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PUPPIES

A&BVCs are delighted to provide all the health care services necessary to keep your new furryfamily member happy and healthy. Owning a dog is an extremely rewarding experience and itcomes with some responsibility. Please refer to this page to ensure your puppy has the best startto life.

New Puppy Check List

Puppy health checks

Vaccinations

Worming

Flea and tick prevention

Feeding

Puppy Preschool andbehaviour

Puppy health checks

Puppy health checks are not just because we want to meet and cuddle your new pup! They areimportant in ensuring the new addition to your family is healthy. At these appointments, we checkyour pup from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail, and make you aware of any special concernsif necessary. We also provide advice on preventative treatments, and are happy to answer anyquestions you may have. We understand how confusing all of the available products and foodscan be, not to mention knowing what treatment is due when. At A&BVC, we help to make caringfor your puppy simple and provide as much support as you need to make it through the “gauntletof puppyhood.” Health checks are routinely performed with vaccinations – see below for thevaccination schedule.

Vaccinations

There are many diseases that could be fatal to your puppy. Fortunately, we have the ability to

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prevent some of these by the use of very effective and safe vaccines. In order to be effective,these vaccines must be given as a series of injections.

Vaccination and Health Check Schedule

First: 6­8 weeks

­ Puppy health check­ Vaccinate against: Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus and possibly Corona Virus.*Note: usually your puppy will have had its first vaccination and health check before theycome home with you from any reputable breeder or pet store.

Second: 12 weeks

­ Puppy health check­ Vaccinate against: Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus and Canine Cough (Bortatella andParainfluenza)

Third: 16 weeks

­ Puppy health check­ Vaccinate against: Distemper, Hepatitis and Parvovirus and Canine Cough (Bortatella andParainfluenza)

Why does my puppy need more than one vaccination?

Puppies may receive an antibody rich milk (called colostrum) when suckling from their mother.These antibodies last for a variable number of weeks after birth, then fade away. Many breeders,pet stores and shelters vaccinate puppies early when their mother’s antibodies are still present,and the body may then not respond to the vaccine. Booster vaccinations account for this andattempt to step in when the maternal antibodies fade. The repetition allows long­livedprotection. In addition, some breeds e.g. Rottweilers are more prone to certain viruses e.g.Parvovirus and need to be assured of a strong, long­lived antibody response from their vaccine.

The idea of vaccinations is that when your pet is exposed to the virus out on a walk or at the dogpark, their body “remembers” it from the vaccine and produces “memory cells” to neutralise theinfection before it gets started. This is much faster than learning to fight a virus for the first time,when many animals become very ill or die. Booster vaccinations ensure your puppy’s body is fit tofight off some of the more aggressive and potentially fatal viruses they can encounter.

Worming

Worms are common in puppies. Dogs are susceptible to 4 types of intestinal worms that liveinside the intestines – roundworm, hookworm, whipworm and tapeworm. Worms can be caughtfrom the puppy’s mother whilst still inside the womb, or after birth from their mother or otherinfected animals. Intestinal worms can cause diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss/failure to gain weight,anaemia or intestinal obstruction. Large worm burdens can be fatal. In addition, some of theseintestinal worms can be transmissible to people.

Therefore, we recommend worming your puppy fortnightly from 2 weeks of age. After 8 weeks ofage, many puppies are able to go onto combination products that may also prevent heartwormand/or fleas. We can help you find an appropriate worming or combination product at yourpuppy’s health check.

Heartworm:

Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes and is endemic in Sydney and temperate parts of Australia.Mosquitoes carrying heartworm bite your pet and inject tiny microfilaria (immature heartworms)into the bloodstream. These microfilaria turn into larvae and lodge in the heart and lungs, wherethey grow into large adult worms and cause massive inflammation of surrounding tissue. In theheart, this results in heart failure within 3­5 years in dogs. In the lungs, the inflammation cancause difficulty breathing and permanent scarring, and this can be particularly fatal in cats.Treatment of heartworm is complicated and some animals may not survive it.

