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Food and
water bowls. I suggest 3 or 5 quart stainless steel. These are
more sanitary and will not break. Do not use a raised feeder,
studies have actually proven that dogs using raised feeders are more
likely to bloat that those who do not.
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Nametag
for adjustable collar.
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Chain
collar. To be used only when walking. Bigger links are better
even for small puppies as they are easier on the neck. Never leave a chain
collar on your dog when not actively walking. Remove at dog parks and
home.
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Security
Leash. I cannot recommend this product enough.
It will make teaching you puppy to walk with you a pleasure.
Designed for large breeds it has a unique anti-shock design that virtually
eliminates the strain injuries (associated with sharp tugs & jerks) on you
and your pet.
I use the Security Handle with one or more Stretch Sections as I routinely
walk more than one dog. If you only have one dog to walk, you can
try the Security Model Sport Leash. Once your dog has learned to walk
without pulling, you can of course switch to a regular cotton or nylon
lead if you desire.
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- Appropriately-sized chew toys. Danes have
tremendous teething needs. Make sure that anything meant to satisfy
those needs are for heavy duty chewers. NEVER FEED YOUR DANE
RAWHIDE. It cannot be digested and can stay in their intestines
forever. Veterinarians make a lot of money removing rawhide
obstructions from stomachs. Make sure that what you give them is too
big for them to swallow whole and can be chewed into bits (remove when
it's of an edible size) but not eaten whole.
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- Plush toys or a soft, squeaky toy for your pup
to cuddle with. I recommend
Pet Edge for large cheap toys. For
toys that will last, I recommend those sold by
Masterpiece Pet Products.
Further down you will see that they also make the dog beds I recommend. I have toys that are
over 7 years old and still going strong.
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- Rubber toys with holes to fill with treats to
keep pup occupied.
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- Small treats such as Chewy Tasty Snacks to use
as a quick "good dog!" reward. I'm not recommending these over any
other treats. Just make sure you have some reward treats for your
daily training. I actually prefer to make my own by thin slicing hot
dogs an microwaving them for a minute or two until they are semi rubbery.
Pat off the excess grease and they are ready to use.
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- Grooming supplies. Zoom grooms are my
favorite but don't leave them out or the puppy will think it a most
excellent chew toy.
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- Something to spray on off-limits chewing areas
such as the legs of furniture, dog beds, and any other precious
and/or dangerous objects you do not want chewed. I use Arid Extra
Dry (canned-aerosol) and have never had a problem. It must be
re-applied if the item is washed. It's the alum that acts as a
deterrent, and if you have ever
accidentally gotten deodorant in your mouth you understand why it works so
well. Many dogs actually like Bitter Apple, but there are other
commercial products like Chew Stop® you can try.
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- Nail trimmers. If you get your pup used to
having his nails trimmed as a little tyke you'll have a much-easier time
of it later on when he's stronger and more agile.
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- A Dremel is a must have for those large Dane
nails. My puppies are all used to this and you should continue.
I'll show you how, and if you do it right your Dane companion will not mind
overmuch.
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- Crate for housetraining your new pup.
Might as well go ahead and get the colossal crate. It's big but so
are they and it will last a lifetime. The best deal I have
found is at
Fortress Pet Crates, these crates have a side
and end door, a full metal pan (many retailers seem to think that's an
option), and a divider panel so that the puppy can be kept to a smaller
area initially.
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- For your new puppy I recommend a crate pad
instead of a dog bed in their new crate. The best ones come from
Masterpiece Pet Products. They are two sided and can be easily
washed and bleached.
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- Another great product is
this Primo Pad
heavy duty "Gorilla Vinyl" pad. The manufacturer guarantee; "If your dog
tears it up in anyway, we will replace it free." You just can't beat that.
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- Once you puppy is older and can be trusted not
to accidentally soil their bedding they can have a real bed inside their
crate. I have two recommendations. You can get a
Masterpiece bed (see below) or you can get a
Deluxe Waterproof bed from Drs Foster & Smith.
I have had two of these for years and they have held up beautifully.
I like them for the crate as the dogs tend to not want to lay on fleece
during the hot months in Florida.
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- In my opinion there is no better bed for
the house than the
Masterpiece bed. Notice that the big Mastiff in
the picture does not even dent the foam. This is wonderful for those
big bones and joints. This bed will last a lifetime (make sure to
spray it with Arid Extra Dry aerosol deodorant). I recommend getting
and extra fleece top so that you can replace it for laundering. I use the
34x52 and 48x60. Make sure to get the 5" foam.
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- Dental Supplies to keep your pup's teeth clean
and healthy. Those of you who will be raw feeding do not need to
purchase any of these.
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- Heartworm preventative. If you have
mosquitoes in your area you must use a heartworm preventative. I use
Ivomec 1% Injection for Cattle & Swine. It is specifically not
recommended for dogs as that would interfere with their sales of products
like HeartGuard, which contain the same main ingredient, Ivermectin.
Ivomec is given orally (I put it on their food) once a month at a dosage
of .3mg per kg (weight divided by 2.2=kg x .3= ?? and divide by 10) when
they are small. Once they have reached 100lbs I use 1/10th of a cc
per 10lbs of Dane (so 1 cc=100lbs). A 50mL bottle, which can be
purchased at any feed store or on-line will last a year or more and costs
about 40.00 (on-line). In addition to being a heartworm
preventative, it is effective against most common intestinal worms (except
tapeworms).
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- I recommend Frontline Plus for flea and tick
prevention as it kills flea eggs, larva, and adults, which means I do not
actually have to use it until I see a flea. In Florida, that means
that I do not have to chemically treat my Danes more than once a year on
average, some years twice. Here is the site that I use
https://www.pet-supplies-inc.com/front.asp?pid=1. They have
always delivered promptly and offer their products at an excellent price.
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- Another great flea product is Flea Stoppers
Carpet Powder. Once a year I sprinkle Flea Stoppers on the area rugs
in my house, for long lasting natural flea control. Kills flea
larvae before they mature into biting, egg laying adults. Made from
specially formulated boric acid, Flea Stoppers Carpet Powder is safe to
use around children and pets. One application lasts about a year and
is not affected by vacuuming or shampooing.
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- If your Dane ever gets a hygroma you are going
to want a pair of Dog Leggs.
I had a Dane once with
hygromas on his elbows. What a nightmare. Usually created by
large dogs who tend to drop to the floor instead of laying down normally.
I wish I would have had these then. Trust me if I ever see another
hygroma, I'm buying a pair of these ASAP.
BTW, these are covered by your Pet Insurance policy if your vet prescribes
them!
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- Don't forget to use a dash of patience and a
large dose of kindness when you deal with your pup. This is probably the
single most important thing you can do to begin a great relationship with
your future adult dog.
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