Puppy care
Puppy care, everything you need to know
The first few months are some of the most important of your puppy’s life. Here’s our guide to getting things off to the best possible start.
As a proudly independent practice, we’re big enough to handle anything unexpected, and small enough to know you and your pet by name.
Getting to know your puppy
Behavioural development in the first few weeks can have a dramatic effect on your puppy’s character and social interaction. Here’s what to look out for, and how to start building a bond from day one.
Handle them from the start
Get to know what your puppy feels like by running your hands gently over them regularly. If you do this throughout their life, you’ll quickly notice any lumps or bumps that appear. Most won’t be cause for concern, but it’s always worth a check with us.
Handle their feet a lot. Many dogs are sensitive about having their feet touched, starting early means they’ll be far less stressed when it’s necessary to examine them for injuries, thorns, grass seeds or claw clipping.
Daily grooming, even in short-coated breeds, is one of the best things you can do. It helps you bond with your puppy while you get to know each other, and it’s a gentle way of asserting a bit of calm authority too.
Eyes
Ears
Teeth
Regular brushing from a young age is essential to reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar. Use a specially designed pet toothbrush and paste, human toothpaste contains fluoride and a foaming agent that’s too harsh for dogs, and dogs can’t spit it out.
Vaccination
How immunity works
The vaccination schedule
The initial course requires two doses with a 2–4 week gap. You’ll then need to wait a further week after the second injection before taking your puppy for walks in public places. This can start as early as six to eight weeks, but since most puppies are a little older when they arrive home, talk to us as soon as possible so we can work out the right timing.
Annual boosters are essential, immunity doesn’t last indefinitely. Your dog won’t always need the same combination each year, so ask us what they’re due.
Your vaccination certificate: Keep it safe. Boarding kennels, training classes and vets will all need to see it.
What we vaccinate against
- Canine parvovirus
- Distemper (hard pad)
- Infectious hepatitis
- Leptospirosis
- Kennel cough
- Rabies (for travel abroad)
Parvovirus caused major epidemics in the 1970s and remains widespread in pockets of the UK. Leptospirosis is contracted from rat urine and can contaminate canals and rivers. Kennel cough is an extremely unpleasant, highly contagious infection spread wherever dogs gather, not just kennels, but shows and training clubs too.
Socialisation and vaccination
The key socialisation period runs up to 16 weeks, so don’t wait until your puppy is fully vaccinated before introducing them to the world. Carry them in your arms to new places, sounds and people from the moment they come home.
Book a first appointment with us as soon as your puppy arrives. We’ll work out the best vaccination timing for them and talk through everything else too. Our Lifetime Care Club includes your puppy’s primary vaccination course and annual boosters, find out more at drovevets.co.uk/club
Parasites & prevention
Fleas
Unless treated routinely, most dogs will pick up fleas at some point, even much loved, regularly bathed ones. Our recommendation is to treat your dog regularly with an effective veterinary product, and we can advise you on the right one for your puppy’s age and lifestyle.
Fleas are a problem all year round. For every adult flea on your pet, there are around 500 more at various stages in your home, eggs, larvae and pupae in carpets and furniture. Modern, centrally heated homes are ideal environments for year-round flea development.
Many products available outside veterinary practices may not be effective against all species of fleas and worms. We can make sure you’re using the right treatment.
Our Lifetime Care Club includes bespoke year-round flea, tick and worm treatments tailored to your pet, so you’re never guessing what to use or when. Find out more at drovevets.co.uk/club
Ticks
Ticks can transmit disease after just 24 hours of attachment, so preventing them from attaching in the first place is key, a rapid kill treatment from us is the best approach.
If you find a tick on your dog, don’t pull it off, this leaves the head under the skin and can cause infection. The tick should be killed as quickly as possible using a suitable product. Once dead it can be carefully removed, or it will wither and drop off over a few days.
Never use a cigarette to kill a tick. Covering it with petroleum jelly or nail varnish remover are safer options if you can’t reach us quickly.
Worms
Our usual advice is to treat monthly until six months old, then move to a monthly roundworm and three-monthly tapeworm regime. The exact programme depends on your puppy’s lifestyle, we’ll work out the right plan with you.
Roundworms can be picked up from soil contaminated with dog mess and remain infectious for up to two years. Worm larvae can potentially cause permanent damage to eyesight, which is why regular treatment and washing hands after playing with your puppy really matters.
Tapeworms are easily treated with a worming tablet. A dog scooting their bottom along the floor is the classic giveaway.
Lungworm is carried by slugs and snails and can cause severe lung problems. Some areas of the UK are more affected than others, ask us whether it’s a concern locally.
Health essentials
Three things every new puppy owner needs to tick off, neutering, microchipping and insurance. Here’s what you need to know about each.
Neutering
Spaying (female dogs)
Chat to our team for current best practice on when to have your puppy spayed. Spaying prevents infection of the womb, significantly reduces the risk of mammary cancer if done before maturity, eliminates false pregnancies and prevents unwanted litters.
The most common concern is weight gain – spaying does reduce your dog’s energy requirements, but this is entirely preventable with the right diet and by keeping treats in check. Your dog’s character, guarding ability and playfulness won’t be significantly affected.
Castration (male dogs)
Castration reduces unwanted sexual behaviours including roaming, urine marking and mounting. It eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and greatly reduces the chance of prostate disease.
If you’re considering castration for a specific behavioural problem, it’s worth talking to us or a behaviourist first, castration can change the dynamic between dogs in the same household.
When should it happen?
Give us a call and we’ll talk through the latest recommendations and the right timing for your puppy.
Our Lifetime Care Club includes 10% off neutering. Speak to our team to find out more.
