Your new puppy guide

What to expect:

• Your new puppy should be bright and playful, although they will sleep a lot too!

• They should be passing formed brown poo 2-4 times a day and pass straw-coloured urine frequently without signs of pain.

• They should not vomit (apart from when traveling in the car) and should rarely sneeze or cough.

Feeding:

• You should be feeding a puppy food – ideally dry (although you can add water to soften it) or a mix of both wet and dry 3-4x per day – each food is different so look at the packet to check how much is appropriate for your puppy's age.

• Raw feeding is very popular, and some dogs do very well on it, but it is best avoided in younger dogs with weaker immune systems. It is also important to be aware of the health risks to you and your family of raw feeding, especially if you have young children.

• They should also have clean fresh water available at all times.

 Toileting:

• Until fully vaccinated (generally 1 week after the 2nd vaccination, although this varies by manufacturer), it is important that they do not meet unvaccinated dogs or go on the ground outside of their own garden.

• It is a small risk by letting them into your own private garden, due to foxes, but we feel that the benefits outweigh the risk. Please try and minimise risk by avoiding scavenging so please do keep an eye on them while they are outside in the garden. 

• Regular trips outside to an enclosed garden helps toilet training – please take them out every hour and praise a lot if they do pass anything. Never tell off a puppy that has an accident – they don't know it's wrong! Puppy pads can be used inside but please remember your pup might think you are just training them to go in the house!

 Socialisation:

• Whilst they are not allowed on the ground, carry them everywhere if possible as the early weeks are where they learn that the world is fun!

• Please also work on leaving your puppy alone for short periods of time.  This will help them to be comfortable alone and prevent issues with separation anxiety.

• Getting them used to strange and potentially scary sounds while in the comfort and safety of your home can minimise noise anxieties in the future. Further instructions and information can be found here!

• Training (with lots of help from experts) is vital to prevent behavioural issues later.

• Please also see the Battersea Dog's Home website for very comprehensive information on dogs, including an online training course.  How to Look After A Dog or Cat | Pet Advice | Battersea

• If you have children please look at the advice on the RSPCA website. Children & Dogs - How They Can Live Together | RSPCA

• The Dog’s Trust also offer a variety of fantastic training videos to help you start socialising and training your pup at home. Dog’s Trust Training Information

  Vaccinations:

• Dogs are vaccinated against the most serious diseases present in the UK (parvovirus, distemper, leptospirosis, and hepatitis).

• They need a course of 2 or 3 vaccinations 2-4 weeks apart usually starting at 8 weeks of age.

• The main variation in the vaccination schedule depends on the leptospirosis vaccine. There are two types of this vaccine: L4 and L2. The L4 vaccine is safe and effective but has to be given 4 weeks after the first. The L2 is also safe and effective, can be given after 2 weeks but covers fewer strains of leptospirosis (2 instead of 4). On balance, for most pets we would advise giving the L4 but vaccinating against distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus after 2 weeks in order to be able to socialise them sooner.

• Puppies are generally considered safely protected enough to socialise 1 week after the 2nd DHP vaccination, but this varies slightly between vaccine brands, so even after the vaccine, please continue to be careful. They won't yet be safely protected from leptospirosis so please continue to avoid muddy puddles and stagnant water for a good few months. 

• We then recommend annual leptospirosis vaccinations whereas the DHP vaccine is given as puppies, at their first annual booster and then every three years thereafter.

• We also recommend vaccination against Kennel Cough, which can be given with any of the puppy vaccines.

• If you are planning to travel abroad, please discuss this with your vet.  We can provide rabies vaccinations as required (rabies vaccination is not necessary for pets staying in the UK).  Requirements for pet travel can be very strict and vary widely depending on destination so it's important to consult with us early and often to make sure we can help you fulfil any travel requirements.

 Parasite Control

There are 5 main canine parasites in the UK:
 
Lungworm:  This parasite is very common in London.  Dogs get lungworm by eating a slug or snail or licking their trails.  Lungworm is dangerous in dogs as it causes severe coughing, clotting problems, bleeding, and, if left untreated, death.
 
