Our Favorite Puppy Supplies

Our customers will oftentimes ask us what puppy supplies we use and what they should get for their new puppy. These are the items that we use to raise the puppies we keep. Here is our list for everyone to enjoy!

Longest Lasting Dog Toy

The longest lasting toy that we’ve found so far. The ball-in-ball design will provide many hours of entertainment for your puppy. The come in a wide variety of sizes for every life stage of puppy.

Most Often Used Toy

We’ve found that the simple rope toy is the most often used by our puppies and easiest to replace when it wears out. This great multi-pack has enough rope toys to entertain for many hours.

Most Distracting Toy

When you need a something that will completely take your puppies’ focus off the rest of the world nothing does the job like a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter. Freeze the treats inside the toy to make it last even longer.

Crate

Crate training is a large part of having a happy and well-organized household. The divider in this crate means you can make it the right size for a puppy, without having to buy new sizes as they grow.

Travel Crate

A travel crate is essential to safe transportation of your dog. Not only will they keep them from distracting you while driving but they provide some protection for your dog in the event of a wreck. This style of plastic travel crate is what we use. The XL size is appropriate for an adult akita.

Urine Destroyer

Where there are puppies there will be urine. Thankfully this enzymatic formula does a fantastic job of dealing with it. Use it on any surface that has been sprayed to help prevent re-occurrence. You can even use it as a laundry additive on favorite toys and bedding (or shoes).

Stainless Steel Bucket

We use these buckets for food and water. Akitas’ “cat like” feet are best maintained through short nails and elevating their food and water so they don’t have to bend down. Clip these to the side of their crate at whatever height is appropriate for their age.

Bucket Clip

These stainless steel clips are perfect for clipping buckets to the side of the crate.

Rolled Leather Collar

Akitas’ coats are very thick and coarse. Many collars will get tangled in their coats and cause uncomfortable tangles. We use rolled leather collars to prevent this. My favorite version can be found at Hogan Leather. Here is the Amazon version.

Slip Collar

In public, you’ll need something that won’t come off their head if they try and pull on the leash, like the above collar will. Your choice of a slip collar will probably be determined by the trainer you’re working with. These are similar to the show collars we use. My favorite ones are found on Hogan Leather. Do not leave this type of collar on unattended because it is a choking hazard.

Leash

A sturdy leash is essential. I prefer one that has multiple layers of fabric as they don’t bite into the hand as much if your puppy is pulling you. You don’t want something that’s too long, as it just gives them more pulling power.

Dog Tag

Most custom dog tags text wears off quickly or the punched hole in them fails. These have lasted for a few years. I always make sure and include their name and my phone number. Also, an offer for a reward if they are returned.

Dog Tag Ring

The next failure point on dog tags is the ring holding them to the collar. These rings were made for holding scuba diver’s gear to their harnesses and will hold up to an Akita.

Grooming Table

Trying to cut a dog’s nails while they (and you) are on the ground is not a whole lot of fun. A grooming table gets them up to a much more manageable height. This grooming table is the same size as the one we use. If you’re interested in the exact one we use you can find it here. Don’t forget, you’ll also have to buy a separate grooming arm for it. I like this one.

Shampoo

There are many harsh shampoos out there for dogs that are grossly dirty. We prefer a much gentler shampoo. We use this on our baby puppies and our adults, unless they are getting ready for a show.

Conditioner

This product is part of our show preparation lineup, but it works great as a daily conditioner too. It’s a conditioner concentrate, so to get the most mileage, dilute it before use.

Ear Cleaner

We use a squirt of this in the ears each time we bathe them to keep ear wax from building up. I’ve yet to meet an Akita that liked having this in their ears, so be prepared for some intense head shaking when they try and move it from their ears to your face.

Dryer

Dogs don’t have sweat glands and can’t tell you when they’re getting too hot. This is why you don’t use a human hair dryer on them. This dryer removes water from their hair by blasting it out with high speed air. This model has a heater on it, which is not necessary for everyday bathing. I do not use it on their head. Be very careful around your/their faces because it is powerful enough to hurt someone if aimed at the eyes. With it I can get an Akita from soaking wet to barely damp in 8-10 minutes.

Nail Trimmer

Trimming nails is a delicate process. You can either use a Dremel tool like this one, or nail clippers. I prefer the Dremel tool because I feel like it gives me more control over how much I cut at once. An Akita’s nails will need to be cut approximately every other week. If you can hear their nails clicking on a hard floor, it’s time to cut them. Allowing the nails to get too long changes the angle their foot rests on the floor and puts extra stress on their ankles.

Blood Stop Powder

You’re bound to go too deep while cutting their nails at least once. Styptic powder packed onto the end of the nail will help it to stop quickly.

Brush

Toothpaste

Tooth brushing is just as important for dogs as for humans. It should also happen just as often. All of our Akitas enjoy the taste of this version. If you set up a good routine around it, you can turn tooth brushing into a fun game instead of a chore.

Toothbrush

With the size of an Akita’s mouth, we’ve had the most success with a regular human toothbrush.

Flea and Tick

Lyme Disease and Heartworms are two of the diseases carried by biting insects. Advantix II protects your dog from fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. One of the rare formulas that does this. It’s not a heartworm preventive pill, discuss whether one of them is necessary in your part of the country with your vet. The link provided is for dogs larger than 55 pounds. Make sure and get a smaller size if you’re giving it to a puppy.

Dog Food

We use Royal Canin German Shepherd dog food because the weaknesses in German Shepherds that it is designed to holistically minimize are also present in Akitas. These include hip and joint support, coat and skin support, and a healthy immune system while being highly alert. We use the puppy formula until they are 16 months old and then switch to the adult version.

Dog Treats

Dog treats should let your dog know that they are doing what you want them to do. A good trainer will give treats very frequently during a training session. You want a treat that contains the least number of calories possible. A dog’s treat intake per day should be less than 10% of their total calories for the day.

Kitchen Sink

This list wouldn’t be complete without the kitchen sink and because those aren’t big enough to fit an Akita, I included the dog bath tub instead. The answer to do you need one of these is, unfortunately, no. You will want one though after trying to give a full grown Akita a bath in your own bath tub. If you’re wondering, yes, they are as awesome as they look.

We will get a commission from Amazon for any items that you buy after following our links. Thank you for your support in our goal to breed Akitas who will be champions in the home and in the ring. Please feel free to send us an email if you’ve got a question about a type of product that we didn’t include on this list.