Microchipping
How it works
It’s the law that all dogs in the UK are microchipped by 8 weeks of age. The tiny chip is injected under the skin at the back of the neck and holds your dog’s unique identification number, once in, it’s there for life.
Should your dog go missing, any vet, rescue centre, dog warden or police can scan for the chip and reunite you. By law, your dog must also wear a collar and tag showing your name and address when out in public.
Please update your microchip details whenever you move house or change your phone number. Out of date details mean we can’t reunite you with your pet quickly, and you could face a fine.
Insurance
Why it matters
Veterinary medicine has become increasingly sophisticated, we can now diagnose and treat conditions that a few years ago would have gone undetected. Some complex cases run to thousands of pounds. Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that whatever comes up, cost won’t be a barrier to giving your pet the care they need.
Things to check when choosing a policy:
- Adequate vet fee cover
- No time limit per illness
- Cover continues in later years
- Check exclusions carefully
Unlike car or home insurance, switching providers isn’t always straightforward. A condition that’s appeared on your dog’s records could be excluded as pre-existing by a new insurer. If you’re thinking of switching, talk to us first, we can share your dog’s history with the new insurer so any exclusions are clear before you commit.
Our only interest is that cost never has to compromise the quality of care your pet receives. We’re happy to talk through what to look for in a policy.
Feeding & dental care
Feeding & Nutrition
Choosing the right food
The food you choose in the first year is critical to your puppy’s adult development. Our general advice is to get them onto a good quality dry food that meets the nutritional needs for their stage of life. Cheaper foods often include lots of filler, resulting in larger volumes of mess to clear up. It’s worth working out the cost per day rather than the cost per bag.
A young puppy needs several small meals a day. Your puppy should be encouraged to settle after eating, energetic play immediately before or after a meal can cause the stomach to twist in deep-chested breeds, a life-threatening emergency called gastric torsion.
How much to feed
A good complete diet doesn’t need anything added to it. Follow the feeding guidelines for your dog’s size, but use your eyes too, manufacturers can be generous with their serving suggestions. You should be able to feel your dog’s ribs with the palm of your hand without having to prod. If you can’t, they’re carrying too much weight.
Your dog should never receive food from the table, this encourages begging. Dry food makes a great treat or training reward. Raw vegetables such as sliced carrot are a fine occasional snack.
Feed a fixed formula diet where possible. Open formula diets change composition depending on ingredient availability, which can cause digestive upset in some dogs.
Dental Care
Brushing
Dental disease affects around 85% of dogs over the age of three, and it’s not just bad breath, it can contribute to heart, lung and kidney disease too. Daily brushing is the gold standard.
Start with short sessions, lift the lips and touch the teeth and gum line. Move on to a finger brush or small pet toothbrush once they’re comfortable. Use veterinary toothpaste; human toothpaste contains high levels of fluoride and is too harsh for dogs.
Signs of dental disease
Look out for bad breath, dropping food or eating awkwardly, wanting to eat then backing away from the bowl, pawing at the face, drooling or becoming withdrawn. If you notice any of these, book in with us.
Regular six-monthly checks with us will include an examination of the mouth. If there’s a build-up of tartar, we might recommend a professional descale under a short general anaesthetic, this lets us clean beneath the gum margin, which is the most important area for preventing periodontal disease.
Dental treats contribute to home care but can’t replace brushing. Watch the calories too, some contain more than you’d expect.
Our Lifetime Care Club includes 10% off dental treatments, plus six-monthly nurse health checks where we’ll keep an eye on your pet’s mouth. Speak to our team or visit drovevets.co.uk/club
Behaviour & training
Socialisation
The main socialisation period runs from around three weeks to 12–14 weeks. The goal is to introduce your puppy to as many different people, places and things as possible before any fearful responses have a chance to take hold. Start from day one, carry them in your arms in new environments before they’re fully vaccinated.
Key things to introduce early:
- Children, especially toddlers who wobble and squeal. Let the puppy approach them, not the other way round.
- Household noises, the vacuum cleaner, spin dryer, TV. Don’t make an issue of them.
- Other pets, supervise early interactions with cats and older dogs, but let them find their own level.
- Visitors, uniforms, the postman, the more people your puppy meets early, the less likely they are to be territorial or anxious later.
Training basics
Training begins the moment your puppy comes home at 7–8 weeks. The key principle is simple: reward the behaviour you want and ignore what you don’t. Dogs repeat what works, if jumping up gets any kind of attention, even being pushed away, they’ll do it again.
Jumping up and mouthing: Stand still, hands out of reach, no eye contact. Your puppy will lose interest quickly when they get no response. Teach children to play statues rather than squealing, it only makes the game more fun for the puppy.
Recall: Start in the garden using an excited voice and always reward them when they come back, even if they took a while about it. Never tell your puppy off on their return, no matter what.
Book puppy school early, places fill up quickly. Ask our team to point you in the right direction.
Separation & crate training
It’s natural to want to cuddle your new puppy constantly, but getting them used to time alone early prevents separation anxiety developing later. Start with short periods, ideally with a stuffed rubber toy to occupy them.
A crate, done properly, becomes your puppy’s favourite place to relax. Place it in a social area like the kitchen or living room. Make it welcoming with treats, bedding and toys from day one. Never leave your puppy crated for longer than they can control their bladder.
First aid
First aid is about reducing pain and suffering before you can get to us, not replacing veterinary care. For bleeding, use a pad of wet cotton wool or clean fabric to apply pressure, then bandage to hold it in place. Clean wounds with boiled and cooled water or saline, dilution is the solution to pollution, then cover lightly and call us.
Never give your pet human medications, ibuprofen and paracetamol can be lethal for dogs. And avoid feeding your dog after an injury; they may need a sedation or anaesthetic when they arrive with us.
