Having a puppy . written by Beth Stanley and Hannah Wommersley
Introduction
We hope you are enjoying the new addition to your family.Raising a puppy can be both challenging and rewarding.Over the course of the next 12 months you will have a lot to think about,from worming to fleas to insurance and neutering.We hope this leaflet helps to answer some of your questions.
Vaccinations
We strongly advise vaccinating your puppy.This can be done from 7 weeks of age. Your puppy will not be fully vaccinated until 7 days after the second vaccination and will require an annual booster.
Socialisation
It is important to socialise your puppy as soon as possible.Some puppies will have been introduced to a number of things before you have them and some will have seen very little.It is therefore recommended you show them as much as you can.Now as you should know puppies should be vaccinated before they go outside so we suggest you wrap them in a towel and carry them.Take them to meet the traffic,visit children and let them be handled by as many different people as possible.Also allow them to meet other animals (fully vaccinate dogs only).
Parasites unwanted visitors!
Fleas All animals should be protected against fleas regularly.
There are a number of different products available most treating other parasites as well as fleas.For advice on which product is most suitable for your puppy please ask one of the veterinary nurses.There are also products that treat the home,which are available from us.
Worms -most puppies are born with roundworm,so it is vital to worm regularly from birth.When you collect your puppy you may not be aware of its worming history.We recommend :
- Every 2 weeks up to 12 weeks of age.
- Monthly from 12 weeks till 6 months.
- Every three months after that.
More frequent worming may be necessary in some cases ie where there are young children.
I D chipping
Dogs by law should wear a collar and identification tag when out in public places . We also recommend an identichip.This is an electronic chip the size of a grain of rice inserted under your puppies skin and linked to a national data base.
So if your puppy ever gets lost it can be traced back to you.
Neutering
Puppies can be neutered from 6 months of age.To discuss neutering advice,please speak to either a vet or nurse at the surgery.
Insurance
Pet insurance gives you peace of mind should the unexpected happen.It can help towards the cost of vet’s bills.There are two types of insurance,Annual and Lifetime. Annual policies will only cover a condition for 12 months whereas lifetime policy will cover a condition for life.There are many different insurers,its just a case of shopping around but we strongly recommend you opt for a lifetime policy