Where to Find a Puppy

Haven’t got your new puppy yet? Of course there are loads of happy, healthy young dogs looking for homes from rescue groups or shelters. Even if you’re looking for a specific breed or type of dog, with a little time and effort, you can probably still find a rescued dog to adopt. Check out petfinder.com for a start, or check out your town’s local animal shelter. Ask the rescue group how they find the dogs they offer for adoption, and if they have been checked out by a veterinarian, vaccinated, and have any health concerns addressed (or at least diagnosed) prior to adoption.

If you’re considering a pup from a breeder, make sure they have the breed’s (and each puppy’s) best interests in mind. A truly reputable breeder is likely to breed only a few litters per year, often focuses on just one or two specific breeds, and will screen their adult dogs for signs of genetic conditions such as hip dysplasia, orthopedic disorders, cardiac diseases, ocular diseases, and others. It isn’t just a matter of the parents appearing healthy at that moment… many of these conditions do not become apparent until a dog is older (perhaps past breeding age), so it is important to screen dogs before breeding them to be sure they represent the best possible candidates for breeding. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (ofa.org) maintains a list of all health conditions that each breed should be screened for (not only orthopedic issues). A truly reputable breeder will be aware of this resource and prepared to tell you about what conditions they have screened for.

Diet

There are many suitable choices of diets to feed a new puppy, and there is no single best choice for every dog. Puppies under one year of age should be fed a diet labeled for puppies or for “all life stages.” Dogs who are expected to grow to over 50 pounds should ideally be fed a “large breed puppy” formula, to assure they grow at a steady and even pace, optimizing growth to avoid future orthopedic problems. Hills Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Royal Canin are the brands most highly regarded by veterinarians.

Vaccinations

Your new puppy may come to you after he has had his first round of vaccines, but is likely to need at least a few additional vaccinations. Some are considered “core” or required by law, while others are lifestyle-dependent or optional. Here are the vaccines we consider for each new puppy:

  • Rabies – This is a core vaccination, and required by law. A puppy is old enough to receive this vaccine when they are 12 weeks of age. The latest it can be given, by law, is at six months of age.
  • Distemper/Parvo combination – This is a core vaccination, administered once every 3-4 weeks until a puppy is 16 weeks old. Distemper is a viral disease that can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurologic disease. The disease is often fatal, and if a puppy survives, they can still have long-term consequences of the illness. Parvovirus (“parvo” for short) is highly contagious and can cause life-threatening diarrhea and vomiting. The distemper/parvo combination is sometimes called a “four-way” or a “five-way” vaccine, and may include protection against a few other (milder) illnesses too.
  •  Leptospirosis – This disease is caused by a bacteria shed in the urine of wild mammals. It can continue to survive and remain infectious in water or moist soil, and illness can cause liver and kidney failure. The disease is even contagious to people. A dog who is going to swim in a lake, may drink out of a puddle, or who lives in a yard that deer, raccoons, or other wild mammals wander through should probably be vaccinated against Leptospirosis. This vaccine is commonly recommended for dogs in our local area.
  • Lyme Disease – Lyme is spread by a bacteria that can be introduced via tick bites. A dog who is at risk of exposure to ticks should certainly be protected via a flea/tick preventative, as ticks spread more diseases than just Lyme! The Lyme vaccination can be given as an additional measure of protection.
  • Bordetella +/- Parainfluenza – These are the most common agents associated with Kennel Cough, a contagious respiratory infection that causes a cough which may linger for weeks. Kennel cough does not generally cause serious illness, but most kennels, doggie day care facilities, and many groomers will require that dogs who visit them must be vaccinated against Bordetella.
  • Influenza – While this illness is uncommon, kennels and groomers may recommend or require that dogs be vaccinated to protect against it, as it can occur as an outbreak in the context of a dog show, kennel, or day care facility. This illness can be quite serious and may result in death.

Deworming

Your new puppy may have already been given a dewormer by the breeder or rescue group, but a single dose may not be adequate to treat an existing parasite infection. Repeated treatments with a dewormer and/or testing a stool sample to check for parasites is recommended.

Parasite Preventatives

Year-round use of a heartworm disease preventative is strongly recommended for all dogs. Heartworm disease is spread via mosquito bites. Risk of infection is highest in warmer weather due to the greater prevalence of mosquitoes at that time of year. Early infection typically does not cause any clinical signs, but ongoing untreated heartworm disease can ultimately result in heart failure. Heartworm disease is much easier (and less expensive) to prevent than it is to treat.

Prevention of fleas is important for most dogs, as even those who do not spend a lot of time outdoors may pick them up from another dog they meet out on a walk, while at the groomer’s, at the dog park, from wildlife in the backyard, etc. It is much easier to prevent a flea infestation from occurring than to resolve one that is already going on in your household. Fleas can cause anemia if they are present in large numbers, and ingestion of a single flea can introduce tapeworms to a dog’s intestine.

Prevention of ticks is important for dogs who spend a fair amount of time outdoors, live in a property bordering woods and/or with damp & shady areas, will be hiking outside on trails, or even just live in an area where ticks and tickborne diseases are common. Risk of exposure is highest in the spring, summer, and fall, but ticks will be active at above-freezing temperatures during any time of year. A vaccination can protect against Lyme, but not against any of the other diseases ticks carry (such as
Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and others).

