Puppy advice
Read our puppy advice articles to help you keep your puppy happy and healthy
Need more puppy advice?
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Getting puppies used to the car
Unfortunately car travel for some can be really difficult, as dogs can develop phobias or even true car sickness. So how do you keep your dog happy in the car?
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Introducing Puppies To Cats
Getting a puppy is a really exciting time, but not all the family may share your enthusiasm! Read our expert advice for some hints and tips.
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Adolescent Dog Training
When your puppy becomes an adolescent, it may lose some of its previous tricks and skills. Find out more about training your adolescent dog with our guide.
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Puppy Vaccinations
A puppy vaccination can help keep vulnerable pups safe and healthy. Find all the advice you need about puppy vaccinations and request an appointment online.
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Teaching Your Puppy To Sit
Learn how to train your puppy to sit down when you command through our tips such as using treats and praise to reinforce good behaviour.
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House Training Your Puppy
Toilet training is one of the first things you should teach your puppy. Discover our handy tips for how to potty train your pup before they arrive home here.
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Avoiding Puppy Biting
Everyone wants to be part of the fun when a new puppy is around, but puppy biting can be a problem. Find out how to avoid puppy biting with our online guide.
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Crate Training Your Puppy
Crate training allows you to teach your dog valuable lessons, including toilet and sleep training. Find out more about crate training with our expert advice.
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How to Prepare for a New Puppy
Preparing for a puppy with a new puppy checklist is crucial before you're bringing home your new furry little friend in order to make it feel welcome and safe.
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Teaching Your Puppy To Lie Down
Basic training is important for all pups, and ‘lie down’ is a common one to get you started. Read our expert advice for some hints and tips.
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Puppy Pet Insurance
Throughout a dog’s lifetime, there are times when you’re likely to need to make a claim on your insurance, particularly for veterinary fees. Click here to read.
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Changing Your Puppy's Diet
What are considerations you need to take when changing your puppy's diet? Find out how to transition your puppy to an adult diet with our helpful guide.
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Bringing Your New Puppy Home
What is more exciting than bringing a new puppy home for the first time? To make sure it is a great experience, read our top tips online today. Find out more!
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Where Should I Get My New Dog From?
If you decide you definitely want a dog, the next consideration is where you get your dog from. You should consider both breeders and rescue centres.
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Fleas And Your Puppy
Find out how to spot the symptoms of fleas on your puppy here. Find advice and treatments to ensure your pet does not suffer from these pests. Read online now.
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How preventative health care can save you money
The simplest way pet owners can give their pets a chance of a long, illness-free life is by keeping them as healthy as possible, and it will save money as well!
Puppy FAQs
You’re quite right - adolescent puppies can be every bit as wayward and distracted as human teenagers!
Go back to basics and practice your training in ‘safe’ environments with no distractions and lots of positive rewards for correct behaviours, and be reassured that this is likely to only be a phase that they will grow out of.
If you are not sure how best to approach this we would suggest finding a qualified dog trainer to work with or click here for more dog training advice.
Lead walking is something to practice with short sessions at home before you go out for a walk.
Start by teaching your dog to sit and stand comfortably at your side. Remember to reward them regularly, giving your dog a treat whenever they don’t pull. Slowly build up to taking some steps around the room or garden, being sure to stand still every time pulling occurs.
Read our top lead training tips here
They could be barking because they’re friendly and excited, or it may be that they are anxious and aroused.
In either case, it’s really important that you don’t try to punish or dissuade the behaviour since this could create a problem or make it worse.
If you are concerned please talk to your vet for more advice.
Just like wolves, dogs howl when they are trying to communicate at a distance with their pack members.
This suggests that your dog may be feeling distressed when you leave them, and we would suggest talking to your vet for more advice.
Read about separation anxiety in dogs here
Puppies will quickly learn to settle and sleep through the night as they get older.
For very young pups, night-time can be too long to go between toilet breaks. So you may have some broken nights sleep for the first weeks or months that your pup is with you.
Aren’t puppies delightful? This is likely to just be a ‘phase’ that they quickly move on from, but it would be worth making sure that they are up to date with their worming. If the problem persists please talk to your vet in case there are signs of a medical condition.
It sounds like he also had his kennel cough vaccination today, which is usually administered as a squirt of liquid up one nostril.
It’s perfectly safe for him to be given this at the same time as his injected vaccine, and provides important protection for when he comes into contact with other dogs or has to stay in kennels.
Kennel cough vaccination lasts for a year so it will need to be repeated alongside his booster vaccination in the future.
Spaniel ears are, by design a bit prone to collecting dirt and getting waxy and smelly.
An occasional squirt of ear cleaner is not a bad idea, but needing to do it twice a week and only in one ear seems a bit excessive - it’s probably worth getting your vet to check that there isn’t an infection or foreign body in there that’s causing a problem.
Health Plans to keep your puppy healthy
At Vets4Pets we offer a range of Health Plans that make essential routine treatments more affordable. You'll save money on things like annual vaccinations, flea and worm treatment and routine health check-ups.
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