As with most things, prevention is better than the cure. At A&BVC, we can give puppies heartworminjections from 3 months of age. These injections are convenient and are perfect for clients thatfind giving monthly products difficult to remember. Our staff can help you choose the bestheartworm prevention for your puppy at their health check appointment.

Flea and Tick Prevention

We are lucky to be surrounded by beautiful bushland in the Asquith and Berowra areas; however,with this wonderful landscape comes the deadly paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus. These tickscause a rapidly progressive paralysis and some or all of the following clinical signs:

Weakness in the legs or collapse

Difficulty breathing, rapid respiratory rate or excessive panting

Coughing or gagging

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Change in the voice of your pet

Lethargy or lying still more than normal

If you find a tick on your puppy, we recommend immediate removal and/or coming to see usimmediately. Urgent treatment is required to ensure survival in affected animals.The best was to prevent paralysis ticks is:

Use effective preventative products eg. Frontline topspot or Advantix FORTNIGHTLY,Scalibor or Preventix tick collars, Frontline spray every 3 weeks;

Do not miss doses. Setting a recurrent alarm in your phone or writing reminders on acalendar helps;

Finger search daily as NONE of these products is 100% effective;

Do not bath your pet more than every fortnight and always use a conditioner, even in short­coated breeds. This helps topspots to spread on the oil on the fur to give your pet properpreventative coverage. We stock a range of appropriate shampoos and conditioners andour staff can help you choose the right combination for your pet.

Remove tick collars before bathing or swimming, and replace them when your dog is dry.

Why is it important to treat my puppy for fleas?

Fleas are the most common cause of itching and allergic dermatitis in puppies. They alsocontribute to the spread of parasites e.g. tapeworm, and cause anaemia and susceptibility todisease. Fleas are often present in your home without you knowing, as they tend to focus theirefforts on your pets because they are closer to the ground, with a higher body temperature andthick fur. Female fleas lay up to 50 eggs per day. These eggs turn into larvae, which are mobileand crawl anywhere dust would accumulate e.g. in between cracks in floorboards, under furniture.Some of these larvae will turn into pupae, which are in a protective cocoon. Pupae can laydormant for up to 9 months, and they will only hatch when the environment is right – highhumidity, warm temperature and vibrations on the floor.

The best way to prevent fleas is:

Use an effective flea preventative e.g. Frontline topspot or Advantix (which also help toprevent ticks), Activyl (fleas only), Comfortis (fleas only) or Panoramis (fleas, heartwormand intestinal worms).

Do not miss doses. Setting a recurrent alarm in your phone or writing reminders on acalendar helps.

Do not bath your pet more than every fortnight and always use a conditioner, even in short­coated breeds. This helps topspots to spread on the oil on the fur to give your pet properpreventative coverage. We stock a range of appropriate shampoos and conditioners andour staff can help you choose the right combination for your pet.

HOT wash bedding your dog sleeps on in at least 60 degree water for at least 10 minutesto kill pupae. Putting it in the sun alone does not work.

If fleas are a problem, flea bomb the house using the correct number of bombs/metresquared, as directed on the packet, and repeat as required.

Block off under the house, as fleas can burrow into sand/dirt for 10cm and love thesheltered breeding conditions.

With so many products on the market and our often busy lives, it is important to find products thatwork well, and that minimise the number of things you have to remember at home.Our dedicated staff are trained to help you choose the perfect preventative products for yourlifestyle and for your puppy, taking into account their breed, coat length, swimming and bathingfrequency and any individual health problems or needs.

Feeding

Feeding your puppy a balanced, high quality diet is of critical importance to set them up for ahealthy life. We recommend feeding a nutritionally balanced growth diet 3 times a day for puppies<12 weeks of age, and 2 times daily to puppies and adult dogs >12 weeks of age. At A&BVC, westock Eukanuba, Hills Science Diet and Hills Prescription Diets which are completely balanced,highly digestible super premium foods.

