The Uk is considered to be a nation of pet lovers and dogs are at the top of the list of the most popular pets in our households. Recently, several studies have suggested that there are many health benefits associated with pet ownership including reduced stress and blood pressure.

Although owning a dog has many benefits sometimes dogs exhibit behaviours that can have an enormous impact in our homes, in our relationships and in our lives. As an example we can point out behaviours such as inappropriate elimination, aggression towards people and other animals and even lack in basic obedience cues. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for these issues to result in owners surrendering their dogs to shelters or even becoming the reason for their euthanasia.

Adequate puppy socialisation is essential to prevent some of these behaviours. Puppies poorly socialised may develop abnormal behavioural reactions such as aggression or fearful responses towards other dogs and towards people (adults and children).

In order for puppies to grow into well-behaved and friendly members of our society they need to be socialised with other dogs as well as people before they are 12 weeks of age. The socialisation period is thought to last from approximately three to 10-12 weeks of age and during this period it is very important for puppies to be handled regularly and exposed to numerous situations, objects and environments. It is currently recommended for puppies to go to their new home at approximately 8 weeks of age to allow proper socialisation with their new family. Before the 8 weeks of age it’s the breeder’s responsibility to socialise the puppy.

Puppy socialisation and training classes allow puppies to socialise with other dogs and with people other than the owners, as well as the opportunity to be exposed to a variety of experiences and situations in a low risk, non-threatening environment.

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Vaccines are usually separated into two different groups or categories: the core vaccines and the non-core vaccines. Core vaccines are recommended for all dogs in general and will allow them to develop immunity against canine distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus. Non-core vaccines are recommended only if your pet is at risk of being exposed to certain diseases, which means they will only be required depending on the dog’s local environment and lifestyle. Vaccines in this group provide protection against parainfluenza, leptospirosis, kennel cough and rabies.

A puppy should get his first vaccine at around eight weeks of age, the second vaccine at ten weeks of age and a booster one year after the first vaccine. Puppies will not be protected until approximately two weeks after the second vaccine and until then, owners should be extra careful with their pet. Puppies should not go for walks in public areas and should be keep at a good distance from other dogs that are not completely up to date with their jabs.

A dog must be in good health when vaccinated in order for a vaccine to be fully effective.  Regular boosts will be necessary to keep their immunity from fading and the frequency of these boosts will depend on the vaccine brand and disease agent.

Consult your veterinary surgeon regarding vaccination plans. Your vet will gladly recommend the best vaccination protocol for your pet, based on his or hers individual needs.

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The microchip is considered the best permanent method of pet identification by vets, animal organisations and general authorities. A pet should be identified with a microchip as well as with a collar and an identification tag but the microchip is a much more effective system since collars and tags can easily be removed and/or replaced.

A microchip is a tiny capsule (slightly bigger than a grain of rice) that is implanted behind your pet’s shoulder blades. This small capsule will hold a unique identification number that can be read by a scanner. After your pet is microchipped you must register your contact details with the microchip company and these will be associated with your pet’s unique microchip number.

This method of identification has many advantages. It greatly increases the chances of being reunited with your pet if he or she ever gets lost. Hundreds of pets are lost and stolen every year and sadly many of them never go back to their owners and to their families due to lack of identification. Whoever finds them has absolutely no idea where they come from or how to contact their owners.

Nowadays not only vets but also animal rescue organisations, dog wardens and even local authorities have microchip scanners. If a dog is microchipped and gets lost, once it has been found and scanned, your name and contact details will quickly be provided and your pet can promptly be returned to you. This is why it is so important to keep your details up to date on the microchip company database. Please remember to keep this information updated if you move home or change phone numbers.

Microchipping also promotes responsible pet ownership since it is an effective way to identify owners that allow their pets to roam free and cause trouble,  it allows to trace puppies back to their breeder and therefore deal with possible puppy mill situations, it allows to identify owners in suspected cases of animal cruelty and it would also improve canine health in a long term, since it would be easier to register hereditary health problems and gradually reduce its incidence through responsible breeding.
Recently the government has announced that microchipping will soon be compulsory for all dogs in England from April 2016 onwards. Hopefully this decision will help reunite more owners with their lost pets and relieve some of the burden on animal charities and local authorities.

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