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The Cavoodle Puppy Starter Kit: One Year of Trial, Error, and Real Reviews - Aussie Edition

Purple Star emoji 26 items
Real puppy essentials for mini cavoodles, tested for 1 year - top small dog products for grooming, training, feeding & more (Australia). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Toys and Enrichment

The toys that kept our cavoodle busy, entertained, and out of mischief — from freezer-friendly chews for teething to puzzle toys that work off that famous poodle-cross brainpower.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Your Cavoodle will love splashing around in this clam shell. Great for cooling down in the sunny Australian Summer too!
Fountain Products Clam Shell Pool or Sandpit
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
This is Leo's favourite plushie. It's his dog. He brings it to you to play tug-o-war with him, sleeps on it and even eats on top of it sometimes. We've bought 3 of them and leave them around the house. He no longer needs the heartbeat device, which i...
Pet Toy Plush Heart Beat Dog
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Leo loves playing ball. This Chuckit! ball launcher is great as I can now throw the ball a lot further, effortlessly!
Chuckit! Sport Launcher 14S Short Handle, Assorted, 33cm
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Tech and Monitoring

The smart gadgets that made puppy parenting easier — think cameras for checking in while we're out and trackers for peace of mind on off-leash adventures.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
This is a must-have in my book. It gives me peace of mind whenever I leave Leo home alone. I get alerts if he moves, and I can playback short clips the camera captures and saves. It really is like having a nanny there when you're not home.
Furbo 360° Dog Camera
 
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We take Leo to the park and have people taking him on walks and to the beach. So the Apple AirTag gives us peace of mind as we can see where he is at anytime.
Apple AirTag ​​​​​​​(2nd Generation): Track your Puppy or Dog. Locator with Sound; Simple One-Tap Setup with iPhone or iPad; Up to 1.5X Precision Finding Range
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
I like especially like it's IPX8 waterproof feature. I've attached it to the back of his harness. You can also attach it to the front where the ID tag hangs if that's your preference.
Joremx 4-Pack IPX8 Waterproof Silicone Case for/Holder for AirTag

Travel and Car Safety

Gear that made car trips, day outings, and holidays with our cavoodle stress-free and safe, from booster seats to travel-friendly bowls and carriers.

 
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This always stays in the car, and Leo always looks super comfy in it.
PaWz 3-In-1 Dog Car Booster Seat with 2-In-1 Leash, Detachable Car Seat with Side Pocket Belt Machine Washable, Hand Held Shoulder Carrier, Zipped Convert to Pet Portable Travel Bed
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
This protects the back leather seats as it lays underneath the dog car booster seat.
Laadd Dog Car Seat Cover, 600D Heavy Duty Durable Car Seat Cover for Dogs. 100% Waterproof Scratch Proof Nonslip

Walking, Harness and ID

The daily walk essentials that actually fit a small breed properly — comfortable harnesses, the right length lead, and ID gear that gave us peace of mind.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Our Cavoodle Leo has a similar type of harness, that is no-pull, comfortable for the puppy, and provides support, so you're not attaching the leash to their dog collar.
rabbitgoo Dog Harness No Pull with 2 Leash Clips, Black, XS | Adjustable Soft Padded, Reflective Oxford No Choke Pet Vest with Easy Control Handle for Puppy
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
We have a metallic blue coloured tag that says Leo and has my phone number on it. If Leo ever ran off, it's reassuring to know that someone could check his tag and call me straight away.
Personalised Stainless Steel Bone-Shaped Dog ID Tags. Up to 6 Lines of Text and QR Code, Laser Engraved, 4 Colours, 3 Sizes (Golden, S)
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
It's good to get a strong, heavy-duty harness for walking your dog.
Heavy Duty Dog Leash 2 Waterproof Handles 4/5/6ft-Blue Waterproof-Handles Metal Hook Nighttime Safety
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Crate, Bedding and Setup

How we set up a cozy, safe space for our puppy to sleep, settle, and feel secure — crate, bedding, and comfort items that made the first year (and the 3am cries) easier.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Our puppy didn't really take to the crate and we didn't force it. But a lot my friends swear by the crate as a safe, quiet space for their puppy to sleep and relax in.
Amazon Basics Foldable Metal Wire Dog Crate with Tray, Single Door, 55cm Length
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Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Our cavoodle's favourite spot in the house — the raised edges give that "burrowed in" feeling they love.
FUKUMARU Small Round Dog Bed, 25" Orthopedic Dog Bed for Puppies with Washable Cover
 
