Your life is now complete! You just brought your perfect puppy home and want to smother him with kisses, show him / her off to all your friends & on social media.
As much as you love your pup, you need to protect it. So, aside from the best harness, chew toys, comfy beds and cute sweaters, what else does your puppy need to stay in the best of health? Here’s our guide to keeping your new puppy healthy.
A Trip to the Vet
Do this sooner rather than later. When you call, let them know you have a puppy coming in case they want to keep him separate because, depending on the dog's age, they may not have all his vaccinations yet. It may seem premature to take a very young puppy in, but there are some health issues unique to them your vet can check on. A clean bill of health on your little one is always a relief. If you have a JLDD puppy, per our contract please be sure to take them to the vet within 5 days of pickup!
Your vet can give you the proper schedule of vaccines your pooch will need as well as the appropriate timeline to introduce them to the world outside your four walls. There are vaccines each puppy needs before they can meet other dogs and be in places where other dogs have been. Aside from vaccines that you have to stay up on, talk to your vet about:
The right time to spay or neuter - (our contract lists that puppies must be spayed or neutered by the time they’re 6 months old, but we allow exemptions if your vet feels strongly to wait and sends written notification!)
Advice for oral care
The right flea & tick medication
The right heartworm medication
Nutrition
You baby needs different food now than when they're older. Please be sure to start them out on the food that your breeder has them on, be it JLDD or another breeder. Switching foods quickly after a pup comes home can wreak havoc on your puppy's digestive system. Talk to your vet about their recommendation for puppy nutrition, including treats. Not everyone can afford the food the vet offers in their office, so ask about the best pet store food – there are really good ones out there. Follow the recommended feeding amounts and increase portions as the guide suggests on the back of the food bag.
Here’s a note you may not want to hear – now’s a great time NOT to get your little one used to people's food. We know how hard those little eyes are to resist, but you’re doing them a favor – your dog was never meant to eat cheese, crackers or pizza. In fact, there’s a long list of foods that can harm them, so it’s best to just keep your food to yourself.
Exercise
Your puppy needs structured exercise from a very young age, but not too much. They need to sleep and love more than exercise. You can find online guidelines for how much your puppy needs. It’s generally between 5-15 minutes twice a day per month of age, starting at two months and tapering off around 4-6 months. You’ll know how much your puppy needs by his energy levels. High-energy breeds like doodles will need more structured exercise than a chihuahua would.
Socializing
Once you get the all-clear from your vet, it’s important to socialize your baby to other people and dogs. This will keep them safe later in life by avoiding unpredictable behavior around other dogs and people. Puppy training classes are a great way to do this. It allows them to be in a group of dogs around the same age, and they get to learn, stimulating their little brains, too!
Training
Training will not only keep your puppy physically safe because you’ll be able to control the dog in chaotic situations, but it will emotionally comfort them, too. Sometimes dogs can feel out of control, which leads to bad behavior, simply out of stress. When you can get your dog to sit, stay, leave it, come and go to “their spot,” you can keep them calm and feeling safe.
Our Health Guarantee
As doodle breeders in South Carolina, we take the health of your puppy very seriously, so we provide a comprehensive health guarantee. You can feel good about our breeding practices because we always make sure the health of our puppies is the number one priority in everything we do.
The Most Important Puppy Health Tip? Lots of Love
The biggest thing your new baby wants and needs is LOVE! Everything is new to them, and now is the time for you two to form the unbreakable bond that will stay with you for the rest of your time together. Looking for a sweet new member for your family? Contact JennaLee Designer Doodles online here or call us at 843-779-5448.
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