This minimizes the tendency to postpone having health concerns attended to as needed. Either of these options is fine, but you don't want to find yourself with an emergency on a weekend with the nearest emergency care an hour away. Your first visit with your new puppy is an important one. Most veterinarians will schedule a long appointment in order to discuss their preventive healthcare plan with you. An important component of any preventive health program is the vaccination schedule.
Breeders usually give initial vaccines at five to six weeks of age.
A rabies vaccine is also given at 16 weeks. Other vaccines may be given against bordatella, leptospirosis, Lyme disease and coronavirus - whether or not these vaccines are administered depends upon the area in which you live and the puppy's potential risk of exposure. Occasionally a fifth parvovirus vaccine is given at 18 to 24 weeks of age, especially for Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers, which are particularly susceptible to this disease. After the initial series of vaccines, your dog will receive annual boosters to continue his protection against these potentially deadly diseases. During this first series of visits, your veterinarian will also discuss other important health concerns with you.