Shopping List

When transitioning to other brands of food, treats, and supplements please do your research to be sure you’re feeding a quality product from a company that does not have frequent recalls.

Using treats works well when training, but the calories can really add up! You do not need to give your dog or puppy a full treat when training. Break each treat into several smaller pieces that are quick and easy for your pet to eat.

We also recommend keeping 100% pure canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain pumpkin) on hand. This can be found in the baking aisle of the grocery store. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber. If your puppy or dog has diarrhea or constipation, adding a small amount of canned pumpkin with every meal for a few days should help to alleviate the symptoms. You can freeze the excess pumpkin in ice cube trays to avoid spoiling.

Toys and chews are important for a fun way to entertain your furry friend. A dog or puppy that is occupied with a fun, safe, and appropriate object to chew on is less likely to be destructive in chewing your items or furniture! Problem-solving enrichment toys are also important for your pet. Some of these items are safe for solitary play, but some should only be used under supervision. Many of the items below come in different colors and/or sizes so be sure to choose the correct size when ordering, and don’t forget a toy storage bin!

Goldendoodles require frequent and routine grooming. Professional grooming services are expensive, so if you choose to groom your dog on your own it will not take long for the cost of the supplies to pay for themselves! We have included the items we recommend below.

Goldendoodles are prone to matting, especially around their ears, neck, chest, and lower back near their tail, so they require regular brushing and grooming. Even if you have your dog professionally groomed there are essentials you will need to have on hand at home to take care of him or her in between groomings. You will need a steel comb and a slicker brush. We love the Safari Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush! At times when your pet has hard-to-remove mats the Safari Mat Remover is great for using around the face and ears and the Safari De-Matting Comb works really well on their chest and body. These last two items we truly consider ESSENTIALS for anyone who has any type of Doodle or Poodle that are prone to matting! A bristle and pin combo brush is also nice to have, especially for puppies!

Goldendoodles need their ears and teeth cleaned regularly in order to maintain good health. Please see the “Healthcare” section above for recommended products for their ears and teeth.

If you choose to bathe or completely groom your dog by yourself there are great products below to help you. The trick to having a clean-smelling puppy or dog is to SHAMPOO TWICE and CONDITION ONCE!!! The Nature’s Miracle Odor Control Spray and Whal No Rinse Shampoo are great to have on hand for in between baths!

We love the Andis UltraEdge clippers, and we can groom our Goldendoodles using a combination of a #4 blade, #10 blade, and clipper attachment guides. Be sure to use stainless steel attachment guides for your clippers and not plastic guides. Clipper blades will get really hot during the grooming process, which can burn your dog and ruin the motor. We recommend the Andis Cool Care Plus Clipper Blade Cleaner and having at least two of each blade size (#4 and #10) to rotate while grooming before the blade gets hot.

Below are several of the beds and mats that we recommend. Most of them come in different colors and/or sizes so be sure to check out all of the options available! When buying a mat to use in your kennel or crate pay special attention to the sizing and purchase the largest size that will easily fit inside the kennel or crate that you have.

For starting out with puppies we recommend using old towels or blankets that you do not mind being chewed on and that can be easily washed. Once your puppy has gone through their teething and chewing stage you can use a better bed and/or mat for long-term use. Giving your puppy safe toys or chews while in their kennel or crate will help to occupy them and give them an appropriate object to chew on!

We love the Wash ‘n Zip Pet Bed (pictured above)! The bed comes in four different colors and five different sizes. It unzips and unfolds completely so you can easily wash it in your washing machine! We also recommend the Wash ‘n Zip Puppy Proofer (also pictured above), which is sold separately. The Puppy Proofer comes in coordinating colors and sizes and it helps to deter chew-happy dogs from the temptation of chewing on the zipper and bed corners. Visit https://washnzippetbed.com to learn more and use the code MROSE for a 15% discount!

Below are some additional options you may like that can be purchased on Amazon.

