Best Place to Buy Dog Gear in Portland?

[Nicole]

My husband and I are getting ready for the arrival of a new Vizsla puppy in mid-June. We'd love to hear your favorite local (Portland) stores for buying new puppy essentials. We have a long list of things to buy!

Also, what are your favorite items for your dog - things we shouldn't miss as new dog owners?

Thanks!

[Andrea Schneider]

Check out member Adrienne on this site. She has Rudy the Vizsla and I got to know them when he was a puppy. She is a wealth of information on Vizsla puppies, gear, stores, etc. She is really nice. Just send her a message and I'm sure she will get back to you soon.
andrea

[Behave!]

I like the Bark Market in the NW Hills. Piotr owns a wonderful Vizla named Sadie who is often in the store. They have amazing holistic and natural products and all the basics. There are some fun things in the Hip Hound in NW, they have amazing and unique bowls and doggie clothes and right now all their doggie winter coats are on clearance to make way for next season....you can't beat the prices on the little coats right now. They also have all the basics. I always spend money at Dogstar in the Pearl....fashionable and functional gear and supplies. I love the deer antlers they sell as a great natural chew that lasts much longer then others. And I can't forget Meat for Cats and Dogs on Burnside. They just got a new location and they carry all the best dog foods and the retail area rocks! I always find unique items there, I just got my dog Bruiser a gorgeous thick red leather collar there that fits his personality to a tee. Salty's Dog and Cat Shop on Mississippi is awesome, they carry all my favorite chew toys and again, all your basics are covered.

We live in such an amazing city for rad local dog businesses!

I highly recommend getting the book BEFORE & AFTER GETTING YOUR PUPPY by Ian Dunbar. It is the best book on puppies I've ever read.

I would definitely talk to Nancy at Salty Dog or Heidi at Meat or Piotr at the Bark Market about the best food choice for your new addition. They are the experts!

Good Luck and Congratulations on your new little family member!
Denise and Jessica

[Behave!]

OH! I almost forgot the Pixie Project on MLK! Super fun retail section and they also have a great selection of dog foods and products, and they are an amazing organization to boot. I believe a part of all the profits go to rescue as well.....I'm sure I've forgotten other great places.....

[Sidney (and her mom Kim)]

Ok, so I have to say you should stop by one of our Lexidog locations..We have quite a few Vizsla pups in daycare and tons of great collars, toys and beds to spoil them with!

[Adrienne]

Hi Nicole!
How fun that you are getting a vizsla puppy! We also have a vizsla, he'll be 2 in June. Soooo much fun! I can't add more to what Denise already shared....as you can tell, she is very dialed in (-: What I will share is not necessarily dog store suggestions, but 2 thing we could NOT have lived without: Denise from Behave to train your new little guy. She's awesome and the one on one classes are worth every penny! You will be grateful when you have a well behaved pup. The other is Furry Godmothers! You will find your little guy needs a lot of exercise. There is no better way then to have him go off leash hiking with Kristen and Shana. They each have a vizsla and I promise your little guy will be well taken care of during the day. He will be in a natural environment running as vizslas love to do! He'll come home tired and clean (does it get any better??) Rudy has been going since he was 6 months old. He would not be the excellent dog that he is if it wasn't for Kristen, Shana and Denise! Good luck! Adrienne

[Shannon&Sophie]

I love western pet supply, HUGE selection and they do frequent buyer cards for most of their foods, like buy 10 get one free!

[Sunday Costell]

Can't go wrong with a premier gentle leader for the chest. I guarantee they wont pull you if I size it. www.dogandcatspa.com
Thanks
Sunday

[Mats Lannér]

I second the recommendation for the Bark Market and also any toys from Planet Dog since they stand up incredibly well to chewing (just follow the chompers rating ;-).

[Behave!]

I can't believe I forgot PetUtopia! Very cool stuff and great people!

[Margie Vincent-Roberts, PetUtopia]

Nicole, congratulations on your new addition!

A few things to consider for gearing up for a new puppy of any breed - health, safety, and FUN!

