New puppy & kitten essentials for your gorgeous fuzz ball!
There’s nothing like the excitement of a new pet and the preparation for their arrival! What sort of stuff do you need though? We have a few suggestions from inside and outside the store.
The basics:
Food – the most essential purchase. If the breeder or previous owner hasn’t recommended a brand, then its best to start with a high quality, super premium dry food that uses good quality meat protein (called by the animals name such as Chicken or Chicken Meal which is the meat flesh exclusive of heads, necks, feet and entrails). Products containing Meat By-products are poorer and cheaper quality meat proteins and include heads, necks and entrails. Steer clear of expensive pet foods containing these. The brand should also be free of wheat which is a common allergen and should be AAFCO tested or approved, which means it meets scientific guidelines for dog and cat nutrition profiles. All good pet foods will state this on the bag and that way you can trust your pet is getting everything it needs to stay healthy. Our favourite pet foods are: Eaglepack and Holistic Select - available at all good pet stores.
Food and Water Bowls – you can choose basic bowls but it pays off to buy heavier weighted bowls with rubber feet so they don't slide around when your pet eats. Also, bowls that are dishwasher safe will help reduce maintenance time. For that special pet or busy owner, we have special large capacity, automatic feeders with programmable portion sizes for use by both dogs and cats Pet Diner Auto Large Feeder and water fountain bowls that aerate and clean the water. Cats particularly prefer running water. Pet Diner Water Bar
Puppy Toilet Training Pads – for help with toilet training we have special toilet pads scented with an attractant and with a waterproof base to train a puppy to use during night times in the house and later to slowly move the pad outside to encourage outdoor toilet behaviour Savic Piddle Pads. We also have puppy training kits which are enclosed in a plastic rim and look a bit smarter if you're using them in more visible areas of the house Savic Puppy Trainer Starter Kit
Cat Toilet and Litter – for those pussy cats, there’s a nifty toilet that only needs one rotation of the barrel to clean out the clumps and solids, leaving fresh litter Litter Spinner. Although the Litter Spinner uses only clumping clay litter,which we don’t currently stock, we do have hypoallergenic and almost dust free paper pellet litter for those cats that use a flat tray toilet Asan Paper Pellet Cat Litter
Collar and/or Leash - a good quality collar is important for a new pet so you can grab them when a guest arrives or a door is opened. One that will last a long time and has an integrated leash is Patento Pet Basic Collar with Integrated Leash and for walkies, these stretchy bungee leads stop dogs from jarring your arm and creates some give when they jump forward giving you more control Bungee Pupee Stretch Leash Medium
Bedding – a good quality plush cushion pad for inside the house gives somewhere for puppy to lie that isn’t on your furniture Dogit Pet Cargo Plush Cushion Bed. For "on the go" pets, portable beds that can be taken in the car, boat, camping and also be used indoor or outdoor are handy Carlson Portable Fold Up Dog Bed and for full time outdoor use, an easy to clean, non-rot kennel Petmate Barn House Dog Kennel
Pet Comforter – these snuggle plush toys with heartbeat and warmers help ease separation anxiety, crying and induce sleep in both puppies and kitties. Snuggle Puppies and Snuggle Puppie Kit. Snuggle Kittie and Snuggle Kittle Kit
Toys – kittie needs something to play with so you're curtains aren't destroyed, here’s a toy and scratcher all in one Petmate Cat Scratch Wheel with Mouse and for puppy, a strong latex rubber toy that rocks back and forth enticing interaction and satisfying that chew urge Rocking Wobbler Latex Dog Toy
There are lots of other special pet accessories you can buy for your pet once you have the basics. Take a look at our site and see what you can find!