Pets & Friends Guide to Puppy Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an essential part of your pet’s health. It’s crucial to their survival at an early age (some diseases can be fatal to pups under 6 months old) and can help prevent the spread of common pet diseases. Here at Pets & Friends, we want to help you take the best care of your pet, so we’ve put together a short guide on vaccinations to help you prepare for pet parenthood!

When welcoming your new family member, ensure you have their full vaccination details as part of the re-homing/purchasing process.

Vaccinating your puppy is one of the most important things you need to do as a puppy owner. Much like human babies, vaccinations, help your puppy grow up free from highly infectious pet diseases and help stop your puppy from potentially passing these on to other animals.

Which diseases do vaccinations protect against?

• Canine distemper
• Canine parvovirus
• Kennel cough*
• Leptospirosis
• Parainfluenza
• Infectious canine hepatitis ICH

When do I need to vaccinate my puppy?

On average, puppies are vaccinated at 8, then 10 weeks. Second doses will be given between 2-4 weeks after the initial dose if required. You will then need to book your puppy in for their ‘booster’ jabs for specific vaccines, which are administered 12 months after their initial dose.

*Kennel cough vaccinations aren’t required by law; however, we would always recommend getting this for your puppy ready for when they need to socialise is shared spaces. Some puppy/dog service providers (boarding kennels or doggy day care) may require the Kennel Cough vaccine for your dog to take part.

Always register your puppy at your local vets and ensure vaccinations are administered by a registered vet.

It’s important to remember that puppies cannot safely socialise until they are fully vaccinated. This includes attending their first groom at the salon and burning off that energy on long walks in public spaces.

Reputable puppy training classes, grooming salons, boarding kennels, and dog walkers also require double vaccinations before your puppy can attend.

We always recommend you speak to you vet for more details on vaccination and disease prevention.