With so many foods on the market, which one do you choose? Most commercial diets haveappropriate nutrition in them these days, however there are some differences between foods youshould be aware of:

Premium quality foods, e.g. Hills Science Diet and Eukanuba, are formulated byveterinarians to be completely balanced for your pet. Scientific research has demonstratedhow much of which nutrients your puppy needs for their breed, age and bodyweight, andthese foods come with a guide to accurately advise you how much to feed. Premium foodstake the guess work out of feeding and ensure your pet is getting exactly what they need,as well as keeping them at a healthy body weight.Premium diets must accurately state their ingredients on the label. Many supermarket orlesser quality pet store foods do not have this legal obligation, which allows them to change

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the formula without telling you, include ingredients you are unaware of, and use lesserquality meat cuts or grain sources without you being aware.Premium foods use only natural antixoidants and preservatives.Premium diets use premium quality ingredients. For example, they might use highlydigestible chicken breast in their “chicken” based diet, whereas a lesser quality brand mayinclude poorly digestible cartilage or meat cuts in their “chicken” diet. Both are chicken, butone is much harder for your pet to extract nutrients from.Some breeds are predisposed to certain health problems e.g. small breed dogs and dentaldisease, Labradors and obesity etc. Premium diets can help cater to your pets individualneeds better than a “one size fits all” lower quality diet.

What about BARF and home­made diets?

The risk with home prepared food is that, without scientific research to show exactly how much ofwhat you should be feeding, you may inadvertently provide incomplete nutrition leading to healthproblems. Many clients find feeding a commercial premium diet, with occasional pet safe treatse.g. cooked, lean chicken, gives them the best of both worlds.

Should I feed my puppy bones?

Bones can be a great source of entertainment and nutrition. However they can cause somecomplications, including broken teeth requiring extraction, gastroenteritis, constipation, intestinalobstructions or pancreatitis, and some of these can be life­threatening. If feeding bones, werecommend always supervising your pet, removing them after an hour or so and disposing ofthem, and never feeding cooked bones. If your pet buries bones and only chews them whenrotten, or gulps chunks of bone, it may be best to avoid them altogether.

If you aren’t sure what to feed your puppy, or have any questions, our staff will be more thanhappy to discuss diets with you and help you find the best nutrition for your new friend. After all –you are what you eat!

Puppy Pre­school and Puppy Behaviour

Bringing a new puppy home is exciting for the whole family! However, it can become quite achallenge if your puppy is not taught the house rules at the start. When your new puppy comeshome, they will be looking to you for guidance and direction, and will trust you to teach them whatthey are and aren’t allowed to do. Your puppy will never do something naughty on purpose. However, they are very inquisitive and will explore their new environment – which may sometimesget them in to trouble!

Consistency is the key

It is important to decide what is/isn’t allowed before you bring your new pup home. Ensure allfamily members are consistent and continue to reinforce these rules so you don’t confuse yournew friend. Training a puppy is actually easier than you may think. Your new puppy has a strongdrive to please you and fit into their new family. You do not need to physically punish your dog,yell or shout at them. It is much better to praise and reward them when they are doing somethingyou do like, than make them anxious, scared or confused by punishing them when they dosomething you don’t like. This way they will learn good behaviours and repeat them more often inorder to gain your praise, and perform the behaviours you don’t like less often. They will alsoremain happy and confident, and not associate you with negative events.

A&BVC recommend your puppy attends a Puppy Pre­school run by a qualified dog trainer orveterinarian. Puppy and junior classes at A&BVC are run by Kristy Raines, on site at the AsquithVeterinary Clinic. Kristy has completed a Delta Dog Training course, has been a qualifiedVeterinary Nurse for 10 years and has most recently been training working dogs in a rescuefacility. You may also have seen Kristy performing with The Muttley Crew, a group of talentedcanines who perform shows around Australia.

