Do Breeders Give Puppies Shots?

Generally, receiving basic veterinary care, including vaccinations, health screenings, and microchipping, is a sign that a breeder cares about the health and well-being of his puppies.

These factors alone are not indicators of a reputable breeder, but every reputable breeder should at least provide these basic veterinary services.

That been said, a breeder can give shots to a puppy that is barely 2-3 months old, the age restriction is because breeders are allowed to give only rabies vaccination to puppies of that age range before they are sold to their respective owners.

Thereafter a vet is legally fit to give vaccines and take records of your puppy till adulthood.

But to be clear a breeder is not a vet so they are not authorized to give a shot unless a puppy is due for a DHPP vaccine, he or she can still seek advice from a vet before taking any action.

How Do You Know A Good Breeder

The first sign of a good breeder is his or her knowledge about dog breeds, temperament, and nutritional diets.

To make sure you work with a good, responsible breeder and have the best chance of bringing home a healthy new puppy as a companion, follow the steps below and you will find one:

1. Search online for breeders and have a chat: Before Covid-19, puppy buyers can visit a breeder’s home but due to Covid-19, communication between buyer and breeder can be done via the Zoom app.

2. The breeder will recommend the right breed for you: Good breeders screen potential owners and want to make sure that the breed is the right fit for you.

3. Request for videos: Ask the breeder for videos of the puppy and parents to ensure they are healthy

4. Inspect the facilities. From the video sent by the breeder look around, is the environment clean? is the kennel clean? if they are then you are on track.

5. There would be lots of questions from the breeder. Responsible breeders also focus on the welfare of their puppies owners, as a breeder should ask you about your environment, previous dogs you had, your work schedule, age, and number of people in your house.

6. Money should not be their first priority: Good breeders do not ask for money or advance first, as they care about the well-being of the puppy first

7. Ensure your puppy is not premature: Ensure the puppy you want to buy is not less than eight weeks old, but at least 8-12 weeks old

8. The puppies won’t go to you until they are at least 8 weeks old. Good breeders will be focused on providing ample time with the dam (mother) and litter, as well as providing early socialization, before puppies go to new homes.

9. You’ll receive full veterinary records and be able to contact their veterinarian if needed: Your puppy will have seen a veterinarian a few times before you bring her home, and will come with full health records, including the contact information for that vet.

10. The breeder will provide guarantees: The last the entire life of your new pet! The best breeders will want to know their puppies are in secure homes for their entire lives. If unforeseen circumstances mean you have to give up the dog later, the breeder will want the dog to come back to them rather than a shelter or unknown home and will provide this guarantee.

11. All said and done! Wait for your new puppy.

Why Puppy Mills Are Bad

A puppy mill is a commercial dog breeding facility focused on increasing profits with little overhead. The health and welfare of the animals are not a priority.

Females breed at every opportunity, with little or no time to recover between litters. When, after a few years, they are physically exhausted to the point where they can no longer reproduce, breeding females are often killed.

In puppy mills, dogs can spend most of their lives in cramped cages, with no room to play or exercise.

Often the water and food provided to puppies are contaminated and infested with insects. Puppies may even be malnourished.

Puppies in mills are found with bleeding or swollen paws, feet falling through wire cages, severe tooth decay, ear infections, dehydration, and eye damage that often leads to blindness.

Most puppy mills have no veterinary care, climate control, or protection for the animals from weather (hot, cold, rain, or snow).

With limited or no regulations or enforcement, puppy mills have no cleanup control. This means that dogs can be living in urine and feces for indefinite periods of time.

Often in puppy mills there are dogs with collars that have been fastened so tightly that they have become embedded in the dog’s neck, and they have to be carefully cut out.