a veterinarian for your new puppy, I recommend Wolftever Pet Hospital on Highway 58. They also have boarding and grooming on site, and are reasonably priced. They offer a second location on Standifer Gap.
Wolftever Pet Hospital (*they take Trupanion direct pay)
Also in the Chattanooga, TN area, Ooltewah Veterinary Hospital in the Ooltewah / Collegedale area has a full service veterinarian, including exotic animals. They also have a medical boarding ICU unit, that not all veterinarians offer.
After hours emergency veterinarian service in Chattanooga, TN:
Veterinary Care and Specialty Group (*they take Trupanion direct pay)
Pet Medical Insurance
If you have a new puppy, you might be wondering what it costs for medical expenses. Just like a child, you can get your new puppy health insurance to help offset some of the cost. Most of these companies require payment up front and then will reimburse you according to their terms. My vet recommends Trupanion, and it seems to be one of the better companies, even in some places allowing pet hospitals to work directly with the insurance and then having the owner meet the deductible. (*Check with your own veterinarian if this is possible with them.) It is important to start any pet insurance while the puppy is young and has no visible health issues present, as it affects the underwriting.
Trupanion -- Medical Insurance for Pets (*puppy kits come with special offer)
Social Media
There are several social media channels that will give various information about how to take care of animals. I have watched several, and here are some of my personal recommendations:
Padfoot Poms, Poodles, and Pals (YouTube) - Vlogger is a certified canine nutritionist
The Poodle Mom (YouTube) - Vlogger who shares everyday tips for toy poodles
Dog Training (Website) - Victoria Stilwell from "It's Me or the Dog"
Puppy Apartments
There is a growing trend to create an "apartment" for a puppy, complete with a bed or den, and then having a potty place as well as food and toys. Here are a couple of examples I have put together to demonstrate how this might look.
Puppy apartment for a "larger" smaller dog
