What should you do to take the best possible care of your new puppy? Here’s our advice in a nutshell!
Buy a puppy that suits YOU!
If you’ve got a very small yard & little spare time then a really active breed like a Border Collie or Kelpie might prove difficult. Think about your situation BEFORE you go looking for that new pup to avoid an impulse purchase of a cute but unsuitable puppy. Research a breed that you are interested in to check their particular needs and issues that relate to that breed. For instance, some breeds are more prone to certain diseases.
Try to ensure that you buy as healthy a pup as possible by seeing the puppy in the flesh before you buy it. Seeing its mother, and if possible father, is also useful to check their general temperament and health. Preferably buy a puppy that has had its first vaccination and been checked by a vet.If you are not too fussed on getting a purebred from a breeder consider getting a pup from a shelter. They will have most of the vet work taken care of and you will be doing your bit to reduce overpopulation.
Vaccinate it!
This is essential. It means that your new pup will have a thorough examination by a veterinarian who will check for any problems that might be evident. It also gives your pup protection against some of the common contagious diseases and even fatal diseases that it might contract. For more on Vaccines click here.
Vaccinations are due at 6-8 weeks, 10-12 weeks and 16 weeks. Then annually.
Worm it!
Worms such as hookworm can KILL dogs and some worms that infect dogs can transfer to people and cause serious health problems.
Worming is done once every 2 weeks from 2-12 weeks of age then once a month from 3-6 months of age then once every 3 months for life.
Prevent Heartworm!
Heartworm is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is not necessarily covered by general gut worming tablets. We recommend yearly heartworm prevention injections. As a puppy this injection is more frequent but once an adult it is given once yearly, usually at the same time as the vaccinations.
Heartworm injections are due at 3 months, 6 months, 15 months of age then annually.
Desex it!
Unless there is a very good reason to breed your dog we recommend that you desex it at 6 months. Undesexed female may be at higher risk of life-threatening conditions such as pyometra and cancer in their mammary glands (breasts). Undesexed male dogs are at higher risk from prostate problems.
Desexing is due at 6 months.
Microchip it!
This permanently identifies your pup and can help return it to you if it gets lost.
Microchipping legally should be done before 12 weeks of age but can be still be done later is for some reason it was not done.
Register it!
Make sure that you register your new pup with the relevant local council.
Feed it!
We recommend a good quality dog biscuit such as Hills Science Diet. At least 75% of the dog’s food intake should be a balanced food such as this. The remainder can be made up of an occasional (e.g. weekly) raw bone, treats or home cooked food. Some may choose to feed a raw diet plan but make sure you follow a balanced program and seek veterinary advice before proceeding. Always keep clean fresh water freely available.
Train it!
Well behaved dogs aren’t an accident they happen most often due to good training from an early age. One piece of advice would be “start as you plan to continue”. If you don’t plan on having a 40 kg Labrador sleep in your bed, don’t put it in your bed as a puppy. If you want to be able to leave your dog at home alone sometimes don’t take it with you all the time when it is a puppy or it may expect this forever. Separation anxiety is a terrible thing to inflict on a dog. Of course if you want them in your bed then that is fine – just make a conscious decision about what you plan to do. We recommend attending Puppy Pre-school or a professional training group with your new pup to get things off to a good start. Try Good Dog Bad Dog as a training point. Jimoomba Dog Training Club are another good option.
Good Dog Bad Dog, Jimboomba
