RBRiverside Berners

The Riverside routine at home

New puppy essentials, chosen from experience.

These are the products we actually use for feeding, grooming, enrichment, and redirection with our Bernese Mountain Dogs. Keeping the first weeks familiar makes the transition easier for both puppy and family.

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Why this list exists

Fewer variables. Easier transitions.

Moving homes, changing water, meeting new people, and learning a new schedule all happen at once. Familiar food and tools give your puppy continuity and make it easier to identify changes in appetite, stool, coat, or behavior early.

Purina ONE Plus Large Breed Puppy Formula dry dog food bag
The food we send puppies home eatingStart here

Purina ONE +Plus Large Breed Puppy Food

Chicken formula · choose current bag size

A large-breed puppy formula with chicken that keeps your puppy on the same diet used at Riverside Berners during the transition home.

Riverside noteKeep this food consistent for at least the first 30–60 days unless your veterinarian directs a change. A stable diet does not prevent coccidia or Giardia; it removes one avoidable source of diarrhea and helps you notice other causes sooner.
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FURminator grooming rake in its retail package
Routine coat care

FURminator Grooming Rake

Gray · rotating metal teeth

Our preferred rake for working through a Bernese Mountain Dog’s dense double coat and lifting loose undercoat before it tangles or mats.

Riverside noteUse gentle, controlled passes in the direction of coat growth. Pay special attention behind the ears, the ruff, breeches, and feathering.
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Dremel PawControl cordless pet nail grinder with protective nail guard
Continue the nail routine they already knowAlready familiar

Dremel PawControl Nail Grinder

Cordless · rechargeable · nail guard

Every Riverside Berners puppy is desensitized to the sound and feel of having their nails ground before going home. Continuing with a Dremel helps preserve that familiarity while keeping nails neatly maintained.

Riverside noteKeep sessions calm and brief, reward cooperation, and grind in short passes so the nail does not become warm. Frequent touch-ups are usually easier for a puppy than waiting for the nails to become long.
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One-gallon jug of Bark2Basics DeShedding Shampoo
The shampoo used in our kennelKennel-size

Bark2Basics DeShedding Shampoo

One gallon · 32:1 concentrate

A concentrated deshedding shampoo used during our grooming routine to clean the coat and help release loose undercoat.

Riverside noteThis is a professional-size gallon. Follow the manufacturer’s dilution and rinsing directions and avoid the eyes and ears.
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Benebone medium four-pack with four chew shapes
Chewing and redirection

Benebone Medium 4-Pack

For dogs up to 60 lb

A durable assortment we use often for appropriate chewing, redirection, and keeping an active puppy engaged.

Riverside noteChoose the correct size for your dog, supervise use, and replace any chew that becomes small enough to swallow or develops sharp, heavily worn edges.
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Good 'n' Fun Triple Flavor Rolls for Large Dogs 17.1-ounce six-count package
Long-lasting supervised redirectionPrimary chewSupervision required

Good ’n’ Fun Triple Flavor Rolls for Large Dogs

7-inch rolls · 17.1 oz · 6 count

These are the larger roll-shaped Good ’n’ Fun chews we use most often for sustained chewing and redirecting a dog from an unwanted behavior to an appropriate activity.

Safety noteThese contain beef hide. Choose a roll larger than the dog’s mouth, offer only with active adult supervision, remove softened pieces or fragments, and always provide fresh water.
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Good 'n' Fun Triple Flavor Kabobs 24-ounce package
Optional supervised alternativeSupervision required

Good ’n’ Fun Triple Flavor Kabobs

24 oz rawhide chews

The kabobs are also acceptable as a high-interest alternative when redirecting a dog from an unwanted behavior to an appropriate activity.

Safety noteThese contain rawhide. Offer only with active adult supervision, remove small or softened pieces, and discontinue if your dog tries to gulp pieces or develops digestive upset.
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Questions about the transition?

Start with the routine your puppy already knows.

If you need to change food or grooming products, make changes gradually and coordinate health concerns with your veterinarian.

Email Lauren