New puppies - kit recommendations

[Swordfishtrombone]

Hello, I'm looking for product recommendations as we're about to adopt two puppies (sisters) once they've been vaccinated. They are Lab-Cocker crosses who will be crate trained. We have puppy training in place.

I'm thinking about teething toys, harnesses and car travel kit that you've found useful. Or other things you might recommend. It's been a long time since we've had very young dogs.

Thanks @stayathomer that's some great advice. First time with spaniel types (we'd be used to German Shepherds, Collies and Labs and a variety of mixed/unknowns).

I'll pick out that book, much appreciated.

@Tombolobeaches that's helpful, thanks. I was wondering about Rocket Dog. We live pretty rurally and I've yet to find a good enough collar-lead for our inevitably muddy off road travels.

Thank you. Good thought about insurance and I will check out the harnesses. (There does seem an awful lot of choice when it comes to harnesses)

OP Thats why I really like Rock It Dog leads and lines, I’m always in muddy and wet fields and other places but I can come in and just loosely wind and hang the long line up till next walk, with no damp and heavy soggy muddy mess! Worth a look anyway.

I agree about the seatbelt/collar thing in cars and will instead look at travel crates.

Kongs are great. Not least because, if you throw them, they go in interesting directions which my dogs have enjoyed. It is hard to find good quality toys generally. Thanks for reminding me about stairgates!

Brilliant. Will check them out. Sounds like you live in a similar terrain! Have you ever tried those pump/wash portable hose things for de-mudding your dogs? I'm been quite tempted.

Can we have some photos please!

how old are they?

have you chosen names yet? Or are they keeping their current name?!

all questions, no answers sorry!

Thank you!

Sounds like it! No I haven’t tried those. I just try to dry my pup with a towel rub which she doesn’t much like I have to say! Fortunately shes ok being brushed every couple of days and despite having a shaggy coat the mud doesn’t seem to stick. I’m not particularly house proud though haha

These are the questions I'd want answers to, too! Names: Lola and Ripley. They didn't have existing names. They're 7 weeks old. Mum's a cocker and dad's a labrador (I don't have spaniel experience but I've started reading Pet Gun Dog which is helpful). One's chocolate the other is black and white. I have a picture of Ripley I can share - as I'm not in it! Ripley is chewy (as previous poster mentioned) assertive, and very interested in people, she sits nicely at your feet to get attention. Lola is ball orientated already, larger and slightly more placid. I suspect the next year of our lives to be pretty disrupted in one way or another! But they are better with us than growing up in kennels.

I recommend Total Recall by Pippa Matteson, which is a great book for any dog, but even better for gun dogs like yours!

Oh and I agree with a PP: Wine is essential!

@Swordfishtrombone

thank you!!

she's gorgeous!! You can definitely see both breeds with her!! She's big for 7 weeks!

take more photos that are ok to post!!! Please!!

Sosniels are 'my dog'. They just feel right. I can't have a dog right now 😭 but when I can, it'll be a spaniel. I've had a lot of labs in my life too. It's an interesting cross! I'm not sure I could handle two of them, especially sisters! But sometimes in life, you just have to handle more than you'd necessarily choose!

There's help out there if you have litter mate problems in the years to come. Again, not something I'd choose to do, but life happens & I couldn't keep one & put the other in a rescue.

best of luck with your gorgeous girls!!

mud mats, my practical reply is mud mats!

Thanks so much @Pinkpinkpink15 . And mud mats! Great call!

Our training will be supported by a trainer who specialises in working with spaniel sniffer dogs, police dogs etc so whilst I'm not expecting any easy ride with the girls, I think we have good support in place.

Really appreciate we may need additional support as they're siblings. I also know where a couple of their other siblings will be. I really hope the rest of the litter find homes, they're really lovely confident wee things but all our local rescues are overrun with litters at the moment. It's pretty shocking.

What's a Sosniel?!

I don't really have a breed I favour - I'm a bit wary of small dogs but that came from a brief stint working in boarding kennels! So many bitey wee dogs!

My first dog was a collie/cattle dog mix, we think. She was a dumped farm dog who consequently had a lot of issues with men, hi vis vests and tractors - we are surrounded by farmland so it was a bit of an issue! Did a lot of one to one professional training with her and ironed out most of her more anti social traits but, she wasn't a dog I could confidently leave around childen or adults not used to dogs. She was unbelievably loyal and smart though and I think I will always look at collies very fondly. Adopting a German Shepherd a couple of years later actually helped her relax a bit. Labs I grew up with so these two will be interesting!

IngGenius -- is Kennel Cleaner a brand name? There seem to be quite a few with similar names, some rinse-off and some not.

How exciting! I'll add, against advice, my SIL adopted two female littermate labrador retriever pups at 10 weeks old. They were in a dire situation. 5 years on, she'll tell you it's been a blast and worth every challenge. Sounds like you're up to it and I hope you all have great fun together!

I just want to say thank you for all the sensible advice- even if,from some quarters, it felt a little brusque (if some of you ever want tips on how to talk to other humans any time, hit me up).

It was hard to accept that raising two litter pups would, most likely, be a recipe for disaster, the exceptions to this exist but seem rare. I've really been down a rabbit hole the last couple of days.

Something I read on ablog post finally made me accept I was not only making life hard for me and my family but giving both dogs potentially the worst compromise. I don't want to be rehoming a dog in 6 or 9 mths because of potential rivalry, an inability to engage with other dogs/us and/or hierarchy distress. Rehomimg would be feasibly worse than leaving one in the kennels now and hoping they find an adopter sooner or later. With a heavy heart, I can't rescue them all and accept taking two is not a risk I want to take.

So thanks. My ego got a beating (again, if some of you ever need some tips on how to speak to another human you know where I am.)

Hopefully others will find this thread and be equally warned/informed.

Cheers.

That is such an unusual and wise update. Best of luck with the pup you do take.

I do know someone who took three litter mates. She would never recommend it!

Torch
slip- on-shoes
fleece

For night time visits to the garden for wees etc

Bitter apple spray - to I prevent chewing on furniture

Odour spray - to spray where accidental wees have occurred

Puppy proof your house - move wires, breakables, food etc out of reach

treats, treats and more treats

water bowl for outside, car etc

towels - to dry pups off when they’ve been outside

sleep

Sorry, just read update.

Thank you!

OP you’ve absolutely done the right thing!