Intestinal worms:  Roundworms and hookworms are very common and are found in soil.  In dogs they cause diarrhoea.  Humans (especially children) can be affected by these worms, sometimes severely with infection in the eyes, lungs, or liver.
 
Fleas:  Fleas are present on other animals as well as outside in the grass, especially moist areas.  Some dogs are allergic to flea bites, so even one bite from a flea can cause an allergic reaction.  Fleas can bite us as well.  Fleas lay eggs that can persist in your house for years so an infestation can be difficult to get rid of.
 
Ticks:  Ticks are present in London (including Regent's Park, Paddington Rec, and Primrose Hill) but especially the countryside or anywhere wooded.  Ticks can transmit severe diseases in dogs such as Lyme Disease or Babesia.
 
Tapeworms:  Dogs generally acquire tapeworm from ingesting fleas or raw meat.
 

• Your puppy may have got fleas, ear mites or worms from his or her mum – that's very common!

• Because of the risk of lung-worm, which comes from foxes, they will need some form of parasite control treatment, usually every month for their whole life.

• We conduct monthly weigh-and-worm visits for puppies as they grow to make sure they are having the correct doses.  The visit is free for puppies signed up to our health plan, as are all the parasite control medications.

• Many of the supermarket products are ineffective and can be dangerous so we always advise getting your treatments through your vet.

• If you travel outside of the UK ask us for additional advice about parasite control. This is EXTREMELY important as other countries can have serious parasites with lifelong implications if infection occurs.

• Simparica Trio tablets given every 1 month prevent fleas, ticks, and most roundworms (including lungworm). Droncit tablets usually given every 3 months control any tapeworms. 

• Where possible we encourage the use of tablets to control parasites. This is because it significantly reduces any environmental damage to ponds, streams and rivers compared to the use of spot-on medications.

Our basic recommendation for most dogs
(other products may be more suitable for your pup and it's unique situation) 

• SIMPARICA TRIO TABLET EVERY 1 MONTH.   Protects against fleas, ticks, lungworm, and intestinal worms.

• DRONCIT TABLET(S) EVERY 3-6 MONTHS.  Protects against tapeworms. 

  Neutering:

• Many of our pets will benefit from neutering at some point in their lives. This can be done from 6 months of age, but there are many factors that come into play and some larger dogs or particular breeds benefit from being neutered later in life.

• Every situation is different and there are no hard and fast rules with regards to neutering. We have some separate fact sheets about this and will happily discuss your puppy's individual needs once they are a little bit older.

  Microchipping:

• Dogs are required to be microchipped by law before the age of 8 weeks.

• If we microchip your puppy, we register your details with an external registry, which then you access directly to change any details in the future.

• If your puppy has already been microchipped, please check with your breeder about how the details have been registered, or ask us for help. You may need to get a chip transfer code from the breeder.

  Exercise:

• Each pup will need different amounts of exercise and this will vary with their age.

• It is important not to over exercise them as that can cause significant problems with the development of their joints, leading to painful problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia.

• As a guidance, please only exercise them for 5 minutes per month of life, although this can be done several times per day.

  Pet People Family Plan:

• We offer a Health Plan, paid by monthly direct debit called Pet People Family. It covers all routine vaccinations, all consultations by a vet or a nurse, all internal and external parasite medication, as well as discounts on our puppy training classes.

• You can sign up via our website or we can do it for you in clinic.

• If you sign up before your first in-person consultation, all of your vaccinations, flea and worming treatments will be free/included!

• For puppies and dogs, the cost is £38.40 per month which, in most cases will offer you a considerable saving over the course of the year.

  Insurance:

• We would recommend pet insurance for most pups. One insurance provider (Petplan) offer 4 weeks free insurance for puppies who do not already have full insurance coverage so please let us know if you would like us to arrange this for you.

