Welcoming a playful, tail-wagging puppy into your home is an adventure filled with laughter, cuddles, and the occasional chewed-up shoe. But before you get lost in those puppy eyes, it's important to embark on a crucial mission: ensuring your furry friend's health is in tip-top shape!
From pre-adoption checklists to post-homecoming care, we'll arm you with all the tips and tricks to keep your pup bouncing happily.
We'll dive into the whole puppy journey, including:
- Pre-Adoption Checks: How to assess physical, behavioral and medical factors when meeting pup prospects.
- First Days At Home: Helpful tips to properly welcome and monitor a puppy as they transition.
- Ongoing Preventative Care: Building long-term health through veterinary visits, socialization and more.
Before Bringing Your Puppy Home
Start your journey right by choosing an ethical source, making sure essential pre-adoption health checks are done, and understanding puppy and parent health history.
Finding an Ethical Source
A healthy start for your puppy starts by selecting an ethical source—at Petbond, we perform breeder and seller screenings to ensure that every dog comes from a safe home. This includes:
- Confirming licenses, credentials, and facility quality
- Confirm parents' wellbeing
- Asking detailed questions about breed history and genetic issues
Essential Health Checks Pre-Adoption
Before adoption, ensure your puppy's health with vaccinations, vet checks, deworming, and genetic testing. Prior to adopting your doggo, confirm:
- Completed age-appropriate vaccination schedule
- Vet health examinations noting clear bill of health
- Deworming and parasite treatments administered
- Tests for breed-specific genetic diseases
Understanding Your Puppy's Health History
Make sure your furry friend is in tip-top shape by checking their family health history, chatting with your vet, and staying informed about any breed-specific health concerns. Your pup will thank you for it!
- Ask to see health clearances for parents if possible
- Note any past littermate health issues that could indicate risks
- Research common congenital and hereditary conditions associated with the breed
- Share all medical history with your vet clinic to best predict and monitor potential issues
During the Adoption or Purchase Process
By asking questions about diet, vet appointments, socialization, and health documentation, you can feel confident that you'll be bringing home a healthy new member of your family.
Asking the Right Questions
Start by focusing on nutrition, activities, medical history, and development to ensure a well-rounded and healthy upbringing . When selecting your pup, ask about:
- Feeding schedules, diet, supplement regimens
- Activity levels and exercise routines
- Past and planned vet visits and results
- Socialization steps taken to properly develop them
If you can, observe pups interacting together and with humans. Healthy behaviors include playfulness, curiosity, good appetites, proper waste elimination, and grooming.
Essential Documentation Prior to Adoption
Confirm records including health certificates, vaccinations, and genetic screenings to maintain care continuity and secure a healthy start for your puppy. Ensure you receive and review:
- Official health certificates and exam records
- Up-to-date vaccination data
- Deworming treatments and flea treatments given
- Microchip proof and emergency contacts (consider adding to a microchip database like Petlog or PETtrac)
- Genetic and congenital disorder test results
Use this paperwork to continue routine health visits and vaccinations. Vet-approved health histories give pups their best foundations!
Bringing Your Puppy Home
Make it a smooth transition for your puppy with initial vet visits for health baselines, vaccinations, and care plans, while monitoring their well-being closely at home.
First Puppy Check-ups
Kickstart your puppy's health journey with an initial veterinary visit to set medical standards, update vaccinations, and outline preventative healthcare strategies for growth. Schedule that first vet visit within a few days of adoption to:
- Establish medical baselines through comprehensive exams
- Administer further core vaccinations if needed
- Discuss parasite prevention and flea/tick medication plans
- Review nutrition standards specific to breed and age
- Set expectations for healthy growth milestones
Monitoring Health and Happiness
Keep an eye on your puppy's well-being with observations of their physical health, energy, and behavior, addressing any concerns swiftly for their best growth. At home, watch for:
✅ Clear eyes, nose, and skin
✅ Proper energy levels for their age
✅ Healthy appetite and bowel movements
✅ Sociable behavior and curiosity
🚩 Vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, or discharge
🚩 Signs of pain, limping, or trouble breathing
🚩 Changes in behavior patterns or temperament
Notify your vet about anything concerning. Sticking to vaccination schedules, avoiding infection exposure, and maintaining high-quality nutrition keeps pups thriving.
Ongoing Health and Wellness
Maintain your puppy's health with regular vet visits for preventative care, and invest in their well-being through training and socialization for a balanced, happy life.
Consistent Preventative Care
Ensure your puppy's lasting health by adhering to a schedule of regular veterinary check-ups, discussing preventative measures, and following nutritional advice.
Puppy check-ups should continue:
- At least quarterly in the first year
- Annually (or more often) thereafter
Discuss with your vet:
- Parasite prevention regimens
- Vaccination and booster schedules
- Diet plans supporting digestion and growth
Promoting Health Through Training
Keep your puppy's mind and body healthy with training that boosts mental agility, encourages polite behavior, and prepares them for diverse environments and experiences.
Proper training and socialization:
- Stimulates cognitive function
- Builds physical coordination
- Fosters good manners and behaviors
- Helps avoid stressful situations
Introduce your pup slowly using rewards and patience to:
- New sights, sounds, scents
- Car rides
- Urban settings
- Friendly neighbors and pets
Balancing Protection with Exposure
While socialization is crucial, be mindful of risks like viruses from unvetted dogs. Maintain vaccinations and discuss any questions with trainers and vets to find the right blend of skills development and safety.
When to Seek Veterinary Advice
If you have health concerns, recognizing signs that necessitate a vet visit will help to ensure early intervention and effective management of potential issues. Contact your vet practice promptly if you observe:
- Difficulty breathing or coughing
- Significant appetite/energy loss
- Evidence of pain: vocalization, immobility
- Changes in waste consistency/frequency
- Swelling, head tilting, walking issues
Serious problems detected early can often be managed or overcome by prompt diagnosis—waiting can make symptoms worse.
Preparing for Emergencies
Prepare yourself for unexpected situations with knowledge of emergency protocols and first aid skills to safeguard your puppy's health. Crises sometimes happen even with the best precautions. Owners should:
- Know the route to emergency vet hospitals
- Have an emergency financial fund
- Keep vet and local contacts in their phones
- Maintain up-to-date tags/IDs on their pup
- Learn basic pet first aid skills
Caring for Your Puppy Alongside Experts
The journey of puppy ownership can feel overwhelming at times, but you don't need to figure everything out alone.
Petbond has partnered with compassionate, experienced veterinary professionals across the UK. Their qualified teams care for Petbond dogs at every stage—from initial exams during adoption to ongoing wellness needs.
Get to know the vets dedicating their lives to protecting your puppy's health and happiness. Read staff bios, connect on consultations for your questions, and enroll your new doggo in their patient family!
Having an expert medical support system gives all pet owners peace of mind. Learn more about Petbond's veterinary partners so your pup starts off on the healthiest path possible.
