The worst disease that puppies can get is called Canine Parvovirus. People often call it "parvo" for short. Parvovirus is a deadly intestinal virus that is very common. Puppies catch Parvovirus from other puppies that have the disease. "This is easy!" you are saying. "All I have to do is keep my puppy away from sick puppies and he'll never get parvovirus!" Unfortunately, Parvovirus is an extremely tough virus, and can live for years in the ground and on other surfaces. This means that you can take a walk through the park, step on a spot that another dog had contaminated last year, and then bring parvovirus home to your puppy on your shoe.  Puppies need to be vaccinated for parvo every 4 weeks untill they turn 16 weeks old.

Distemper is the second most common deadly puppy-hood disease. It is very difficult to treat, and so it is commonly fatal if contracted. Like parvo, puppies catch distemper from other sick puppies. Fortunately, the distemper virus is not nearly as tough as parvovirus, and while you can still carry it home to your new puppy on your hands and clothing, it does not live as long in the environment. It is also easier for puppies to develop immunity to distemper with vaccinations than parvo. Puppies need to be vaccinated for Distemper every 4 weeks until they turn 16 weeks old.

There are other diseases puppies get that are not as serious as parvo or distemper. That doesn't mean they are fun, though, and it is a good idea to vaccinate your new puppy against them.  Kennel Cough is very common these days. Also called "Bordetella" after the bacteria that causes it, kennel cough is a highly contagious upper respiratory disease.  It is similar to Whooping Cough, a disease we vaccinate all our children against.   Parainfluenza is another upper respiratory disease against which we vaccinate. These viruses resemble the "common cold" that modern science still has failed to find a cure for.  These vaccines are best given intranasally by squirting the vaccine up their nose.  This mimicks natural exposure and triggers both circulating and surface immunity. Puppies need at least two vaccinations for Bordetella and Parainfluenza. 

Immunity to all these diseases doesn't happen at once.  It takes a series of booster shots to get good immunity to all these diseases.  Although the specifics are complicated, and are best evaluated on an individual basis, in general puppies need to be vaccinated every three to four weeks, starting at eight weeks of age, and not ending until they are at least 16 weeks old.  It is also important to minimize your puppy's exposure to other puppies and dogs until the vaccination series is completed. Because you can carry the disease home to your puppy on your hands or clothing, this means that you will also have to minimize your contact with other puppies and dogs as well.

Parasite Control

Far from a favorite topic of conversation, internal parasites, or "worms," as they are commonly called, are nonetheless a major problem. The problem is two-fold: "Worms" not only infect your puppy, they can infect your children as well!  Most puppies have worms. They are in fact born with them, acquiring the infection from their mother before birth. Young puppies are very susceptible to worms, and have little ability to fight off the infection.  Young children are also very susceptible to these same worms, and can catch them from puppies. Puppy worm infections in children can be very serious. Adult humans are at very minimal risk of acquiring a puppy worm infection unless they have an immunosuppressive condition.

Puppy worms are not very smart. Puppy worms like to live in puppies best, but they can infect a child thinking the child is a puppy, and then migrate and travel all over the child looking for a puppy to live in. The migration can cause serious damage.  Of particular concern is Ocular Larva Migrans, a condition where parasite lavra migrate into a child's eye, seriously damaging it.  Just in case you think I am kidding, take a look at what the Center for Disease Control, the CDC, has to say on this topic.  Click here to go to the CDC website article.

For these reasons it is very important to de-worm all puppies. Two doses of an appropriate medication usually does the job. It is advisable to deworm the puppy again at about six months of age, and yearly after that.



Sit, Ubu, Sit

Behavior problems are the leading cause of premature demise in dogs. Begin now to teach your puppy how to behave appropriately. Housebreaking is an immediate concern, but there are other things that it is desirable to have your puppy learn now that will make your interactions with him pleasant and enjoyable throughout his life. Remember that a puppy's attention span is very short, so patience and consistency are very important in training.

A Disclaimer:  I Am Not a Good Dog Trainer   My dog is not a shining example of good canine behavior.  My dog receives excellent health care, because I am a profesional veterinarian and know all about such things, but unfortunately, my dog was trained by an amateur (me).  So I am not personally a good source for dog training tips.  However, I know people who are expert dog trainers, and I would be happy to inrtoduce you to my people.  They are lised below under Puppy Kindergarten.

Potty Training is the first behavior problem you are likely to come up against.  I have found a few websites out there that I believa are pretty good.  Try these links:   www.littleshelter.com/library/housebreaking.htm, www.peteducation.com/article.cfm, and www.muchlove.org/housebreaking.htm  are all good places to start.

Puppy Kindergarten is an excellent idea. There are various classes and programs available, and we highly encourage you to enroll in one of them. It will not only teach your puppy how to behave, you and the whole family will have an opportunity to learn how to teach your puppy the things he will need to learn.  There are several puppy kindergartens in the area.  Contact information for them is listed below.

High Country Shepherds,   Ann Christensen is the instructor.               357-7973    http://highcountryshepherds.com/

All Breed Dog Training,   Melanie Montgomery is the instructor,            346-1070    www.allbreedhomedogtraining.com