NEEDED SUPPLIES

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I am continually updating this page with our favorite products to use and recommend for our Dobermans! Sometimes the links change so if you find something that isn’t taking you to the right place let me know, or if you have new suggestions.

COMPREHENSIVE LIST:

1. Collar & Leash 
2. Identification
3. Food Water Dishes
4. Food
5. Nutrition Supplements
6. Treats & Training Treat Pouch
7. Bones & Chews
8. Toys
9. Dog Crate
10. Bed & Crate Pad
11. Divider Gate or X Pen
12. Seasonal Apparel (Warm/Cold Coats)
13. Walking or Hiking Backpack
14. Bitch Britches (for in season females)
15. Car Seat Cover
16. Car Seatbelt or Car Crate
17. Accidental Clean Up & Poop Bags
18. Grooming Table
19. Ear Posting Kit
20. Ear Wash
21. Ear Wipes
22. Dremel
23. Quick Stop
24. Shampoo & Bathing Accessories
25. Dog Towels
26. Brush
27. Canine Toothbrush & Toothpaste
28. Pet First Aid Kit
29. Hydrogen Peroxide & Syringe
30. Bloat Kit
31. Record Book
32. Record Book
33. Pet Insurance
34. Show Collar & Show Lead
35. Clippers

1. Collar & Leash

*WARNING* do NOT allow your Doberman to wear a collar in a crate/kennel, during play with other dogs, or anytime while unsupervised. Collar strangulation is a very real and very common fatal accident that is easily avoidable!

Size of collar to buy (for Dobermans):

  • 8-12 week old puppy = 8-12"

  • interim to adulthood = 13-16"

  • adult female = 15-18"

  • adult male = 16-19"

(Every Day) Leather Padded Collar: I recommend padded leather for an "every day collar" as it is softer on the dog's skin, reduces the bald/rubbed hair look and pimples caused by frequent nylon wear, and has a more appealing aesthetic than nylon (in my opinion). (*note our collars and leashes are handcrafted in Europe to order, it takes approximately 2-3 weeks to receive your collar or leash item(s) once ordered)

(Every Day) Favorite Leather Leash: Nothing compares to the look and feel of these strong and beautiful leather leashes. They will not burn your hand like nylon does. These are also perfectly suitable for obedience training or competitive obedience. I use these every single day at home, on walks, in class, and in the ring.

Prong Collar: A prong collar is a great training tool when:

  1. It is fitted correctly which is snug up high behind the ears and just below the jaw, NOT draping down at mid or baseline of the neck

  2. It is proper size which is 2.25mm for a Doberman, the huge prongs are for dogs with long fur for the prong to reach through, typically somewhere around 15-16" for a female and 16-17" for a male but you need to measure your dog for exact fit and possibly remove or add extra links

  3. Used with a leash attached and actively training, not a collar to run around loose or play in, especially not to run around with a leash attached dragging

  4. Used in conjunction with a professional trainer so you know how to give a proper correction with this training tool and not to keep tension on it

  5. How to fit and use: http://leerburg.com/fit-prong.htm

(Training) Hidden Prong Collar: Not the most effective for training but if you need to use a prong for public walking and would like your prong collar to be discrete these are a good option.

(Training) E Collar or Electronic Collar or Vibrating Collar: Only use this collar with a professional trainer. Ask your trainer which model they want to train you with. Popular brands are Dogtra and Mini Educator.


2. Identification (ID Tag, ID Plate, and/or Microchip)

ID tag or ID plate to go on/with collar with your dog's name and your phone number. Prima puppies are all microchipped before leaving me, the owner needs to register the microchip to their name number and address.

  • link coming

3. Food & Water Dishes

Stainless Steel Dishes: Only use stainless steel for your food and water dishes because other materials such as plastic or ceramic harbor bacteria and cause puppy or chin acne.

Portable: Keep a collapsible portable water dish in your car, training bag, and hiking bag.

