New Puppy Checklist

Congratulations! You just brought a new furry bundle of joy into your family! Here is a quick checklist of things to follow to keep your new puppy healthy:
 
8 Weeks Old

• Vaccinations
  • Distemper/Adenovirus/Parvovirus/Parainfluenza aka DA2PP
  • Bordetella (good for 1 year)
• Deworming
  • Even if dewormed previously, we tend to still give them a general dewormer medication. Puppies can re-infect themselves easily when with a group of puppies.
• Flea/Tick Preventive
  • Fleas and ticks can have a large effect on puppies due to their smaller sizes. At 8 weeks of age, many products are approved as safe to use on your puppy.
• Heartworm Preventive
  • Heartworm products prevent heartworm disease as well as get rid of many common intestinal parasites. It is important to give these products every 30 days to keep your puppy protected. At 1 year of age, we do yearly blood tests to check for heartworm and tick-borne diseases.

12 Weeks Old

• Vaccinations
  • DA2PP Booster
  • Lyme: This protects against the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease. This will need to be boostered in 3-4 weeks.
  • +/- Leptospirosis: Booster in 3-4 weeks
  • +/- Influenza: Booster in 3-4 weeks
• It’s time for their monthly flea/tick and heartworm preventives!

16 Weeks Old

• Vaccinations
  • DA2PP Final Booster (good for 1 year)
  • Lyme Booster (good for 1 year)
  • +/- Leptospirosis (good for 1 year)
  • +/- Influenza (good for 1 year)
  • Rabies
• Spay/Neuter
• Microchip: If your puppy gets lost, once they are found they can be scanned with a microchip reader. This reveals a number associated with you so can be contacted and reunited with your puppy. Despite a common misconception, these do not track your puppy.
• Once again, time for their monthly flea/tick and heartworm preventives!

Other Helpful Tips

• Potty Training
  • Let puppies go out every hour for how many months old they are, plus 1
    • Example: 2 month old puppy + 1 = go potty every 3 hours
    • Reward immediately after going potty to reward good behavior
• Socialization
  • Research or ask your veterinarian for suggestions on local trainers for puppy classes
  • Until fully vaccinated, do not take to dog parks or areas where there may be unvaccinated dogs which put your puppy at a higher risk for illnesses.
  • Play with their feet! This will get them accustomed to having their feet touched and help with nail trims in the future. Reward them with small treats to make nail trims a positive experience.

This is a general checklist, it is important to take your puppy to visit your veterinarian to go over your puppy’s individual needs. 

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