Why is Puppy Pre­school important?

The two main goals of Puppy Pre­school are socialising and training.For you and your new family member to be happy, it is important they are friendly and relaxedaround both humans and other animals. Puppies have a “critical socialisation period” before 18weeks of age, where they will approach new people and animals and learn “manners” easily. Ifsocialised with lots of “new” people, children and animals at this time, they will be likely to be moresociable later in life. However, socialising your new pup in dog parks or on the street is not safe asthe animals they are in contact with may not be vaccinated or wormed, or may be aggressive.Your pup may also be exposed to pathogens on the ground or soil without contacting animals atall. The best way to socialise your little friend is through Puppy Pre­school, where they can beexposed to others without risk, in a carefully monitored environment. Puppy Pre­school also givesyou the support of a qualified dog trainer, to help you troubleshoot any unwanted behaviours,problems with training, anxiety or idiosyncrasies of your pup.

Puppy Pre­school with Kristy is fun, provides beginner training for your pup, and provides a safeenvironment for them to socialise in. Rather than letting the puppies have a “free­for­all,” wheresome puppies may feel intimidated or overwhelmed (and may even learn to be afraid of otherdogs or people), Kristy assesses the personalities within each class and caters to each individual,letting the pups socialise with like­minded individuals whilst still getting time to play, and gentlybuilding their confidence.

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At what age should my puppy attend Puppy Pre­school?

8 to 18 weeks of age

How long does Puppy Pre­school go for?

4 weeks

Restricted Access!

Just like a baby that has learned to crawl, your young puppy needs to be in a safe environment atall times. Puppies explore by picking things up with their mouths and tasting them. Unfortunately,they do not understand that chewing power cords or eating small objects may harm them. Youcan create a safe environment by “puppy­proofing” areas of your home and only allowing yourdog access to these areas. Puppy­proofing involves removing objects that may be chewed orswallowed e.g. children’s socks, underwear, toys, batteries etc, removing human medications oritems that may be toxic to your pup e.g. rat bait, chocolate, and making sure there is nothing thatcould harm your pup in the environment e.g. something they might fall off, sharp objects etc.Another option is to restrict the areas your new puppy has access to e.g. restricting access to thelaundry, bathroom and garage. Do not leave your puppy alone unless they are in a puppy­proofedarea or crate. Anytime your puppy is in an area of the house that is not puppy­proofed, makesure someone can keep an eye on them; this will help prevent them from coming to harm and willalso give you the opportunity to catch your pup and reward them when they do something good.

Punishment and time out

Using shouting, scolding or hitting a puppy as a way of stopping bad behaviour is actuallyextremely ineffective. Such measures cause a dog to become anxious and afraid, and hencemake it impossible for them to learn the correct way to behave. Have you ever tried concentratingwhen someone is shouting angrily at you? For most of us, it is much more difficult to focus in thissituation. Worse still, your puppy may become afraid of you. Since your puppy is looking to you forguidance and direction, you want them to trust you. After all, you are their only support in theirbrand new world and without that support, that world becomes a lot more lonely and scary.

Rewarding your puppy’s good behaviour and celebrating in their successes is not only a lot morefun than using punishment and scolding, but it also much more effective! If you find your puppy isnot behaving as you want them to, rather than scold them, INTERRUPT by clapping your handsand saying “Hey” and once you have their attention REDIRECT them onto something else. So forexample, if your puppy is chewing the couch and you don’t want them to, interrupt them by saying“hey!” and clapping, then give them a chew toy, or call them to their bed or crate and say “YES!”and give them lots of treats and praise. This way you are setting your puppy up for success byproviding a replacement activity.