Slow Feed Bowl: If your dog eats too fast and needs a special dish to slow them down. I don’t use these for puppies.

Water/Food Mat:

4. Food

This is the food we feed. I love it so much I have become a distributor for it! I used to feed pro plan sport which got us better results than the top brands on the market at the time, however I never felt good about the byproduct and large amount of corn. Finally I have found something that I feel good about and produces the best results for coat, skin, weight, condition, etc. What I love about this food:

  • -no byproduct

  • -no corn or wheat glutens, no artificial colors or flavoring

  • -added omega 3 and 6

  • -has probiotics

  • -guaranteed amount of Taurine, in relation to current FDA investigation on other grainfree dog food brands linked to DCM due to Taurine deficiency

  • -affordable

  • -conveniently ships to my door, autoship makes it easy so I never have to think about it or run out

  • -has been around for about 20yrs and no recalls

  • -food arrives to me fresh no more than 6mos old

  • -great for picky eaters

5. Nutrition Supplements

Fish Oil: I add these fish oil capsules to my dogs food (just drop the capsule in their bowl with the food), 1 capsule in AM meal and 1 capsule in PM meal. Benefits of giving fish oil:

  • -decrease inflammation

  • -increase immune response and cell growth

  • -anti-inflammatory in conditions like allergies, arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases

  • -improves skin and coat health, joint health, and energy

  • -aids in cognitive development in puppies and may improve cognitive function in older dogs

Vitamin: After considerable research and trial/error we have found the most success with a special vitamin called NuVet. It is safe for all ages, cold pressed so as not to destroy any nutrients from heat, and made in a facility that is FDA human grade. I trust this vitamin for my own dogs and send all my puppies home with samples of it (3 tablets) and advise they continue. This vitamin has optimum levels of calcium and other minerals that really support and aid the ear cartilage to heal and harden quicker than average. The calcium in the vitamin is actually sourced from crushed oyster shells. Prior to using this vitamin my puppies were requiring approx 6-8mos of ear posting time, and now in puppies that stay on the vitamin they are at 3-4mos of ear posting time. This vitamin also does a lot more than help with ears you can read all about it on their website if interested (huge benefits to their immature developing immune systems).

  • -Ordering info is: http://nuvet.com/42109 or call 1-800-474-7044with order code 42109 (The Nuvet Plus canine wafers)


6. Treats & Training Treat Pouch

Treats: These are the treats I use for training and as bait in the show ring most often.

Training Treat Pouch: Convenient when training obedience to have this with you for class and practice. Keeps your clothes pockets from getting smelly and yucky.


7. Bones & Chews

Bones: This is the only bone chew or toy we keep in the house, they love these and we also keep one in each crate.

Chews:

8. Toys

Dobermans can be sooo rough on their toys, here is a list of toys our puppy owners have found to be "Dobe-proof" and a huge hit with their Dobermans! ALWAYS supervise with toys.


9. Dog Crate

Wire Crate: We love this crate it is easy to set up, fold up, has handles, has a divider to grow the size with the puppy from small to adult, and has double doors.

  • -Amazon 42" Midwest Double Door w/ Divider https://amzn.to/2K7hmpF 42" is the size we have for all our dobes male or female

Wire Crate Cover: a lot of dogs (and owners) enjoy the privacy the cover gives

Plastic Crate For Airline Shipping:

Soft Sided Travel Crate: This is the best soft sided travel crate we have found. Use this with caution since they can and will break out if they are not kennel trained or really want to get out. It's a convenient travel option as it's lighter to carry, easy to set up, folds flat.

10. Dog Bed and Crate Pad

A lot of young Dobermans chew their beds, be careful they do not ingest pieces of it or the stuffing as that can lead to an obstruction and surgery. If your pup is a chewer, try the Primo Pad or keep them in a bare kennel until proven trustworthy.


