Welcoming a new dog into your home is an exciting milestone. You have a new lifelong companion that will return your love and affection. However, a dog also comes with responsibilities to ensure their ongoing health and happiness.

Unfortunately, many novice dog owners are unaware of how to choose a healthy puppy, which can lead to significant stress, medical bills, contending with chronic illnesses, and ultimately, the untimely death of your pet. Here is our advice for ensuring your dog is healthy at every age:

Get a puppy that is at least eight weeks old

A pup should stay with its mother and littermates for at least the first eight weeks of life. Unless under extreme circumstances, every responsible shelter or breeder will know this. Generally, smaller dogs need to stay with their littermates for longer, so expect to get a Great Dane at a younger age than a Chihuahua