Congratulations on your new family member! Dogs are a great addition to every family and provide years of unconditional love & companionship. The following is a bit of advice to help get your new best friend off to a great start.

Puppies generally go to their new homes at 8 – 12 weeks old. Here at Glasslyn we advise that you start vaccinating your new pet at 8 weeks old. This vaccine (known as a 7 in 1) covers your pet against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza & leptospirosis. After their initial vaccine they get a booster 4 weeks later (at 12 weeks old) they get another booster once they turn 9 months old. After this they get a vaccine every 12 months to help protect them for the rest of their lives. We also advise your dog gets a kennel cough vaccine, this is required for all kennels, puppy day care etc. Once your pet has had their initial course of vaccines (at 13 weeks) they are safe to get out and begin socialising with other puppies & people. It is important to start socialising your pet at a young age to help prevent behavioural problems when they are older.

It is also important to ensure that your pet is up to date with their parasite treatments. You must be especially vigilant with younger animals who need to be treated more often than adult pets. Puppies should be wormed every 2 weeks until they are 12 weeks old, every month until they are 6 months old & every 3 months after this. Flea treatments can be given monthly or every three months depending on the product used.

Neutering your pet is another important part of owning a dog. Neutering helps prevent unwanted litters, mammary/prostate cancers, womb infections, wandering & behavioural issues. Dogs can be neutered from 6 months onwards depending on the breed of the dog:

  • Small breeds can be neutered from 6 months
  • Medium – Large breeds, we advise to wait until they are 1 year old
  • Giant breeds, we advise to wait until they are 2 years old

*This can vary with certain breeds

Female dogs cannot be neutered while they are coming into or already in season. We advise that you wait 8 weeks once their season has ended to get them neutered. It is important to ensure that they are kept away from any unneutered male dogs both in your own household and outside while they are in season.

We stock a variety of breed & age specific foods for your dog at our clinics. It is vital to feed your pet an appropriate diet throughout their lives and we can advise you more about this when your puppy comes in for their vaccinations & neutering appointments.

Our pet health plan starting at €15 a month includes all your dog’s vaccines, parasite treatments, an annual check-up and 15% off neutering & food. You can sign up for it at any stage either online or in person.