11. Divider Gate or X Pen

I use these x pens to separate areas of the house I don't want dogs in, create a small pen to play or potty in while traveling, or section off trees or landscaping I don't want the dogs to get to. I buy the 30" height with doors, our dogs can easily physically jump it but they never do since they’ve been trained.

  • -Amazon Midwest 30" Black XPen with door https://amzn.to/2K7gP74

  • -Amazon also has a variety of more permanent, smaller baby gate type doors you can use for specific rooms/entries


12. Seasonal Apparel (warm & cool coats)

Warm Coats: We have A LOT of these and love them!

Cool Coats: I have an obsession with the cool coats from Working Dog Cool Coats. I keep two per dog in a ziplock or cooler soaked in cold water and ice, rotate the coat and dunk in ice water to rehydrate and cool the coat. On a hike I take two and rotate them, lasts a long time keeping them cool. I use these at shows too.


13. Walking/Hiking Backpack

Dog Backpack: We have this hiking backpack for our dogs and love it, the size can adjust to fit an average size female or male, the weight is distributed evenly, the pack can come off leaving the harness still on, has dog water bottles inside almost like a dog camelback, very well made and sturdy, great fit for a deep chested narrow waisted dog such as a Doberman.

Dog Foot Bootties:


14. Bitch Britches (For In Season Females)

For optimum health and development our puppy contract requires all our puppies not be spayed or neutered until 2yrs age minimum. This means if you have a female, she will go through some heat cycles until old enough to spay. These generally start around 6-8mos (average is 10mos for our females) and you will know the heat cycle started because the vulva will be swollen and bleeding. Count the first drop of blood as day 1 in her cycle. On average they only bleed for about 2 weeks but the whole heat cycle regardless of bleeding should be counted for 30 days. She may ovulate on any time between day 5-28 so to be safe from accidental pregnancy, NO MALES and keep supervised for a full 30 days. Mark your calendar for day 1 and you can expect the next cycle to be approximately 6mos later. Male dogs can smell her from a mile away so when outside supervise to make sure no unwanted male dogs show up. If other male dogs are present in the house physically separate them by being crated. Males have been known to climb 6ft fences, break doors down, break out of crates, or chew drywall to get to the nearby female so be cautious. Even some neutered dogs will mount and "tie" which should not be allowed even though it will not result in pregnancy it can be uncomfortable or result in infection. When dogs mate they become "tied" or physically stuck together for some period of time (5-30min average), if this happens do NOT pull them apart as it can cause serious physical injury. Bitch britches are for supervised wear only to keep house and vehicle clean, do not let her wear them in the crate or by herself as she may chew them up or ingest it. Put a panty liner/pad in the bitch britches and change daily, wash the britches daily or as often as needed. Buy several pair to change out while the used ones get washed.

  • -Pants For Dogs “French Cut and Dog Thong” https://pantsfordogs.com/ THE BEST FIT for a Doberman, there is nothing else that fits like these plus they’re cute

  • -Amazon Pad/Panty Liner https://amzn.to/2OolYLo works well to cut these in half per use


15. Carseat cover

These are the absolute best car seat covers, ever! Waterproof, custom fit to any vehicle, well made, nice look. The maker of these covers is a Prima Dobermans owner and has graciously extended a coupon code exclusive to those that own a Doberman bred by Prima Dobermans. Prima owners message me for the code!

16. Car Seatbelt or Car crate

This website shows you the only dog seatbelts and crate/kennels which pass crash safety tests. There is a youtube video also showing the results of various brands. http://www.centerforpetsafety.org/test-results/harnesses/cps-approved-harnesses/


17. Accident Clean Up & Poop Bags

The best carpet cleaner stain remover/odor removal! I use paper towels and clorox wipes all the time too.