Toilet Training

Toilet Training a puppy can be a trying time, particularly when attempting to preserve one’scarpet, but if you follow all the right steps a pup can be completely toilet trained within 2 – 4weeks! Remember: positive reinforcement and praise are most effective. Here are our top tips forsuccess:

Catch your puppy when they go to the toilet in the right place and reward them with praiseand a treat. Pretend they just won the lottery, celebrate and, if you have one handy, givethem a treat. Saying “good boy” alone sounds like you’ve said something as interesting as“wilted cabbage” to your dog. Make it sound like they are the best little puppy in the world!We like to use the word “YES!”If you catch your puppy looking for a spot to go – you will notice sniffing or circlingbehaviours ­ distract them by clapping your hand or calling their name, and take them totheir “toilet spot” e.g. outside, or a pee pad. Allow your puppy to walk to the toilet spot,rather than carrying them, as this will teach them how to get there if they need to go. If you decide on an outdoor toilet spot, ensure your pup has easy access to it e.g. a dogdoor, with few obstacles. Set your little friend up for success – the further away from thehouse, or the more stairs or obstacles there are, the harder it will be for your puppy tolearn, and there may be more accidents inside or on verandahs, for example. If you decide on an indoor toilet spot, it helps to make it big enough for your size of dog. Forexample, a cat litter tray is fine for a smaller breed but larger breeds need a larger area. Ifyou plan to move the toilet spot outside in the future, it may help to use a natural surfacesuch as grass, sand or wood chips rather than paper or wee mats. This will ease thetransition to outside as your puppy will already be accustomed to the surface of its long­term toilet spot.Never scare your puppy or yell at them, and never rub a puppy’s nose in its faeces or urine.This will only make them afraid, confused and teach them not to go around you. They willstart to hide it behind furniture or in other rooms. Make sure you take your puppy out to the toilet area after they have been fed and whenthey wake up; these are times they will definitely feel like going and are a great opportunityto catch and reward them!

Play Time – Biting and Toys!

Puppies love to play, and often also love to play bite. This is a natural behaviour, and is perfectly

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acceptable when they are tussling with littermates and learning about their environment. It is alsopart of the teething process around 8­12 weeks, and 4­6 months of age. This behaviour, however,is not so much fun when your pup grows into an adult dog and is still mouthing you, your familymembers, guests, and possessions.

One method to reduce mouthing is to yell “OUCH” and walk away from your pup, cradling thebitten limb (pretending they did a lot of damage!). You will find that by doing this every single timethey bite, your puppy will learn to bite softer and within a week or two (depending on howconsistent you are) – not bite at all. Another method is to ignore the bite, move the object they arebiting away, and provide a suitable item for chewing, such as a toy, then praise them as above fortoilet training. Ensure your puppy has lots of toys to play with. You should decide which ones theycan have and when they can have them. These will teach your pup that you control the gamesand also prevent boredom (because you can rotate the toys). Toys for chewing also provide relieffor teething gums.

Further Training for Your Pup

Puppies learn very quickly, but they also forget very quickly. Your pup needs to be constantlyreminded of and praised for correct behaviour. There are a number of ways of continuing trainingand building on the bond that develops with it. At A&BVC, Kristy Raines also works with olderdogs, and may be developing specialty classes e.g. tricks classes in the near future. There aremany community based “manners” or obedience classes in the area and you may also beinterested in agility training (not just for working breeds!) or flyball (perfect for ball­motivatedpups). Further training and activities classes with your dog are a great way for the two of you tostrengthen your bond, help provide stimulation and relieve boredom for animals stuck at home allday, are great for your dog’s health, and are an enjoyable social experience for dogs and theirowners! The main thing is to ensure the classes you attend use motivational and reward­basedtraining methods (not positive punishment or negative reinforcement methods) and are fun forboth of you.

ASQUITH VETPhone: (02) 9477 1349 | Fax: (02) 9476 2781305 Pacific Highway ASQUITH NSW 2077

BEROWRA VETPhone: (02) 9456 2526 | Fax: (02) 9456 5519130 Berowra Waters Rd BEROWRA HEIGHTS NSW 2081

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