Should breeders vaccinate puppies in the UK?

At eight weeks old, your puppy will be due for their first vaccinations. Some breeders will have arranged their puppies’ first vaccinations before they go to their new home. If this is the case, you will be given a vaccination card by the breeder. You will need to show this to the vet you register your puppy with so that they know which vaccinations your puppy has had. Your puppy will need to have a second set of vaccinations, usually at around 10 weeks of age. If your puppy has not been vaccinated by the breeder, you will need to make an appointment with your own vet as soon as possible.

Puppies are typically vaccinated at eight and ten weeks with the second dose usually being given two to four weeks later. Speak to your vet about the best timings. Your puppy will then require a booster vaccination at 6 or 12 months. Your vet is always the best source of information on the vaccinations and treatments your new puppy will need. The costs can vary depending on what vaccines are given and when. But the costs are usually far less than treatment for the diseases they prevent. Vaccinations protect your pup from the following nasty diseases: Canine distemper Canine parvovirus Kennel cough Leptospirosis Parainfluenza. Different vaccines last for different lengths of time, as immunity can weaken. Your vet will provide you with a vaccination record, which you'll need to keep safe.

The veterinary advice is not to expose your puppy to other dogs or places they frequent until they are fully vaccinated and that is very important advice to reduce the risk of exposure to life threatening illnesses or diseases. Ideally a puppy will be re-homed at around 8 weeks, receive their first vaccine immediately or within a few days and then their second vaccine around 2 weeks later – depending upon the type used. A week or so after the second vaccination puppies are normally allowed out to explore the world. Unfortunately there are a number of breeders that are administering the first vaccine on the day that the puppy is picked up by their new puppy parents thinking they are being very helpful – but instead they can be contributing to problems with the puppy’s behavioural development. When a puppy has been vaccinated without any record of the vaccine, or when the vaccine has not been administered by a registered vet, your vet will most likely want to start the vaccines again and rightly so to ensure your puppy remains safe and healthy. My advice is simply to say no when your breeder offers to vaccinate your puppy and instead take them straight to your vet for a health check and to start their vaccination programme as soon as possible. That way, as well as reducing the risk of infection you will maximise their opportunity for behavioural development through effective socialisation. For full details on health and vaccines you should always consult with your vet.