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Makes clean-ups from accidents or muddy paws so much easier.
EMPSIGN Dog Bed Pad Mat for Dog Crate (74 * 45 * 2.8cm), Grey, Star Pattern | Reversible (Cool & Warm), Machine Washable
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Kirsten Lowe profile picture
It's a good way to keep your puppy contained in a small area initially for safety and monitoring, until you can train your puppy to explore more aareas of your house safely.
FXW Homeplus Indoor Dog Playpen, 80cm(H), 8 Panels, for Small & Medium Dogs
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Training and Behaviour

The tools that helped with recall, loose-leash walking, and everyday manners — simple products that made training sessions more effective and less frustrating.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
We found puppy school for our mini Cavoodle to be invaluable. Shelley's based in Sydney and her expertise and guidance was fantastic. It was also great to be in a class with other new puppy owners all going through the same thing. There wer no stupid...
Paws and Think Puppy School
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Tiana (based in QLD, Australia) has an online puppy training academy that is tailored to cavoodles. I did this course as well and it found the weekly live Q&A calls were very helpful. There are 4 modules of training and grooming lessons with this...
Oodleway Training Academy

Feeding and Water

Bowls, feeders, and mealtime gear built for a small dog's pace and portion sizes, including the slow feeder that saved us from a very enthusiastic eater.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
This water bottle is very functional as you can see how much water is left in the bottle, it's anti-spill, and you can retract the water not drunk.
Zenify Pet Water Bottle for Dogs
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
I have bowls like these for Leo. I use one bowl for food and one for water. They're stainless steel so they're very easy to clean. They're dishwasher safe.
Amazon Basics Stainless Steel Pet Dog Water And Food Bowl, Set of 2 (27.94 x 7.62 CM)
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Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Our Leo enjoys the K9 brand of tin wet food. We rotate between the different proteins including chicken, beef, and lamb. We usually add some grated carrot, kibble, and some toppers as well.
K9 Natural Lamb & King Salmon Feast Wet Dog Food, Grain-Free, 170g. Single-source protein. Made in New Zealand
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Health, Dental and Wellness

The everyday health basics we stuck with all year — dental care, flea/tick prevention, and small extras that support long-term wellbeing.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
I like to brush Leo's teeth regularly so that I hopefully don't have to deal with expensive Vet dental bills in the future.
Vet’s Best Enzymatic Dog Toothpaste | Teeth Cleaning and Fresh Breath Dental Care Gel | Vet Formulated | 99g
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I like how the bristles cover the whole toothbrush and that they're made with food grade silicone material.
Sarnxgr 6Pcs 360° Silicone Finger Dog Toothbrush
 
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Our vet recommended that Leo take 1 Simaprica Trio tablet every month to protect him from ticks, fleas, heartworm disease and intestinal worms. We break up the tablet and put it in his food. I'm not a vet so this is not medical advice. Consult your v...
Simparica Trio Flea, Tick and Worming Chews for Dogs 5.1-10 kg, Orange (Pack of 3)
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Kirsten Lowe profile picture
Leo loves kangaroo tendons, and they help him maintain good dental hygiene! We give him approx. one a night.
Kangaroo Tendons Dog Treat Chews (1kg) Roo Australian Pet Treats
 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
I usually leave the main grooming to the professional groomers atm, but it's good to have this set on hand to use between groom visits.
iDopick 6 in 1 Dog Grooming Scissors Kit, Stainless Steel Professional Fast Cut, Safety Round Tip Thinning, Straight, Curved Shear with Grooming Comb
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Home Protection and Cleanup

The unglamorous but essential products that saved our floors, furniture, and sanity during the puppy phase — accidents, shedding, and all.

 
Kirsten Lowe profile picture
We had a similar item and trained Leo to go on the grass pad as he wasn't initially trained to go potty outside. We put a puppy pee pad under the layer of grass to soak up the urine.
Homodoskey Dog Grass Pad with Tray Large, 2 Pcs Artificial Grass Training Pads with Pee Baffle Patch
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