Puppy dog

Joe Brennan

I have just acquired an 8 week old puppy (collie lab cross)
what age should I take him for his first injection & worm dose

andreac

When was it last wormed and what does the vaccination card say that the breeder gave you?

ACD

Did he get his first shots and worming doses at the breeder (as it should be)? If so, you should have been given a card with the dates and info for the follow up. If not, take him to the vet asap, he'll give you all the pup needs.

Joe Brennan

Thank you ACD I did not get him from a breeder A neighbour gave him to us he very happy & healthy. & I will take him to our local vet this week, I just thought he might be a little young for his first shots

andreac

But can you not ask them when he was last wormed? You need to be careful because if he has already been wormed recently it might be too soon to do it again.

Joe Brennan

Thank you andreac
He has had no medication what so ever I just wanted to know to best age to take him for his first visit to the vet

andreac

Joe Brennan wrote: »

Thank you andreac
He has had no medication what so ever I just wanted to know to best age to take him for his first visit to the vet

Oh god, the poor pup. He badly needs to be wormed then.

He should have been wormed from 2 weeks of age, every 2 weeks until 8 weeks.

Then its every month then on until he is 6 months, then every 3 months.

He needs to be taken to a vet asap then.

doubter

andreac wrote: »

Oh god, the poor pup. He badly needs to be wormed then.

He should have been wormed from 2 weeks of age, every 2 weeks until 8 weeks.

Then its every month then on until he is 6 months, then every 3 months.

He needs to be taken to a vet asap then.

Careful. When you bring puppy to the vet do NOT, under any circumstances, let the pup get in contact with other dogs.
he is not vaccinated, or wormed, which leads me to think that mum probably is neither.
Keep him/her away from any other dog, and try and avoid contact with them yourself to eliminate the risk of infection with Parvo or any other deadly virus.

Joe Brennan

TY Doubter
He is booked in for tomorrow

Joe Brennan

Any tips for getting my little fellow used to the lead, & what age will he stop growing

ACD

With regards to the growing, most medium sized dogs reach their adult size around 12-15 months, sometimes they can reach their adult height sooner, but it can take another while for them to "fill up" on muscles. But every dog is different, some take longer than others, so I'm afraid there's no definitive answer.

Is he ok wearing a collar yet? With the lead, do you mean walking on the lead or just getting him used to the lead being there?

Joe Brennan

Thank you Acd he is ok with the collar but reluctant to walk very far

Nody

Joe Brennan wrote: »

Thank you Acd he is ok with the collar but reluctant to walk very far

The general rule is 5 min per month (that's total time spent walking in a day) so at 8 weeks you're looking at a total of 10 min walking (beyond being indoors etc.).

tk123

Joe Brennan wrote: »

Thank you Acd he is ok with the collar but reluctant to walk very far

I hope you mean in the house/garden? A pup shouldn't be out on walks until they're fully vaccinated. You can carry the pup around for socialisation though to get it used to traffic etc but don't let them down on the ground. I didn't allow my pup down on the floor of the vets until she had all her vaccinations to be safe.

To get him used to the lead you could try attaching a piece of ribbon or house line (a light lead) to his collar but only under supervision so the pup doesn't eat the lead/get tangled etc

barbiegirl

Surprised no-one else has requested a photo of the cute little bundle yet. Please..........
Other things to investigate
Crate training - one of mine is trained, the other not. It makes it so easy to bring the trained one anywhere as he just gets into his bed and sleeps. The other one insists on being in the same room as us and settling in between us in bed when we are away. Thinking of trying to train her now too :rolleyes:
Socialisation classes - when you are in the vet's tomorrow see do they do classes for puppies they are great.
Dog proofing the garden - I know a lot of houses in the country don't do dog proofing but please do. Save yourself the trauma of a lost dog, a dog who is worrying sheep, chasing bikes or walkers etc. Oh and it should be a proper physical fense not an electronic one as they are useless the dog will run through the pain to get what it wants, plus I think they are cruel.
Mental stimulation - You have a very smart breed of doggie so find a way to mentally stimulate him so he doesn't go mad and invent his own job. Lots of walks, kong toys, kibble balls, puzzles, maybe even agility.
Chip & Neuter - Chipping the pup will soon be mandatory anyway, so get him chipped by the vet and register all your details online. That way if he does get lost or stolen and is found you get to bring him home. Neutering him will help to keep him from trying to escape to get to a bitch in heat. Especially important if you got him from a neighbour, as dogs don't make the familial differentiation and inbred puppies could be the result.
Best of luck, you sound like you want to do your best by him. You'll find lots of great advise for an issue you encounter here.