Congratulations on your big decision, you are well underway for preparing for your new furry family member! The Bone Idol Puppy Guide is here to help you make the most of this new exciting time.

When you get a new puppy there are some administrative tasks you will need to complete as part of this process.

We have put together some top tips for you below to help you stay on top of things and make sure you enjoy this time together.

We also recommend 'The Perfect Puppy' by Gwen Bailey a fantastic book that has proven invaluable when raising our own dogs and is on sale in our Brighton shop. Details at the bottom of this page

Ask for recommendations: Use your social media, local contacts and ask at your local pet shop.

Visit or call your short list & talk to the staff, some offer annual care plans and include checkups and worming so price this all in.  

Ask questions about hours, overnight care practices, billing details, and any other services they may offer.

When you have chosen your vet make time to visit regularly to make sure your puppy has a positive association with going to the vets. If they are local enough to walk to, include visits in your dog walk from time to time.

Your puppy has their second vaccinations usually around the 12 week mark and you may also want to consult with your vet about worming, flea treatment and neutering.

Since 6 April 2016, all dogs over 8 weeks need to be micro-chipped by UK law. A microchip is a tiny chip the size of a grain of rice that is injected into your puppy’s skin at the back of its neck. Each chip has a unique number which is stored in a central database and which allows your dog to be identified if lost.

This is should done by the breeder and will transfer the details to you. Make sure you have the paperwork when you collect your puppy.

Owners of dogs and puppies over the age of eight weeks must also have registered their pet’s microchip details on one of the authorised databases. These databases are run by private companies, and not by the government or the council. Owners are also required to keep their pet’s details up to date with the database under the law.

As well as being micro-chipped, it is still a legal requirement for dogs to wear a collar and tag with the owner’s name and address on it when in a public place. We do not recommend using the dogs name on a tag.