As far as health - your pup will live a much healthier life on high quality food. High quality foods are better in several ways: denser nutrition packed into small er portions - we all know eating healthy is better for our bodies, and your pup will eat less if it's a denser nutrient content. Fewer trips to the vet because high quality foods prevent allergies (to the top allergens like wheat, corn, and soy, which are in the grocery store brands!), diabetes, which is becoming more common in dogs now due to the addition of beet pulp, etc. So, start your pup out on the best food you can afford, and you won't be sorry. Then, over time experiment with different protein sources - every breed, and each dog's body will show differences with the different protein sources. That's one reason other friends suggest getting in touch with the people who own your breed! Here are a few of the quality foods to consider, and you can find them at any of the retailers our friends posted earlier:
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Food/index.htm


Safety first, they say! Consider a crate for those times when you can't be watching (puppies are like human babies - you have to watch them 24 hours a day, because they can get into trouble SO quickly). Your pup's crate will his/her safety zone, a play pen, a bed, a nice quite place to rest away fromt he hubbub, and the safest way to transport your pup. You need one or more collars (this is a fun way to express your dog's personalty! Be sure to get an id tag for that collar! It's your pup's ticket home if the worst should ever happen - and even though we all do our best to plan against it, your pup may find a way to slip away. And, while he's a baby, put him in a harness for walking. A harness prevents injury to his trachea in case he pulls on his leash! Microchipping is one of the best methods to make sure that if he/she does get away without a tag, any shelter, and most vets can scan the chip to find your info. Here are some links to collers, tags, harnesses that any of the retailers can help you with:
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Apparel_and_accessories/Collars_harne...

tags: http://store.petutopia.com/285000.html

Your pup will want a place of his/her own - get a washable/dryable bed, especially for a puppy! We use the Premier Cloud beds and our customer rave about them, too!
Here's the most popular bed we sell- others are excellent as well!
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Bed_and_bath/Bedding_furnishings/inde...

And fun! So many toys, so little time! It's best to start your pup out on about 3 - 4 toys of varying textures - definitely something plush, like a hedgehog (all time favorite of SO many dogs!) and some great chewing toys, to protect your shoes, etc. Denise and Jessica, of Behave, had a great suggestion with the antlerz! It's a naturally shed deer antler, softer than bone, so it protects the baby teeth, and a favorite of our customers' dogs who love to chew. I would also suggest a Chuck-It. If you aren't familiar with them they are the greatest, simplest invention! You can pick up a slobbery ball and toss it pretty far to give your pup excercise! They come in all sizes now, so you can put one in your back pocket and go! I know, it's so tempting to fill a basket for the new baby, but wait! You may not be picking out what your new pup really wants! Take your new baby to the store with you and let him/her pick out a couple of toys. One that's always a hit is the Premier Squeeze Meez. Here are descriptions of some of the recommended toys:
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Entertainment_and_toys/Chew_toys/antl...
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Entertainment_and_toys/Active_toys/or...
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Entertainment_and_toys/Active_toys/hu...
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Entertainment_and_toys/Squeaky_toys/d...

The other thing that is fun is training with treats! Be sure to use a variety of high quality treats, so you pup doesn't tire out from just one flavor. Mix up Simon & Hueys soft training treats, Zuke's Mini Naturals, a little cheese, you get the picture, into your treat bag! Just a tiny treat works well - it doesn't have to be a big bite.... Always us that treat bag for training, and your pup will associate the bag with fun and training! It's a mind set that helps your pup learn better!
Here's just af ew of the great treats all the retailers will have:
http://www.petutopia.com/Dogs/Treats/Everyday_treats/index.htm

Our friends suggested the small independent retailers in the previous posts. We all can help you pick out what is best for your pup and you. The big stores just don't have the expertise that we have! And bringing your pup into our stores just makes our day brighter!

Now is a great time to stop by PetUtopia, because June 21 through June 28 we are celebrating our 2nd anniversary by slashing 20% off everything in the store (except food, treats, books and consignment items)!

[Andrea Schneider]

Try Western Pet Supply in Raleigh Hills. They have all kinds of things at a good price.

[Kristin]

We got a larger one for Elvis this weekend at the pet store at the Woodburn Outlet mall. They are all 50% off. We got a 30" for $45.