When do I spay or neuter?
For male dogs, we recommend waiting until they are approximately 12 months old. If your puppy begins to show behavioral issues, such as urinating on furniture, aggression, etc., then we recommend neutering as soon as possible.
For female dogs, if their adult weight is projected to be over 44 lbs, we recommend spaying after the first heat cycle. If their adult weight will be under 44lbs, we recommend spaying around 6 months old.
What vaccines should I give my dog?
This will vary from patient to patient based on what type of vaccines they have already received, if any, and what type of lifestyle your dog may have. The veterinarian will go over the different options and what is best for your dog.
What are the recommended monthly preventatives for maintaining my dog's health?
We recommend heartworm, flea, and tick preventatives to be implemented each month, year-round.
Heartworm is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes. When mosquitoes bite your dog, they transmit little larvae “teenagers” into your dog. These teenagers will become adults in a little over 30 days. The monthly preventative can only get rid of the teenagers; it does not eliminate adults. Once the larvae reach adult stage, treating heartworm disease can cost up to $3,000. This is why it is important to give a heartworm preventative each month, to stay ahead of it before it becomes a much larger issue.
The options for monthly heartworm prevention are: a pill (Heartgard - this is given as a free dose), a topical application (Revolution), or an injection (Proheart 12).
Fleas and ticks transmit a variety of diseases like Lyme, Anaplasma, and multiple intestinal parasites. These diseases can be fatal or expensive to treat, thus we recommend administering a preventative, year-round.
The options for monthly flea and tick prevention are: a pill (Nexgard - this is given as a free dose), a topical application (Frontline), or a collar (Seresto).
There is also an all-in-one monthly preventative for heartworm, fleas, and ticks: Nexgard Plus.
What and how often should I feed my dog?
Puppies should be fed three times a day until they are approximately 10 months old. We advise sticking to food brands that have been present for decades and proven to work. For most puppies, we recommend Purina Puppy Chow, Hills Science Diet Puppy, or Iams Smart Puppy. Some dogs may require a special diet, but those are decided on a case-by-case basis. If you choose to select another diet, we recommend reading the “Guaranteed Analysis” to ensure the diet meets “AAFCO approval for growing puppies.”
After 10 months of age, they can transition to twice a day feeding and graduate to adult dog food. Again, we recommend Purina, Iams, or Hills for adult food.
The amount of food per serving that your dog should eat will vary by breed, and the veterinarian will assist you in determining how much they should be fed at each stage of development.
Should I microchip my dog?
A microchip is a small transponder (the size of a grain of rice) that can be placed under your dog's skin which has an identification number that is registered in a national database. This is not a GPS tracking system. If your pet were to ever go missing, this microchip will help identify them and return them to you if someone else finds them.
For dogs, we recommend implanting the microchip under the skin during the time of your puppy's spay or neuter.
Should I get insurance for my dog?
Pet health insurance can help by offsetting some or most of the costs of diagnosing, treating, and managing your pet's illness or injury. Please click here for more information on different policies and the companies that offer pet insurance. If you would like to compare multiple insurance companies, please click here.
When can my puppy socialize with other dogs?
Your puppy may socialize with dogs owned by your friends or family whom you know are healthy and vaccinated. We recommend avoiding other dogs until your puppy is at least 16 weeks old and has received the Kennel Cough vaccine.
How do I housetrain my puppy?
Reward your puppy every time they eliminate outdoors. Do not reprimand your puppy if they urinate or defecate in the house. It is better to purposefully ignore the behavior. (Easier said than done... we know!)
Most puppies can hold their bladder overnight (approximately 6-8 hours), but some puppies may require more frequent walks (every 2-4 hours). Getting your puppy to eliminate outdoors--the "desired location"--is achieved by habitual behavior. When your pup eliminates outdoors, always give praise.
To prevent them from eliminating indoors, we recommend “crate training.” Dogs are den animals and as such do not like to eliminate in their immediate space. Your puppy will give signals to go outside (whining, actively sniffing near door, going back and forth next to the door, etc.), so try to watch for these signals. During times when you are unable to give your puppy your 100% undivided attention, we recommend keeping him/her in the crate in order to prevent any accidents from occurring in the house. This also means keeping your pet in a crate overnight.
After a few weeks to months of “crate training,” your puppy will understand that he/she can communicate the desire to go outside to eliminate. When that happens, your house training will be complete and your floors will be safe and clean to navigate once more!
My puppy is always biting me, what do I do?
First, be patient and understanding. Puppies / dogs need to be taught what to do, rather than what not to do. We recommend always trying to play with a toy so your puppy understands they can play hard with a toy, but not with hands.
Playful mouthing is normal behavior for a puppy or young dog. Time-outs are often very effective for curbing mouthing in puppies. When your puppy bites you, we recommend saying “NO” in a stern voice or saying “OUCH” in a loud voice. Then, get up and ignore them for 30 – 60 seconds. After the short time- out, return to your puppy and encourage them to play with you again, but with a toy.
It’s important to teach them that gentle play continues, but aggressive/painful play stops.