• Even a perfectly healthy puppy can fall ill or have an accident to the tune of thousands of pounds, and we know you will want to do everything for your new family member should this happen.

• It is of course your choice to get insurance or not and to choose your insurance provider. As guidance however, we would recommend you consider a policy with lifetime cover and at least £7000-£12000/year coverage.

• Pet insurance for dogs also generally covers any third party liability which is important too (for example if a dog bites or escapes and causes an accident).

• We would also recommend sticking with the same insurance company long-term, as when changing policies insurance companies generally won't cover conditions that have occurred previously (pre-existing conditions).

• Please speak to a member of our reception team or to your vet for more information.

  Toxic Foods:

• There are a number of common foods that can cause problems for your pet. These include:

  • Raisins, grapes, currants – even one can be deadly

  • Chocolate

  • Alcohol

  • Leeks, onions, garlic

  • Antifreeze

  • Xylitol artificial sweetener

  • Macadamia nuts

• There are lots of others as well so our recommendation is to stick to dog food and dog treats or ask us for advice!

  Chews and toys:

• Chews such as bones, antler chews, and other hard chews can damage dogs' teeth and can cause them to break!  We see this frequently so can only recommend chews that you can indent with your fingernail

• Broken teeth cause pain, infection, and require extraction so are best avoided.

  Dental Care:

• Toothbrushing in a dog seems daunting!  But if you start now, many dogs will accept it readily.

• Dogs often suffer with dental problems as they age, and toothbrushing from puppy age can help prevent these.

• We recommend brushing your dog's teeth every day.

• Finger and soft doggie tooth brushes can be bought online.

• We also recommend Pet Dent Oral Gel. This toothpaste also works like a mouthwash.

• See the below guide on how to introduce brushing to your puppy.  Don't worry if your puppy is older than the suggested ages; start from the beginning of the guide and work your way through over the weeks.  Do the exercises daily.

Age Action:

8-10 weeks old

This will be around the time of your pets first vaccination. At this time it is important to start introducing the handling which will be needed for examining and treating your pet. Get him/her used to having their ears, feet, head, mouth and teeth examined. This will make it easier to introduce toothbrushing and to treat problems which may occur later on in life.

12-14 weeks old

Around the time of the second vaccination. By now your pet should be used to being handled and examined. It is now time to introduce some toothpaste. Place it in your finger and offer it to your pet to lick off. Once they have got used to the taste, start to rub it over their teeth and gums.

16 weeks old

It is now time to introduce a finger brush. This is like a thimble but with short, rubbery bristles and is the next step in getting your pet to accept teeth brushing. It introduces the sensation of brushing but is not a particularly effective brush.

20 weeks onwards

Now the toothbrush can be introduced. This should be a soft bristled, small headed brush. Specific cat and dog brushes are available. Concentrate on brushing the outside surfaces of the teeth only, in a circular pattern.

• Like people, daily toothbrushing should form part of your pets daily routine.

• It removes plaque from above and below the gum line, slowing the progression of gum disease.

• Like in people, gum and teeth disease can be a very painful condition but our pets don’t tend to demonstrate this discomfort effectively.

• Use the guide above to establish regular dental home care for your pet. It is only a guide and the speed with which you can progress through it will vary considerably depending on your pets acceptance of it.

• The key is to take it slowly and do only what your pet will tolerate

• If you progress too quickly and your pet is not compliant, step back one stage to a level they are happy with.

• Brush each tooth only for a short while and do only what your pet will tolerate. If you have to battle them, they can easily be put off the whole experience for life.

• Brushing their teeth can be a great bonding exercise and the benefits are huge.

• Good luck and please contact us if you require further assistance or advice!

 Out of Hours Care:

Please find the most up to date information about our out of hours emergency cover on our website
If you are unsure if you are in an emergency situation or just want to chat to a vet online. We have also partnered with Vidivet to help give your pet 24/7 care


We hope these guidelines have been useful – we are very excited for you and your new puppy and are on hand anytime to help! No question is too small!