There are a variety of intestinal parasites, some of which are picked up from direct contact with infected animals or their stool, & other parasite infections can result from exposure to contaminated soil. Dogs who have social exposure to other dogs – or just the places where other dogs defecate – are at the greatest risk.

There are several products that offer a broad spectrum of protection against internal and external parasites in a single once-monthly product. Nexgard Plus, Simparica Trio, and Credelio Quattro are examples of safe and effective broad-spectrum products. There are many other product combinations available; your veterinarian will help you choose the optimal product or combination for your pet based upon their risk.

Pet Insurance

Whether you decide pet insurance is the right choice to help protect your new puppy, or if you would prefer to save up your own emergency fund, it is simply important to have a plan in case of an emergency medical expense. There is a complete discussion of considerations relevant to pet insurance on our website, BoltonVet.com.

Microchip Identification

A microchip is the only completely secure and permanent way to identify your pet if they ever get lost. A microchip with a unique ID number is implanted under the skin, usually around the shoulders. It may hurt a bit more than a vaccine, so while it can be done at any time, it is often preferable to place a microchip while a pet is already under anesthesia for a spay or neuter. If your pet is found and scanned for a chip, the ID number will link them to your veterinarian, your home address, and any other information you provide when you register with the chip company.

Spaying and Neutering

Rescue puppies are sometimes already spayed or neutered before they are adopted. In other cases, plans can be made with consideration for the ideal time to spay or neuter a pet. If lifestyle factors are not prohibitive, it is best to wait until a dog is done growing to spay or neuter them. Depending on breed and size, this may be from 8 to 24 months of age. The timing of spay or neuter should be discussed in detail with your veterinarian, taking breed/size and lifestyle factors into consideration.

In addition to population control and reducing behaviors such as roaming off, urine-marking, and/or getting into fights with other dogs, there are a handful of disease conditions that can be reduced or eliminated by spaying or neutering. Spaying (especially before the first or second heat cycle) reduces the incidence of mammary cancer later in life. It eliminates the chance of cancers of the reproductive tract, as well as the development of pyometra (an infection of the uterus). While testicular cancers are not common in intact male dogs, infection or cancer of the prostate can be, and neutering substantially reduces this risk.

Training & Socialization

Training your puppy can include formal puppy socials, puppy kindergarten, and private training lessons in addition to your own efforts at home. Dog day care and training venues frequently offer puppy socialization events in addition to formal training classes. If you’re in search of a dog training book as a guide, check out “How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves” by Sophia Yin.

The ideal training treat is something that comes in very small pieces (or can be broken up into very small pieces), tastes and smells REALLY good, and is not greasy or fatty. Be ready to dispense it quickly to reward preferred behaviors; puppies won’t make the association between behavior and reward if there is even a few minutes delay in between.

One aspect of training that most puppy owners are happy to accept some helpful tips on is housetraining. Extremely close supervision is essential to successful housetraining, and training your puppy to spend their resting time in a crate is a foundation for housetraining. A puppy can be expected to hold their bladder while awake for the same number of hours as they are aged in months (for example, a three month old puppy can hold it for three hours). If you are having trouble house-training, follow these guidelines:

  • Overnight, puppy sleeps in a crate.
  • First thing in the morning, take puppy QUICKLY and DIRECTLY outside to pee/poop.
  • Stand quietly outside waiting for puppy to do his business. No playing, no touring the yard, no distractions.
  • Once puppy goes, he “earns” some playtime (inside or outside).
  • Continue to closely watch puppy once you are back inside. Keep him on his leash indoors if needed to keep him from wandering away from you.
  • If you are not DIRECTLY supervising puppy, he should go back into his crate.
  • If more than 30 minutes of free-access playtime has gone by, either go outside until puppy urinates again, OR it is time to go back in the crate.
  • Every time puppy comes out of the crate, take him QUICKLY and DIRECTLY outside to pee/poop.

“Socialization” doesn’t just mean social interaction with other dogs. Help your puppy become accustomed to the things that will become daily life experiences: meeting other dogs, meeting new people, interacting with children, having their teeth brushed, having their nails clipped, learning not to be afraid of the vacuum cleaner or lawn mower, etc. Start early!! Puppies are most impressionable between 8 and 14 weeks of age. Ideally, doggie play-dates should be set up with other dogs who are known to be in good health and up-to-date on vaccinations. Formal puppy social classes often require that all participants have proof of up-to-date vaccinations and/or a recent wellness appointment.

Safety Considerations

As an emergency hospital, we know all about the trouble that’s out there for a puppy to get into! Here are a few items to keep in mind when puppy-proofing your home:

  • Human medications: While some human medications are safe for dogs at an appropriate dose, others can be quite toxic. Never let your pet have access to painkillers (even over-the-counter drugs like Advil, Motrin, Tylenol, Aleve, etc.), sleep aids, steroid pills or creams, or any human prescription medication.
  • Toxic foods: Keep chocolate, marijuana in all forms, alcoholic beverages, sugar-free gum or candy, grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, and anything especially greasy or fatty away from your dog. Be sure to remind visitors to your home that they need to keep food and other potential toxins out of reach of your pets.
  • Interactions with other pets: Your other furry family members might not be as excited as you are about a new puppy! Make sure your pets’ interactions are closely supervised until you are sure they are getting along well together.
  • Good luck with your new puppy and we’ll see you at your next visit!! Visit Bolton Veterinary Hospital on Facebook page for current events, news stories, and links to articles relevant to pets’ health and wellness.