Bringing home a new puppy is a wonderful experience for your whole family. Daventry Vets understand that a new pet means you will need to access lots of new information, such as feeding advice, training, and socialisation. Our team want to make this process as stress-free as possible, so we’ve collated all the information you need into one handy guide below.
Remember to register your puppy with Daventry Vets and then book them in for their vaccination. We look forward to meeting your new four-legged friend!
Vaccinating your puppy provides them with vital protection against some nasty and often fatal diseases. Many breeders choose to vaccinate the litter before they go to their new homes so make sure you ask for proof of what vaccine has been given. Visit our dedicated vaccination page to understand which diseases these injections provide protection against.
It is the law for all puppies to be fitted with a microchip before they are 8 weeks old. This means that once the puppy joins your family post 8 weeks, you will need to make sure their microchip details are up to date with your contact information. Remember, if this information changes then you need to update the microchip details with the database your puppy’s microchip is registered to. This is essential in ensuring you can be reunited with your pet if they ever become lost or stolen. Learn more about microchipping on our dedicated information page.
Your puppy’s mother passes roundworm to it across the placenta before it is born and then in her milk. Your puppy will need regular worm treatment Booking an appointment with Daventry Vets will make sure your pet is prescribed the appropriate course of parasite prevention products. Many diseases can be passed between parasite and host, but also between your puppy and you. Preventing infestations from an early age can protect both you, your puppy and your human family. Always ask if the breeder has given any parasite treatment and if so what.
Our vets and nurses will discuss if neutering your puppy when they are old enough is advised and if so, the timing of neutering. This will depend on you, your puppy, if they are male or female and their breed. Visit our dedicated page on neutering and contact our team to book a pre-neutering check for your puppy.
It is good practice for the breeder of your puppy to provide you with some of the food they’ve been using for the litter. However, this may not always happen so finding out what brand of puppy food the breeder has been using means you can invest in some before they arrive in their new home. Our team can help to recommend a puppy food if you’re unsure of what your new companion needs. We usually aim for a high-quality complete puppy food. We also have a dedicated nutrition page which will help you decide on your puppy’s diet as they mature. Contact us for more information.
Training should be started as soon as possible around your home. Simple commands, such as sit and stay, can be very helpful in everyday life so instilling these early is a must. Once they are vaccinated and your vet has advised it is safe, taking your puppy on lead walks to socialise or attending puppy training classes will help them to grow and develop.
We recommend going to an APDT UK or IMDT accredited trainer as they will use positive training techniques. Follow the links to find trainers near you:
Toilet training should be started early. Every time your puppy wakes up, after eating and at regular intervals take your puppy outside and praise them if they go to the toilet. Ignore accidents indoors and clean them up without telling your puppy off. Your puppy will soon learn to go outside. Our nursing team can advise on other training techniques and aids – contact them today.
There are also some great tips here
There is a myth that too much exercise causes hip dysplasia, it doesn’t. Studies have shown this to be incorrect. Puppies that exercise, build up muscle and are fit have healthier joints. Our team see many organisations and breeders advocating increasing puppies exercise by 5 minutes each month. This is not correct. Wolf pups go on hunts with the pack and have been tracked doing up to 30km a night. We’re not suggesting you do this but it’s ok to take your puppy on walks and let them play.