18. Grooming Table

You will be doing your dogs nails every week for the rest of his/her life and posting the ears every 5-7 days until at minimum 6-8mos old, trust me you NEED a grooming table to do this on. Having a nonslip surface that they can't run off of designated for grooming makes these tasks so much easier behaviorally and for your back. Our grooming table size is 36"

19. Ear Posting Kit

Prima Owners may purchase our kit with a 30% off code provided with each litter if used prior to 6 week age. If you do not purchase the kit you need to show me that you have all the materials in sufficient quantity on hand prior to receiving your puppy. This kit comes with all the materials needed to post ears from start to finish, tutorial videos, a support group to post photos and questions for feedback, and extra tips and tricks to ear posting.


20. Ear Wash

We love the Dechra brand products, it's a veterinary dermatology brand. Use the ear wash 4-12 times a year following the directions on the label.


21. Ear Wipes

These ear wipes are a life saver and SO handy to have when posting ears. The wipes are antimicrobial, antifungal, drying, and veterinary dermatology formulated for ears and skin on dogs so they are the perfect wipe to quickly conveniently wipe the ear out when changing posts.


22. Dremel (optional add on to ear kit)

You will need a dremel to comfortably file down your Doberman’s nails every 5-7 days. It is important to stay up on this grooming routine so that nails do not grow to touch the ground. The Doberman breed is supposed to have “cat feet” which have a high arch and compact shape. If the nails overgrow to touch the ground it can cause the feet to flatten and the dog to adjust their posture to accommodate for discomfort, it can all lead to arthritis and other pain issues. I also recommend a dremel to bevel the edges on the zip tie in our ear posting kit. You can bevel the edges with strong scissors or trauma sheers but a dremel can be handy.

Dremel Micro: is our favorite, worth the upgrade, and here’s why:

  1. Ergonomic shaped handle makes it more comfortable to hold.

  2. It has a safety feature so if it gets something caught on it or reverberates it stops. (Like… your hair)

  3. Has a light on the end, so helpful!

  4. More adjustable speeds.

  5. Less vibration and more comfortable to the dog than other models.

  6. It's cordless but has as much if not more power than the high powered cord ones.

  7. Rechargeable. It charges fast and holds a charge for a long time.

Dremel 7300: is an adequate cordless model that gets the job done.

Diamagroove Dremel Attachment: I can't wait until I purchase one of these. Everybody is raving about how this attachment to the dremel is so much more tolerable to the dogs by less vibration, cooler, no nail dust, smooth finish, etc. It is quite the investment but claim to last a lifetime!


23. Quick Stop

In case you quick the nail and it bleeds, have this on hand to stop the bleeding. You can also try using cornstarch in a pinch.


24. Shampoo & Bathing Accessories

More Dechra products we are crazy about! I personally do a 5 step bathing process but if you don't want to be that serious just get the trizchlor shampoo in step 3.

My shampoo process:

  1. FIRST: Do a thorough rinse with lukewarm water, using a spray nozzle. Dumping a pitcher of water does not cut it for a thorough rinse. You can buy a cheap simple to use spray nozzle for any shower or bath here, it’s so worth it: https://amzn.to/2LBvIVa

  2. SECOND: Gently pre wash with mild shampoo to remove any debris and loose hairs, and a light quick rinse. For puppies under 12 weeks I use this https://amzn.to/2OnJGHI (Dechra DermAllay Oatmeal Shampoo) and for all my dogs I use this https://amzn.to/2LKhMY4 (Tigi Bedhead Colour Goddess, the link contains shampoo AND conditioner because we use the conditioner in step 4) Typically “human shampoos” are not recommended for dogs due to the different PH but I find amazing results with this one probably due to the oils in it and have used it since 2016.

  3. THRID: If you only do one step do this one. Wash with this shampoo https://amzn.to/2uUNybd (Dechra TrizCHLOR 4 Shampoo). Regardless what kind of shampoo never apply soaps or shampoo products directly to the dog. Rub it into your hands, rub into a bathing brush/mitt, or dilute it in water according to label. GENTLY lather it in well so it soaks to the skin. Be sure to let it soak for 5-10min before rinsing so the active ingredients can take effect. You can chill in the tub/shower, go on a walk, or play outside while waiting! This is a good opportunity to make bathing fun by using the soaking time to train or play. Rinse thoroughly afterward.

