Puppy Resources

Puppy Health & Wellness

Vaccinations & Exams

We’ll walk you through a series of wellness visits that ensure your puppy is growing up strong, healthy, and protected. This includes:

• Core vaccines (Distemper, Parvo, Bordetella, Rabies, Influenza, etc.)
• Fecal exams to check for internal parasites
• Ongoing weight and developmental checks
• Spay/neuter planning

Have questions about your puppy’s next visit? Call us at 937-667-8489.

Parasite Prevention

Puppies are especially vulnerable to parasites like fleas, ticks, and intestinal worms. Prevention is safer, simpler, and more affordable than treatment.

Learn more about:

• Fleas & Ticks – Can cause itching, skin infections, or transmit diseases like Lyme.
• Heartworms – Spread by mosquitoes; deadly if untreated.
• Roundworms & Hookworms – Common in puppies and transmissible to humans.

The Importance of Year-Round Parasite Protection

Nutrition 101: What Should I Feed My Puppy?

Feeding your puppy a complete and balanced diet is essential for healthy growth. There’s a lot of misinformation online, so we recommend this evidence-based resource, which covers:

• Tips on evaluating pet food websites
• Understanding pet food labels
• Homemade diet cautions

Read: The Savvy Dog Owner’s Guide to Nutrition on the Internet (PDF)

Training & Socialization

Your puppy’s brain is like a sponge during the first few months of life – and what they learn now sticks with them. That’s why early training and socialization are among the most important investments you can make in your dog’s future.

Why Early Training Matters

The behaviors your puppy learns in the first 6 months lay the groundwork for how they respond to the world as an adult. Proper early training:

• Prevents common issues like jumping, nipping, and leash pulling
• Builds confidence in new environments
• Encourages calm, polite behavior around people and other pets
• Strengthens the bond between you and your dog

Why Socialization Is Critical

Puppies go through a key socialization window between 8–16 weeks of age. During this time, they should safely experience:

• New people, places, and sounds
• Other vaccinated, friendly dogs
• Different surfaces, objects, and environments

Our Puppy Socialization Checklist (PDF) can help you track your pup’s progress and ensure every new experience is a positive one. We also highly recommend the free mobile socialization app, Pupstanding.

Group Puppy Classes at Tipp to Tail Pet Resort

We proudly partner with Tara Fisher, CPDT, to offer small-group puppy training classes at Tipp to Tail. These fun, engaging classes are specifically designed to meet the developmental needs of young dogs and their families.

Level 1: Puppy Preschool & Socialization

• For puppies 8–11 weeks old
• Focus: Early socialization, gentle handling, exposure to new people and objects
• Teaches: Name recognition, basic manners, confidence-building play

Level 2: Puppy Foundation Training & Behavior

• For puppies 12 weeks to 6 months old
• Focus: Obedience skills and behavior shaping
• Teaches: Sit, down, stay, leash walking, recall, polite greetings, impulse control

Classes are designed to be low-stress, highly interactive, and full of learning opportunities—both for puppies and their humans!

Explore Upcoming Classes & Register Online
Questions? Call Tara directly at (937) 231-9840

Understanding Puppy Stress

Sometimes we unintentionally add to our puppy’s stress. Learn how to build trust and avoid common triggers.

Read: 10 Common Stress Triggers in Dogs (PDF)

Planning Ahead: Why Consider Pet Insurance?

While we all hope our pets stay happy and healthy, unexpected injuries or illnesses can happen, often when we least expect them. Pet insurance can help make veterinary care more affordable, especially for emergency visits, surgeries, or chronic conditions.

What Is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance works similarly to health insurance for humans: you pay a monthly premium, and if your pet gets sick or injured, the insurance company reimburses you for a portion of the cost. Most plans let you visit any licensed veterinarian, including our team at Tipp City Veterinary Hospital.

Why Some Pet Parents Choose Insurance:

• Peace of mind when unexpected medical needs arise
• Helps budget for large or unplanned expenses
• Some plans also cover wellness visits, vaccines, or dental cleanings
• Can prevent financial strain when making medical decisions

Things to Consider:

• Most plans do not cover pre-existing conditions, so enrolling early – while your pet is young and healthy – can be beneficial
• Compare providers to find the best fit for your pet’s breed, lifestyle, and your budget
• Common providers include Trupanion, Nationwide, Healthy Paws, ASPCA, and Embrace

Need help navigating your options? Our team is happy to offer guidance based on what we’ve seen work well for other families.