Talking New Puppies
PUPPIES!!
We love puppies! And we would love to welcome your new puppy to our family as soon as he or she comes home.
Even if they have had all their injections and don’t need anything doing please bring them down to see us so we can talk about all the things that are important for your new puppy. More importantly so we can have a cuddle!
If you haven’t yet collected your new puppy you are welcome to come and talk to us beforehand to ensure everything is in place and that the change of home is as stress free as possible.
Diet
There are so many different ideas out there on what to feed a new puppy. Did you know that most diet advice is given by people who have no scientific training at all? And there are even fewer who have a specific qualification in canine nutrition. There is also a huge amount of false information and scaremongering on the internet.
70% of home prepared diets including raw diets (even if recommended by a breeder) are not balanced. There are so many nutrients that not only have to be in the right total amount in a diet but also must be in the correct ratios. Calcium and phosphorous are the most widely known, but some vitamins are dependent on a particular mineral being present, and some minerals aren’t absorbed if the right vitamin isn’t present.
The balance of nutrients required for healthy growth and development is not the same for all dogs. Great Danes do not have the same balanced needs as chihuahuas!
We recommend feeding a proprietary puppy food from one of the larger manufacturers who have followed the growth and development of dogs throughout. The 3 manufacturers we know have done this are Purina, Royal Canin and Hills.
Please talk to us and we will help you find the right food that suits your puppy and you.
Vaccinations
We vaccinate puppies from 7 weeks old. Our vaccination schedule is for a last injection at 11 to 12 weeks. Some vaccine schedules finish earlier but we have stayed with this schedule. This is based on immunity studies showing that early vaccination can be less effective due to immunity from the mum cancelling out the vaccine. Please ask if you want clarification on what your puppy needs.
Remember that the first annual booster vaccine is as important as the puppy course.
Worms and fleas and other nasty parasites.
We will advise when to start preventative treatment. This depends on what your puppy was given at the breeders.
Do consider joining our Pet Health Club to help spread the cost of all these things over the year.
Socialisation and Puppy Play Time
This is one of the fun things about your new puppy that is also an essential part of his or her social knowledge and emotional development.
Puppies need to meet other dogs of all shapes and sizes and temperaments to establish normal dog behaviour and communication. Puppies that miss out on this opportunity will frequently be unsocial to other dogs and have other behavioural issues.
If you or your family have one or two other dogs, that is usually not enough for this behavioural development to be successful. The new puppy needs to meet as many different experiences as possible.
You can also use the opportunity to ask questions about training and development.
Do make the commitment to the early development of your puppy by asking about our Puppy Parties.
Insurance
To start you off we can give you a voucher for an introductory offer and do please read our page about choosing an insurance policy.
Having good insurance gives you peace of mind that whatever happens you can afford the best possible care for your pet, but there are some pitfalls to avoid.
Microchip
This is a legal requirement and most puppies should be sold with a chip already in place. There are a few medical exemptions from chipping at a young age, but all dogs must have chip eventually so please make an appointment with the nurse to have this done if it has been omitted.
We look forward to a long, healthy and happy relationship with you and your new dog throughout his or her life.
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