We’ve fed Pro Plan dry for years, and we buy Aldi canned. Our dogs LOVE the salmon and like the rest. We mix them together. We bought a different brand on sale a couple of years ago and it caused major skin problems.
For training I love My Smart Puppy by Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson. And group classes are great for helping your dog learn how to behave around distractions. I don’t use a lot of food to train, just one treat at the end of the session. I use my voice and make it fun for the dog. Training can not only make them a welcome member of your community, it can save their life if they get away from you.
For teeth cleaning I like the finger brushes, but the last puppy I had (who’s 11 now) would never let me near his mouth so it was tough. His teeth are still in good shape, though, vet looked at them recently and said he didn’t even need a cleaning. I think the dry kibble helps, he has a small dental stick every day, and we don’t give him sweets, just some crunchy things for treats.
Nails, honestly, if you’re not really sure how to do them, I’d leave it to the professionals - either a vet tech or groomer. As others have said, if you hit the quick, it’s super painful (think of yourself if you cut your nail too low) and will cause them to fear having it done. I’ve always done nails but even I have hit the quick a couple of times and felt awful. (I’m sure it happens to the pros too.) These days I have them done by the pros too, especially on my smaller dog. If I do them at all I just take a tiny bit off, then give it a week where the quick retracts, then take a little more off, rinse and repeat. If I was starting out I might try to get them used to a grinder instead of a cutter. Touching the mouth and paws helps desensitize them to that, but not always. Try to keep everything fun.
Good luck with your new addition! Do we get to see pictures?
