Caring for your new puppy

When you first take your puppy home, remember that it is a big change and puppy may feel a bit scared or lonely. Provide a teddy bear and a lukewarm hot water bottle wrapped in a towel for the first few weeks to provide company at bedtime.

Puppies are curious and are teething until 6 months of age so provide many chew toys but not bones as these can get stuck in the throat or irritate its stomach. Also keep your houseplants well out of reach as some of these are toxic. Shut the washing machine door and remember to keep the lid over the toilet bowl in case puppy should fall in and not be able to get out.

Young puppies should be fed 3-4 times daily with a dry puppy food. Dry food is better for dogs’ teeth and it is good to get your puppy used to this early.

At 12 weeks feed 4 times daily then drop one meal every month until he/she is at 2 feeds per day. Fresh water should always be available and changed daily.

Be patient!

Use puppy training pads, and when puppy goes to the toilet pick him up and put him on the pad.

Gradually bring this out to the garden and encourage the puppy when he uses it with patting and treats.

Disinfect any accidents thoroughly as the smell will encourage him to go in the same spot again.

Puppies are all born with worms, as they are passed to them from their mothers in the womb and milk. They should be wormed every 2 weeks until 14 weeks of age, then every month until 6 months. Then every 3 months like an adult dog.

Children should wash their hands after handling dogs and do not let them lick their mouths as children can catch worms. 

Your puppy may have been vaccinated at 6 weeks, but will also require vaccination at 8 and 10 weeks or 10 and 12 weeks etc to prevent against parvovirus and other diseases which may be fatal to small puppies.

They cannot go out and meet other unvaccinated dogs until 1 week after the 2nd shot. They may also get the kennel cough vaccine, which is drops into the nose, if they are going to kennels or training classes. We recommend this 10 days before the day of exposure.

Vaccination must have an annual booster every year to keep up the immunity.

This is a good form of identification in case your dog gets lost. A microchip is inserted by injection under the skin between the shoulder blades and it is inert and will not cause any reaction. Your details are then stored on a computer to match your pet's microchip number. This can be done at any stage.

We encourage this as peace of mind. It is good to insure your pet against unexpected vet bills. We can arrange 6 weeks free pet insurance here at the time of vaccination.

Neutering, or spaying in females prevents unwanted pups. It also reduces the risk of malignant breast cancer and womb infections in later life, if done early. 

Females have their first heat between 6 months and 1 year of age, on average. The first signs are a spotting of blood around the house. Keep your dog away from all males for 3 weeks from the spotting starting. Your bitch cannot be neutered if around their heat for safety reasons. 

In males, neutering/castration reduces wandering and certain types of aggression, and can help prevent testicular cancer and prostate disease. Dogs can be neutered from 6 months of age on. 

Please contact us for more information and bookings.