Recommended Items
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Traveling Crates:
Ruff Tough Kennels Gunner Kennels G1 Large Indoor Crates: (We use the 36" for all our adults and 24" for puppies.) Precision Pet Two-Door Amazon Basics Double Door MidWest Homes iCrate Double Door 
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Dog Beds:
The best dog beds we have found is a new bed called the “Bully Bed.” We have had families get this bed and they highly recommend it. These beds have high quality materials and come with a 10 year warranty, free shipping and free returns (you won’t return it!). It’s a premium orthopedic bed and is washable, durable and comfortable. You can find the bed here: http://bullybeds.com/products/bully-bed. Large is good enough for Labradors. Crate Mats: https://wetmuttdogproducts.com/products/sporting-dog-series-mat Elevated dog bed: https://kuranda.com/dog-beds |
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Chew Toys:
Labradors enjoy stuffed animals or something soft to carry around. On the other hand, if they are a “de-stuffer”, then that will not be acceptable. Kongs then would be the best option or the Mammoth Extreme TireBiter. Bones are healthy but risky. They can break their teeth on a bone. Give Cow Ears or Pig Snouts a try. We also suggest Nylabone Healthy Edibles for puppies and Nylabone Puppy Chew Starter Kit. |
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Grooming Products:
It is important to keep your Labrador Retriever properly groomed. You will want to brush your Labrador probably around once every 1-2 weeks which can help with shedding. They will have shorter coats while they are young, but will get thicker as they grow older with some undercoat. Some breedings produce more undercoat than others. Here are a few products we recommend for the grooming of your dog.
- Pet Shampoo– We personally do not wash our Labs unless desperately needed. We do recommend though that you buy a shampoo that is for sensitive skin and does not strip the natural oils since puppies can get dry flaky skin if bathed too often with the wrong shampoo. Usually a natural/organic shampoo with oatmeal is sufficient. We suggest using the NuVet Oatmeal Conditioning Shampoo or NuVet Puppy & Kitten Shampoo.
- A regular 2-1 combination brush is sufficient for most of your brushing. We enjoy using both the FURminator and Slicker Brush as they both work great when our dogs are "blowing" their coat.
- Nail Clippers– We have used many nail clippers. The best ones we have found to use are “plyer-style” clippers. If you prefer to file the nail down rather than cut, try using a dremel, but make sure to start young and get your pup comfortable with getting his nails done. Treats can make nail trimming to be rewarding. Although we would like for everything to always go smoothly, sometimes there can be an accident when cutting their nails, especially if your pup has dark nails. It is always a good idea to have Styptic Powder on hand which stops bleeding.
- To dry your dog– We would recommend using a higher quality dog dryer than a regular hair dryer. It will take you much longer to dry with a regular hair dryer. When you bathe your dog you definitely want to dry them out. If you let them air dry then that will many times cause hot spots as well as getting them to shed slowly in your house. If you brush your dog as you dry them outside then you will get most of their hair.