Puppies who are not yet potty trained should only have enough room in their kennel or crate to stand up, turn around, and lay down. They naturally do not want to go to the bathroom where they sleep or eat so having more room than this may make potty training harder. If you get a kennel or crate with a divider you can buy the size needed for him or her as an adult and use it throughout their life. Small crates can be a good option for the potty training phase, but for long-term use we prefer enclosed plastic kennels rather than wire metal crates, but the choice is yours! Our favorite kennel is the Petmate Navigator Pet Carrier because it comes with a divider so that it can easily be used throughout your dog’s life. If you get a different kennel you can put something safe and puppy-proof in the back of the kennel to act as a divider, such as a small cooler. 

Our favorite crate is the Midwest Homes for Pets iCrate Double Door Folding Metal Dog Crate. Like most wire crates, it comes with a divider. If you do get a crate, having one with a double door is very handy and more versatile as to where you can use it in your home and car! Since dogs are den animals we also recommend getting a crate cover that is the same size as your crate. Of course, you can also get a fancy kennel or crate to match your home decor, but I would wait until your puppy outgrows his or her teething and chewing stage!

As far as the size of kennels and crates goes, each item details in their product description the size recommended, and it is usually based upon the dog’s weight. If you are having a hard time deciding between two sizes based upon your puppy’s predicted adult weight we would recommend going with the larger of the two sizes, especially if you can divide the space as your puppy grows. We would typically recommend 36″ for petite and miniature Goldendoodles and 42″ for medium and standard Goldendoodles.

Gates and pens come in several heights and colors and have a variety of features, so look through all of the options before ordering. We recommend choosing one that has mostly vertical bars to prevent climbing and escaping, and having a walk-through door is more convenient! We also recommend choosing gates and pens that are at least 3′ high as many dogs can climb and/or jump over shorter ones.

If you will be flying with your puppy you will need an airline-approved pet carry-on bag that will fit under the seat in front of you. We really like the Sherpa Travel Pet Carrier, but be sure to check with your airline for specifics on which bags are allowed. Puppies don’t seem like they would weigh much, but carrying your puppy around in a bag through a large airport can put a lot of strain on your neck and back! So, from personal experience, we highly recommend the Sherpa Pet Carrier Comfort Strap! For traveling in a car we also really like the URPOWER Dog Seat Belt Straps, URPOWER Dog Seat Covers, and Pawaboo Dog Safety Vest Harness as they work well with our dogs! The Pawaboo harness seatbelt attachment is not compatible with our SUV but it works great with the URPOWER seat belt straps since we have headrests in the backseat, so be mindful of the car you will be using when ordering. Also be sure to order the correct harness size for your specific dog!

Collars, ID tags, and leashes are essential… don’t leave home without them! Most puppies will start out with an x-small or small collar and grow from there. A retractable leash is okay for bathroom outings but they are not the safest option, so we recommend a regular 6′ leash for all other times. We do not recommend harnesses at any age other than for safety when riding in the car (please see the “Carriers & Travel” section above for our harness recommendation when traveling in a car) as it is thought that they can cause stress to the joints and encourage pulling on the leash. If you do use a harness please choose one that is well padded and labeled as being “no-pull”. There are countless options available for all of these and we have included some items below. Most of these items come in different colors and sizes, so be sure to check all options before ordering!

Whether you want professional training or the ability to train your dog by yourself at home we highly recommend Baxter & Bella’s Online Puppy School. They have every resource you will need to raise your puppy like a professional, including lessons, how-to videos, LIVE! puppy classes, and office hours with their trainer. They basically hold your hand every step of the way until you have a calm, obedient, well-mannered canine companion who is the ideal family pet! Click here to learn more and use the code MRG to receive 25% off of their unlimited lifetime membership! Please see below for other items we recommend.

We use litterboxes to start the potty training process with our puppies. We prefer to use open pans with natural pine or paper pellets. Litterboxes with grates are popular but we find them harder to keep clean. Potty pads are also popular but they tend to become chew toys! Potty bells are also good options when house training your puppy.

We really like OdoBan the best for every-day cleaning and we recommend having trash cans with lids!

Below are some of the books we recommend.