Pet health
Bringing home a puppy is exciting and overwhelming in equal measure. The first weeks set the foundation for a healthy adult dog, and a clear checklist takes the guesswork out of it. This guide walks through the essentials for first-time owners in India — the first week, vaccinations and deworming, food, training, and the health records worth keeping from day one. This is general guidance; your vet tailors the specifics.
The first days are about safety and settling in, not training milestones. Give the puppy a calm, defined space and keep introductions gentle.
Preventive health is the highest-priority item on any puppy checklist. Deworming typically starts around 2 to 3 weeks and repeats in early life. Core vaccinations begin at 6 to 8 weeks with the DHPPiL series, running until about 16 weeks, with the legally mandatory rabies vaccine at around 12 to 14 weeks.
Young puppies need small, frequent meals — usually three to four a day — of good-quality, age-appropriate food, reducing in frequency as they grow. Keep mealtimes consistent, avoid table scraps and foods toxic to dogs (chocolate, onion, grapes), and ask your vet about portions based on breed and expected adult size. Sudden food changes upset young stomachs, so transition gradually.
The socialisation window in the first few months shapes adult temperament. Start gentle toilet training and crate routines immediately, using positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Once vaccinations allow, expose the puppy calmly to new people, sounds, and surfaces. Short, consistent sessions work far better than long ones — a few minutes several times a day.
Build grooming into routine early so the puppy accepts it for life: gentle brushing, occasional baths with dog-safe shampoo, nail trimming, ear checks, and the start of dental care. Handling paws and ears regularly when young makes vet visits and grooming far easier later. In Indian summers, watch for heat and keep the puppy cool and hydrated.
The detail most first-time owners overlook is record-keeping. Vaccination dates, deworming, weight, food changes, and vet notes pile up fast and are easy to lose. A clean record means you arrive at every vet visit with the full picture instead of trying to remember.
FurSphere is being built to keep all of it in one place — vaccines, weight trend, reminders, and care history — so a first-time owner never loses track of what their puppy needs next.
A safe space, age-appropriate food on a consistent schedule, fresh water, and a first vet visit to confirm health, start or verify the vaccination plan, and begin deworming. Keep the environment calm, start gentle toilet and crate routines, and avoid contact with unvaccinated dogs until the vaccination series is complete.
Deworming usually begins around 2 to 3 weeks and repeats every couple of weeks in early life, then periodically as advised by your vet. Core vaccinations start at 6 to 8 weeks with the DHPPiL series and continue until about 16 weeks, with the mandatory rabies vaccine at around 12 to 14 weeks. Your veterinarian sets the exact schedule.
Feed an age-appropriate, good-quality puppy food on a fixed schedule — typically three to four small meals a day for young puppies, reducing as they grow. Provide constant access to fresh water and avoid table scraps, especially foods toxic to dogs. Ask your vet about portion sizes for your puppy's breed and expected adult weight.
Wait until the core vaccination series is well underway, generally a week or two after the final puppy shots, before allowing contact with unvaccinated dogs or high-risk public areas. Before then, you can carry the puppy for gentle, controlled exposure to sights and sounds for socialisation. Always confirm timing with your vet, as it depends on the vaccination progress.
