• Vaccination
Ideally puppies should have their first vaccination at 6-8 weeks of age.  One or two booster shots will be needed approx 4-6 weeks later depending on the age and expected risks to your puppy.  The most important thing to remember is that your puppy will be at risk for catching parvo until he/she has had that second vaccination.  During this time make sure that your pup doesn’t come in contact with unvaccinated dogs until after the booster.  This generally means keeping it well confined in your house section, do not take it to parks or the beach for walks.

• Worming
If you breed puppies they will need to be wormed at 2,4,6,8 and 12 weeks of age.  It is very important that you weigh your pup to ensure you know how much to give him/her.  We have a puppy worm suspension that makes this job very easy, or there are worm tablets.  From twelve weeks to 6 months of age your puppy should be wormed monthly with an ‘All’ wormer.
Adult dogs should be wormed with an ‘All wormer’ every 3 months.

• Flea control
Frontline spray is safe to use on puppies from two days old.  Again make sure you weigh your puppy to get the correct dose.  When your puppy is 12 weeks old you can use Frontline Plus. 
We have all Frontline Plus for dogs available in both clinics

• Feeding/nutrition
While growing your puppy needs a complete and balanced diet designed for growth and development.  At least 2/3 of what your puppy eats should be a premium puppy food, and your puppy should fed this until it is one year old.  We recommend that you use either Eukanuba, Iams or Hills Science Diet.  A complete range of these brands are stocked in both clinics.

For farm dogs:-
Talk to us about the benefits that you will achieve from feeding Eukanuba Premium Performance to your working dogs.

• Speying/neutering
We have no set policy for when to spey or neuter your dog, however we do recommend that you have the surgery done.
All bitches should be speyed soon after their first heat, unless you wish to breed from her.  If you wish to spey prior to her first heat, phone the clinic and discuss it with one of the Vets.  Far more pups are born than there are homes for.  PLEASE consider carefully before electing to breed your bitch.
Male dogs should be castrated before they are one year old.  They are more social, less aggressive and generally cleaner pets.

• Microchipping
Any puppy, by law, must be registered to your local council by 3 months of age and microchipped within 2 months of registration.  Also, any dog coming into New Zealand for the first time must be registered and microchipped as soon as possible. 
We are able to microchip your dog at our clinics and we will provide you with a microchipping certificate to take to the council where your dog's details will be registered onto the National Dog Database.