We very strongly recommend vaccination for all pups. Routinue vaccinations provide protection against 5 sepearte diseases. These are Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza and Leptospirosis. All would be potentially serious and sometimes even fatal. Puppies receive 2 vacciantions 2-4 weeks apart and we normally start these from 8 weeks old, along with a full health check and discussion on general care. After this they will requirean annual booster to maintain their immunity.

In addition to these vaccines if a dog will be going into kennels we can vaccinate agaist kennel cough. This is a disease spread easily between dogs in close contact

The is a lot written in the press about vaccination but it is a vital part of health care. If you have any concerns please ask to speak to a vet to discuss these.

The single most important factor to remember about diet, is that there should be no sudden changes to the food, to avoid stomach upsets. Always ask when collecting your puppy what it has been fed, so that a gradual change can be made from previous to new diet.

Currently we advise feeding according to life stages: starting with a good quality puppy food ontil 6 moths old, then a junior diet until 12-18 months, depending on the breed.

We can advise different diets for dogs with special requirements eg giant breeds or sensitive stomachs.

This small microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, is placed under the skin around the shoulder area. The chip carriesa unique 15 digit number corresponding to it's owners details. It does not emit signals but needs a special scanner to 'read' the details. If your pup gets lost or stolen, any vet, police or rescue centre would scan immediately to trace it directly back to you.

Identichips are the simplest way to permanantly identify your pup for the rest of it's life and can be done from 8 weeks old.

For females the operation is called a spay, and can be done 3-4 months after a season. We would normally advise that bitches have one season to mature.

The procedure for male dogs is called castration and this is possible from about 6 months onwards.

We would normally recommmend neutering any dog which will not be used for breeding, to prevent unwanted litters of pups. Other benefits include a range of behavioural and health concerns eg reduce the rise of some types of cancers.

Training

Finally