Puppy health, feeding and development

Know normal, and recognise change

Notice appetite, drinking, stools, urine, movement, sleep and interaction. Keep a simple record of changes and bring previous records to the practice. Young puppies have less reserve; do not dismiss a marked change as normal settling.

Collapse, breathing difficulty, seizures, a swollen painful abdomen or repeated unsuccessful attempts to urinate need urgent veterinary advice. Repeated vomiting, significant or bloody diarrhoea, refusal of food, weakness or suspected ingestion warrant prompt contact. Use when to call the vet and emergency help; these pages do not diagnose.

Feed for growth, not an adult target

Begin with the familiar food where suitable, then use a complete diet appropriate for growth and the puppy’s expected size. Agree meal frequency and quantity with your vet or veterinary nurse using body condition, weight trends and the product guidance. Avoid sudden changes unless advised.

Count training rewards in overall intake and maintain fresh water. Ask before using homemade, raw, supplemental or therapeutic diets. Large and small puppies can have different needs; a breed label or an adult portion does not prescribe a growth diet. See feeding and nutrition and body condition.

Vaccines and parasites

Confirm which vaccines were given, dates and products, next doses and when protection is expected locally. Use that discussion to plan safe socialisation, not a blanket isolation rule. The vaccination guide covers the wider plan.

Bring parasite product names and dates so the vet can check coverage, puppy age and current weight. Do not combine products or guess a dose from an adult dog’s medicine. Agree flea, tick, worm and other locally relevant prevention with the practice using parasite guidance.

Identification depends on jurisdiction

UK guidance requires dogs to be microchipped and recorded on an appropriate database by eight weeks, subject to relevant exceptions. Check the actual rule and process for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, including any additional licensing requirements, in legal responsibilities and identification.

Confirm the chip number and transfer keeper details promptly. Registration does not replace any required collar identification. These UK requirements are not universal: visitors elsewhere should consult their local public authority and the existing country guidance.

Growth, teeth, grooming and reproduction

Development differs across puppies. Monitor a comfortable body condition and discuss unexpected weight, gait or growth changes at reviews. Use individual exercise planning rather than adult endurance assumptions.

Keep dental development with the existing puppy teeth guide, including retained teeth and discomfort. Begin cooperative care for mouth, coat, ears and nails in comfortable stages.

Discuss reproductive development and any neutering decision individually. Timing, potential benefits and limitations depend on health, size, sex and circumstances; use neutering guidance. Surgery is not a universal solution to training difficulty.

If development or health seems wrong

Describe the change and its timing to the practice instead of comparing only with another puppy. A lost training skill alongside altered appetite, thirst, movement or sleep needs a medical check. Treatment instructions from the veterinary team take priority over general guidance.

Use the checklist to record tasks to discuss, not to certify health or delay assessment.

Your location matters

Training principles are shared; vaccination exposure, professional services and legal duties depend on location. Any UK-specific rule or register is labelled as UK guidance. Follow local veterinary and public-authority advice.

Continue with your puppy’s needs

Puppy & Young Dog · What should I teach my puppy? · Puppy first-weeks checklist

Evidence and review

Reward-based learning is supported by behavioural evidence. Welfare guidance informs the advice about comfort, management and gradual exposure. The programmes and progression criteria here are practical editorial recommendations, not independently validated schedules or guaranteed outcomes. Evidence for exact age-based exercise and sleep rules is limited. These pages have not been clinically reviewed by a vet. Source publications may be in English.

• GOV.UK — microchipping and keeper details (UK)
• WSAVA — vaccination guidelines
• PDSA — diet
• PDSA — urine and bladder problems

Evidence standards · Report a correction