***NEW PUPPY CRATE ADVICE***

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                                  WHICH TYPE CRATE & SAFE BEDDING SHOULD I USE?
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Since a puppy hasn't developed control over their bowel and bladder, they need potty breaks frequently! With ours during the mornings, they would have to poo and pee at least 3 times between 5 a.m. and noon. Puppies under the age of 6 months shouldn't be left in their crate longer than 3 or 4 hours each time. On average, a puppy can "hold it" for about an hour per every month of age. For example, a 2-month-old puppy can usually wait 2 hours to relieve their bladder. A full grown dog will generally need to pee between 3 to 5 times daily. 
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    ***SeePuppy Supply Basics For the Items Described On Our Page***

BEDDING WE  USE  AND  SUGGEST-

Using a crate in the early stages of your puppy's development helps in keeping them safe when you can't watch them and see what they're up to. Puppies love to explore and pick up whatever they can with their mouths!  It also helps in keeping them out of mischief, having unwanted accidents all over the house and from developing any undesirable behaviors which aren't fun for anyone and can become stressful for both you and your new addition. That being said, We really like the 42" or 48" inch size metal crate with the double doors, and comes with a divider because it's perfect for a full grown Alapaha to be comfortable, and have plenty of room to lie down and relax. Having the double doors gives more options as to where it can be placed in our home as well. The divider allows for adjustment to grow with a puppy, and it helps in training them to "hold it" until they are housebroken which in that instance, you would disregard using the divider altogether. But until then, you should place the divider where it gives just enough room for your new puppy to turn around and lay down. The first tendency your puppy will have when they feel the need to potty, will be to go to the other end of their crate to do their "business" if allowed. Naturally, dogs do not like to "go" in their "Den" so having this divider makes it ideal for potty training. We personally don't use Pee-Pads during their potty training, as those end up becoming a dangerous, shredded play toy. We also train using the Potty-Bells which cuts down on all the guess-work, so when our dogs have to "go," they ring those bells, and let us know it.​

Make sure the crate latch is an "L" shape or it could eventually slide out of place, and your fur baby will be on the loose!

With our research, we like using the raised feeders with ours and we personally, have never experienced any issues with bloat in our dogs.
Read  "Raised Feeder Bowls" Benefits/Risks?
By 2-3 months of age, your new puppy should be able to eat/drink directly out of the bowls in their raised stand.                                                   

Slime In Your Dogs Water Bowl?

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We suggest washing your dogs food and water bowls every one to two days using the coarse side of a sponge and hot soapy water, then rinsing well until no more suds are visible.

Biofilm needs to be physically broken up in order to be removed. Use the coarse side of a two-sided sponge to break it down, and then put the bowls in the dishwasher which is safer and more effective because the heat is antimicrobial. For a more natural cleanser, you can combine equal parts of baking soda, table salt, and hot water. If washing by hand scrub with hot soapy water, then rinse. Make sure you do not use the same sponge to wash your dishes or counters.
To really disinfect, mix a solution of one tablespoon bleach to one gallon of water and submerge the bowls into the solution to soak for about 3 minutes, and rinsing well to remove any bleach residue which is toxic to your pets. You also can use a bleach solution on ceramic, glass, plastic and stainless steel dishes but not aluminum which will rust. 
A word of caution if using plastic feeders, they can sometimes cause an allergic reaction to your pets muzzle or chin area, causing a breakout similar to acne!​

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