Do You Know When Your Puppy Should Be Getting His Shots?

So you got a new puppy — congratulations! But you probably have a lot of questions, including when he should be getting his shots and what food you should feed him. We, along with Royal Canin veterinarian Dr. Laura Pletz, are here to help!

For starters, your puppy needs to go to the vet for an initial visit as soon as you bring him home. This is standard for getting any new pet. Once your puppy reaches 6 weeks old, he should start getting his vaccinations. The must haves include canine distemper, parvovirus, and rabies, according to Dr. Pletz. There are other vaccine options available, but those strictly depend on where you live and the kind of lifestyle your dog will have. Go through all of this with your vet, and she will set up an appropriate vaccine schedule for you from there.

Now that you've got your pup all vaccinated, what should he be eating? According to Dr. Pletz, it's important for puppies to be introduced to a formula of food that is appropriate for them. She cites the Labrador Retriever as an example: "The Labrador Retriever is a breed that tends to eat quickly without chewing its food. The doughnut-shaped kibble of Royal Canin's Labrador Retriever Puppy dry dog food helps to slow the rate of ingestion and encourage the Labrador to chew the food."

But what about wet food? I always thought puppies needed wet food, but Dr. Pletz said that's not the case. It varies by breed, and many large-breed dogs can transition into dry kibble very quickly after being weaned. However, she said wet food is a great choice for many puppies.

Though this is a very handy outline to use when you get a new puppy, it is still very important to sit down with your vet and figure out all the best options for you, your puppy, and your lifestyle together.