Worming:
We use and recommend Panacur small animal oral suspension wormer. All our puppies will leave us de-wormed at 8 weeks old, we regularly worm your puppy at 2,4,6 and 8 weeks whilst in our care. Puppies 4 to 12 weeks of age should be wormed every two weeks. From age 12 weeks to 6 months puppies should be wormed monthly, and from 6 months onward dogs and puppies should be wormed every 3 months. As a responsible puppy/dog owner you must keep the worming treatment up to avoid mild cases of worms, you don’t have to keep up with Panacur your vet can advise which worming tablet/paste they recommend for your puppy.
Flea Treatment:
Flea Treatment is always given to your puppy at 8 weeks old, it’s important not to bath your puppy for at least 24 hours after collecting to avoid washing the treatment off. Stronghold spot on treats fleas, ear mite, the prevention of heart worm disease, ticks and biting lice etc, each treatment gives you approximately 2 months protection against fleas and up to a month’s protection against ticks. You can use it on pups from 8 weeks of age. Again, your vets can recommend the best product for your puppy/dog if you do not want to continue with Stronghold.
Vaccination History:
All our puppies will have had their first set of vaccinations at 6-7 weeks old, you can find your puppies vaccinations and dates administered on the Vets card that will be in your puppy pack that you receive on collection. It is extremely important for you as the new owner to keep up with your puppies vaccinations, your puppy will need their 10 weeks follow up vaccinations around 2 weeks after pick up date. We advise you to contact your local vets to arrange this at least a week before puppy is 10 weeks to ensure they have the same batch in stock, if they don’t have them in stock any vets can order the brand in within 48 hours. We only use Nobivac Lepto 2 & Nobivac DHPPI with our puppies, a lot of vets will try and push Lepto 4 onto you but please only continue to vaccinate your puppy with Lepto 2. We have read so many horrible stories and seen research about the Lepto 4 vaccination and we wouldn’t want you and your puppy to go through the heart break of a bad reaction that has sadly quite often caused puppies to pass away after receiving the vaccine. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch and we can advise and help you before you make your decision.
Please note that you should not allow your puppy outside or in public areas until they are fully covered by their second vaccinations. I know having a puppy is exciting and you want to take them on a walk and play in the garden etc but it’s not worth the risk. Parvo virus is the biggest problem in a puppy of this age amongst other viruses. Your puppy is due there second vaccination between 2-4 weeks after their 1st set of vaccinations were given, then it’s another week until they can adventure outside after the date of their 2nd vaccination. Until then you can carry your puppy around in your arms to help with socialization, experiencing and seeing new sights and people.
Once your puppy has had 1st and 2nd set of vaccinations, they will need yearly boosters to keep on top of their vaccination schedule.
We always get asked how often you should bathe your puppy, we recommend at least once a month and to get your puppy groomed every 3-4 months (more for woolly/longer length coats, shorter/plush coats can be done around every 5-6 months). Once they are fully grown you can probably stretch between bath time up to 3 months, obviously if your puppy or dog gets mucky or rolls in something smelly then you can bath them in-between. Bath time is a bonding time and all puppies should get accustomed to being bathed and groomed at an early age so when they are older its not a big deal for them and a lot easier for you.
Try not to over bathe your puppy as all dogs have natural oils in their coat which helps there skin and natural hair growth, overbathing will result in your puppy losing their natural oils causing dry skin and irritation which we don’t want to cause. Avoid getting water in your puppy’s ears as we don’t want to cause any ear infections from added moisture in the ear canal, always dry the ears after bath time or if your puppy goes for a swim when you’re out and about.
Items you need to bathe your puppy:
Puppy shampoo – we recommend using all-natural shampoo for your pups, you can even use baby shampoo if you wanted to.
Microfibre towel – these types of towels are great because they dry your puppy’s hair faster and soaks up the water a lot better than cotton towels that we would use. We like using microfibre dog towels with hand pockets as we find its easier to hold while drying your pooch.
Brush – use a dog brush with silicone bristle to give your dog a deep clean massage, these bristles are very gentle and will not hurt or pull on your puppy’s coat.
Just like a baby the water temperature is important for your puppy, lukewarm is the best, not too hot but not too cold. A boiling bath will burn your puppies’ skin and will cause a negative association with bath time, no body wants to boil their skin in the bath, a nice warm bath is key.