  4. FOURTH: I like how soft and shiny my dog’s coat feels when I do step 4 and step 5. Apply the Tigi Bedhead Colour Goddess conditioner linked back in step 2. Rub it in like a massage going in the direction of the hair only and then rinse thoroughly.

  5. OPTIONAL: Apply this cream rinse all over https://amzn.to/2mR56Ao (Dechra Cream Rinse). Let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse off.

  6. FIFTH: Make sure all product is thoroughly rinsed off. Remove excess moisture in the coat by squeezing it out or use a water wicking squeegee https://amzn.to/2OrmBnG When you use a towel to dry your dog, gently blot and squeeze moisture out, do not rough up the coat and rub the towel vigorously.

Shampoos:

Spray Nozzle:

Water Wicking Pet Squeegee: Whisks off excess water so your towels and floor don't get soaked!


Washing/De shedding Mitt: Dobermans LOVE this! It de-sheds and lathers shampoo in, can be used dry or wet.


25. Dog towels

It's nice to have separate dog towels to dry your dog with so that you don't use yours up and get them all hairy. Plus these are extra absorbent, I like to have one on the floor at one to dry the dog! My obedience trainer said she received one of these as a gift and it is her most favorite dog gift she's gotten!


26. Brush

Weekly brushing helps rid those loose hairs for less shedding. You can use both of these dry or in the bath. (same as linked in #24)


27. Canine Toothbrush & Toothpaste

Canine dental hygeine is important. If you can brush your dog's teeth every other day that is great, or once a week or once a month is better than never at all. Use specially formed dog toothbrushes that fit their mouth and teeth as well as dog toothpaste (NOT human toothpaste).


28. Pet First Aid Kit

Have a pet first aid kit on hand for emergency situations, keep one at home and one with your car/travel/hiking.


29. Hydrogen Peroxide & Syringe

Every dog owner should have this with them in case their dog ingests something that can quickly be induced to vomit safely and avoid an obstruction. Here is some info on how/why etc: http://www.primadobermans.com/how-to-induce-vomit/


30. Bloat Kit

Deep chested narrow waisted breeds are highly prone to bloat which is a medical emergency. Certain precautions can lower their risk such as no activity an hour before or after eating, wet the dry dog food a little, slow down food intake with a slow feeder bowl if they eat too quickly, and gastropexy preventative surgery option. Bloat is fatal without immediate medical surgical intervention, this kit can buy you life saving time to get to the vet.

31. "PET INSIDE" Stickers or Magnets

Lets emergency personnel know that you have pets at home needing saving in the event of an emergency.


32. Record Book

Binder to keep all your pet's documents in. All Prima Doberman puppies come with a record binder provided. Here is our page detailing how we set up our record binders: http://www.primadobermans.com/record-book/


33. Pet Insurance

Pet insurance is highly recommended. Something as simple as your dog swallowing a toy or piece of their bedding can equate to a $3,000 obstruction surgery or $6,000 if it's on the weekend at an emergency clinic. Pet Insurance companies have amazing coverage, sometimes 80% with an affordable deductible, affordable monthly premiums, and some even cover preventative such as annual wellness exams, vaccines, and health testing! Shop around and compare rates and coverage to determine what is best for your pet. These three seem to be the most recommended pet insurance companies from our owners and the Doberman community:

34. Show Collar & Show Lead

You can get these at your local show or order online by the links below. Ultimately it will be up to the handler (either you as an owner handler, or a professional handler you hire) as to what collar and lead they use that your dog is most successful with. This is the collar and leash set we use, and widely used by top Doberman handling professionals. There are lots of other kinds.

35. Clippers

My favorite clippers, for trimming facial whiskers, ear hair, and any excess body hair for show grooming.