New puppy

[Xhipi1]

Hi guys and gals,
this is my first post on the forum so be kind to me asking a boat load of questions . After wanting a dog for most my life, i finally got the opportunity to buy one; an english setter. i have hunted with both of the pups parents and i am more than happy with them. this being my first dog, i have allot of questions and concerns. First off, the pup was born on the 17 of may so its still very young but i plan on picking it up when its 6 wks old. Is that age ok or is it still too young? i have researched allot of dog food but at this point im confused as could be. can anyone steer me in the right direction? also when and what should his first shots be and how often should i take him to the vet?
sorry for all the questions guy
thank you for the help though

[Cajun Casey]

Six weeks is a bit young. Eight or ten weeks with the litter allows the pup to learn social skills. His first vaccinations should be given around six to seven weeks of age and include distemper and parvovirus. Some combos used are DA2P, DHPP and DHPP-CVK. Vaccincations continue on a three week interval until the puppy reaches 16 weeks of age. Deworming should be done at 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks.

Ask your breeder what they are feeding the pups and get a supply of that food. Don't change for a while.

[gotpointers]

Exactly what Cajun Casey said. But i would like to add, keep your new pup out of public places until all three shots are received.

[Xhipi1]

Sounds good guys thank you in advance. this is awesome info

[mcbosco]

The breeder was ok with you taking the puppy at 6 weeks? When are others going home?

[cjhills]

Should wait til at least 8 wks get on board with a competent vet and let him(or her) set you up on shots feeding and things of that nature. They are not always right but they are better at this than we are. I schedule my first vet visit before I get the puppy.
Take the advice on here with a grain of salt. Some times free advice is worth about what you pay for it. Good Luck and enjoy CJ

[birddog1968]

Everyone says 8 weeks but I've never had a problem taking a younger pup home....

[BigShooter]

Some breeders with large litters will push owners to take pups sooner so they can get rid of the puppy care hassles. Personally I don't like taking them before 7 weeks & see potential benefit in waiting even longer. I haven't heard of the downside to waiting longer.

[JIM K]

8 weeks on puppy. should have shots at 6 weeks. call vet for appointment.feed the puppy food for a few weeks mixing in CANIDAE ALS until he is used to it.
me, i dont like puppy until 8 weeks of age.

[Xhipi1]

well the breeder was saying anywhere from 6-8 weeks is ok but he suggests 8. but this being my first dog, i kind of want him soon but i do understand that its better to wait so im going to wait the full 8 weeks.

[JIM K]

well the breeder was saying anywhere from 6-8 weeks is ok but he suggests 8. but this being my first dog, i kind of want him soon but i do understand that its better to wait so im going to wait the full 8 weeks.

[Cajun Casey]

I think you will be happier with an eight week old than a six week old. That additional two weeks of development makes things like potty training a lot easier. Have fun with the little beast.

[RoostersMom]

At least 8 weeks, 10 weeks being preferred from a lot of breeders now. 6 weeks is way too young and likely illegal in many states as well.

You'll have fun with the pup!

[frontline]

20 States have laws restricting the age of puppies for sale, almost all of them require that a puppy must be 8 weeks old.
Overview: http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovus ... lelaws.htm

Table of State Puppy Age Sale Laws here: http://www.animallaw.info/articles/ovus ... etable.htm click on the citation in this table to read the text of the statute for each state.

As far as when you should get him his first shots will depend on what age the breeder started giving them. Core vaccinations (Distemper, Parvovirus) are given at 3-4 week intervals with the final dose at 14-16 weeks. For example, 6, 10 and 14 wk, or 8, 12 and 16 wk. Vaccination earlier than 6 weeks is not recommended because maternal antibodies can make the vaccine useless. Rabies is given at 12-16 weeks depending on the law in your state and it's recommend to give rabies 2 weeks away from other vaccines. Other non-core vaccinations (Bordetella, Leptospirosis, Lyme) are only recommended where there is a chance of exposure, research and talk to your vet before deciding if you want these vaccinations. Corona is not recommended.

Here is a PDF showing the 2011 AAHA Canine Vaccination Guidelines but it's difficult to read (sideways) unless you print it out: https://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments ... elines.pdf

Here is another guideline that's easy to read (there are many): http://www.critteradvocacy.org/Canine%2 ... dlines.htm

If your breeder has vaccinated you should be given a copy of what was given (manufacturer, lot, date, etc), take that with you to your vet.

Good luck with your puppy!

[Xhipi1]

thank every on for the help. its really appreciated.

[Xhipi1]

hey guys i was looking at dog vaccines and had a question. for the pup, should a 5 way vaccine such as vanguard plus 5 work or should i go with a 7 way vaccine?

[Cajun Casey]

Customarily, the 7 in 1 shots, which contain modified live leptospirosis vax, are not given to pups under 12 weeks of age, even though they may be labled for such. A five way is fine. Depending on where you live and what risk there is for which strains of lepto, you may want to use an entirely separate protocol for that family of disease. Ask your vet or check with your state vet board for recommendations.

[frontline]

More is not necessarily better and many experts in the field now believe that minimal vaccinations is better for the long term health of your dog. This article should help you and don't stop when you get to the "References" section, some good information there too.
http://www.caberfeidh.com/Revax.htm

[B&BWeims]

Puppies shouldn't leave their mothers until they reach 8 weeks of age. Feed a high quality brand of dog food. Stay away from dog foods that have corn, by-products, chemicals (such as propylene glycol), fillers, unnamed meats, grains/wheat/gluten, sugars and artificial flavorings and colors. My food recommendations to you is Back to Basics Dog Food, Orijen, Acana, Merrick Grain Free, Timberwolf Organics - Grain Free, SoJos and The Honest Kitchen. Stay away from Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Iams, Pedigree, Science Diet, Kibbles N Bits, Good Life, Ol'Roy, Dad's Dog Food, Bil Jac, Diamond, Abady, Authority, 4Health, etc.