Tip’s:
If your puppy doesn’t like bath time, just like some children, don’t panic we have a good tip that could help make bath time enjoyable and less stressful for your pooch, lick mat’s with suction cups on the back to stick to your tiles. Lick mats are a simple but amazingly effective, spreading some 100% natural peanut butter, liver paste for dogs, Kong easy treat puppy paste for example will help keep your puppy occupied and calm whilst your giving them a good relaxing lather in the bath.
Check your puppies/dog’s feet, ears, and skin while the hair is wet, check for any abnormalities, scratches or cuts. Whilst their coat is wet it makes it a lot easier to see their skin.
If you want to dry your dog with a hair dryer or blow dryer make sure the heat isn’t too hot or too high and you are constantly moving the dryer over their body, if you dry one spot for too long at a high temperature you can cause burning to your pups skin.
So you’ve decided on your newest family member and now its time to start preparing your home for the arrival of your puppy.
Just like a baby its important to ensure your house is a happy and safe environment to live in. There are a few necessary items and jobs you will need to do before the puppies arrival:
- Play pen/stair gate: While your puppy will be undergoing training its best to section off an area where they are allowed full access to e.g. kitchen. A puppy play pen is a good way to do this or even a stair gate, its also best to restrict your puppies time on carpet while being house trained (some puppies can get confused by the texture of a puppy pad and carpet, remember there still only young and accidents are bound to happen). I know having a new puppy you will want to have him/her around you everywhere you go but its better to keep them downstairs until they are older, going up and down stairs at a young age can cause joint problems in the future.
- Crate: Depending on your puppies breed and size you will need to buy a crate for him/her, this is your puppies safe place. Puppies like to have an area of their own where they can relax, feel cosy and enclosed, therefore we suggest a crate. Having their bed/blanket or vet bedding on one side and a puppy pad on the other side will help your puppy with house training. When you first take your puppy home they are very young and will still not have full control over their bladder, puppies like to keep their safe areas clean but the first couple of weeks they might have an accident, the puppy pad on the other half of the crate for your puppy to relieve themselves will be much cleaner for your puppy and easier for yourself to clean up. Puppies will learn to wait for you to let them out to do their business. Crates are also a good way of preventing your puppy from using household items as chew toys. Crates shouldn’t be used all the time, ideally once your puppy has mastered the toilet training they should only be locked in for the night.
- Bed/blanket/vet bedding: You will need to get your puppy something soft to chill out and rest in. Please be aware that all puppies do go through a chewing stage so don’t buy anything too expensive as they will probably find a way to destroy it. Vet bedding is ideal as they are less likely to chew them but there still very comfortable for your puppies.
- Food and water bowl: Please always remember to keep clean water down for your puppy.
- Food: We recommend keeping your puppy on the same diet as he/she is used to being fed with us, Eukanuba (depending on size and breed we will advise which puppy food). This will prevent them suffering with any unnecessary diarrhoea and vomiting, the change from leaving his 1st home, mum, siblings and change of environment will be stressful enough for your puppy so please keep them on the same food. If later you decide to change their food, you will need to slowly gradually mix into their food.
- Toys: Its easy to go crazy and buy loads of toys for your puppy, we recommend only buying resistant chew toys for the first couple of months e.g. Kong rubber toys or nylon bones. One or two soft toys will be fine, but your puppy might find a way to get through them so if you notice any soft filling appearing please throw them away strait away to avoid any unnecessary trips to the vets.
- Small adjustable harness and lead: There are many harnesses out there, and most of them can be quite costly, please refrain from buying anything expensive for your puppies first harness, remember there a puppy so they will grow out of it.
- Puppy pads: While your puppy is under house arrest its essential that you stock up with puppy pads, once they are fully vaccinated and able to go outside you can then concentrate on transitioning them to go toilet outside.
- Puppy proofing your garden: Gardens will be where you will have many hours of fun but it’s important that you puppy proof your garden ready for when your puppy arrives home. Any small gaps in your fence your puppy will find. You cannot leave your puppy unsupervised if your garden isn’t 100% secure and safe, any items left on the floor need to be put away, anything that can be pushed off a ledge needs to be put in a safer/out of reach spot that your puppy can’t get to.