FD26 Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 This has been really perplexing me lately. If the ideal time to socialise is while they're young, but you cannot take them for walks, etc. before they have their third injection how on earth do you socialise them? Our pup will have interaction with us, and the people who visit including other children. And also with the neighbouring dogs through the fence I imagine. But outside of that, how can we socialise him without putting his health at risk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlc Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Mine went everywhere with me from the time they were 8 weeks old. I did however steer clear of any high dog traffic areas, I also spoke to the vet to see if we had had any cases of parvo in our general area, which we hadn't. You will get mixed reactions to this question as anyone who has seen a pup with parvo just will not be as quick to take the pup out. For me it was socailization first being very careful along the way. I didnt take any of mine to the beach till they were fully vaccinated as Parvo can also live a long time in the sand and so many people dont pick up after thier dogs at the beach. Our obedience club takes pups from 8 weeks of age, they have to have had thier first vaccination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 (edited) Check if parvo is prevalent in your area (phone around the vets). If not, then it's reasonably safe to allow a pup which has had it's 8 week shot to go out in public so long as you avoid the obvious high traffic dog areas (dog parks, sports ovals, walking tracks those sorts of things). Carry the puppy most of the time, just let him down for a quick run around so long as you are away from roads, long grass, thick bush etc. Below the high tide mark on a beach is usually considered to be "safe" but I really don't know how true this is. Trips in the car that don't end at the vet is one a lot of people forget. In a high parvo area I'd be way more cautious, but that said you can bring Parvo home on your shoes and it can also be airborne so keeping the pup behind a locked fence or even inside is still no guarantee. It's a balancing act and IMO socialisation is more important than the risk of disease but you need to be sensible. Use puppy preschool for dog socialisation, you don't need to take the pup to a random dog park for this sort of thing. The breeder's puppy pack should give you sensible advice on this too. ETA: my pups only get two puppy shots, so investigate this too Edited February 4, 2010 by Sandra777 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karelea Aussies Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I take mine to the local markets. Loads of people of all ages, sex, colour. There are always a few dogs for a bit of a meet and greet and the owners tend clean up if a dog messes, so a fairly clean environment. I tend to go early or late so that there are not too many people otherwise it may be a bit daunting for the pup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I pretty much take Charlie with me everywhere from the moment I got him (8 weeks). Still do I didn't take him to the beach or dog parks till he was fully vaccinated though. He was in puppy school when he was 10 weeks old, so he met other puppies to play with. Also, my family has dogs and I knew they are fully vaccinated, so he would have play dates with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Ours went everywhere with us at 8 weeks. We just stayed clear of other dogs that weren't family dogs, parks and beaches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pie Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Ours went everywhere with us at 8 weeks. We just stayed clear of other dogs that weren't family dogs, parks and beaches. Ditto (for Trixie), carried her everywhere I could. Socialisation was the most important thing for me this time around. I was not reckless though. Didn't take her to puppy preschool though (previous bad experience with Kyzer) instead I took her to meet known healthy dogs of friends and family, and someone had a puppy around the same age, but a bigger breed, they got a puppy playdate too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD26 Posted February 4, 2010 Author Share Posted February 4, 2010 (edited) I'm not sure about parvo prevelence here, but when we had our last dog our vet stressed not to take him for walks until after his 3rd vaccinations. Being in the tropics we have Leptospirosis to worry about, as well. And we also don't really have anywhere that's not a high traffic area - Darwin is FULL of dogs, every second yard has one sort of thing. Maybe just car rides? Will that help? I don't know how feasible it is to carry a staffy around everywhere although I do remember becoming very upset when I couldn't carry my last guy around anymore when he got too big, but that was only in the house. I'm not sure he would have been so happy to have been carried when there were things he wanted to get to! It should be safe to take him to visit friend's dogs, should it? I have a friend with a yellow lab that's pretty chill. I have another friend with a GSD but I'm not so sure how they'd go together, so I don't know if I want to risk that. Edited February 4, 2010 by FD26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 Being in the tropics we have Leptospirosis to worry about Same Lepto as is spread by rats or a different version? Lepto in the form as spread by rats isn't that easy to catch (and isn't confined to the tropics, it's a major issue in NZ ). Assuming it's the same form of the disease avoid areas carriers (rats, bats?) could have urinated and it really won't be that much of an issue. I've had a vaccinated dog die of Lepto, the vaccination isn't very reliable anyway. I don't know how feasible it is to carry a staffy around everywhere :D A Stafford pup at 12 weeks weighs around 6 or 7 kg at the most, not really much of a burden! I'm not sure he would have been so happy to have been carried when there were things he wanted to get to! Tough, good for the pup to learn that you control the things he wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD26 Posted February 4, 2010 Author Share Posted February 4, 2010 Being in the tropics we have Leptospirosis to worry about Same Lepto as is spread by rats or a different version? Lepto in the form as spread by rats isn't that easy to catch (and isn't confined to the tropics, it's a major issue in NZ ). Assuming it's the same form of the disease avoid areas carriers (rats, bats?) could have urinated and it really won't be that much of an issue. I've had a vaccinated dog die of Lepto, the vaccination isn't very reliable anyway. I don't know how feasible it is to carry a staffy around everywhere A Stafford pup at 12 weeks weighs around 6 or 7 kg at the most, not really much of a burden! I'm not sure he would have been so happy to have been carried when there were things he wanted to get to! Tough, good for the pup to learn that you control the things he wants. Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong disease? My issue wasn't so much with the pup not being happy, but with my actual ability to carry him around when he's in such a state.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cazwah Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I kept my puppy at home for te first week and concentrated on house training, then took him for short 'walks' which was me carrying him and walking up and down the street. Believe me that was enough for Chestnut, the first time we went outside the front door he was scared, so I just built up the distance in little amounts and with lots of little treats. Now he's had his second vaccination (still due his 3rd at 16 weeks) I've been taking him for actual (puppy on the ground) walks around the block, meeting people but no strange dogs yet. Also took him camping which was great. Chestnut is good at being carried around now, he's very calm. You might find that in a strange environment he is not so wriggly, at least that is how Chestnut is. Now when we pick him up he just settles straight away. Also rewarding for being settled in our arms helped I'm sure. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I tend to weigh up the risks of disease vs the risks of having an unsocialised dog and the socialisation wins hands down. Far more important to avoid having an emotionally crippled dog for the sake of a couple of weeks of isolation after a vaccination. I don't recommend any puppy go to places of high dog traffic unless they are held in arms but even that can be weighed up by assessing the actual place. For example a shopping mall that is cleaned daily would have slightly less risk than a dog park or a beach. Personally, once the two week window has passed after the first vaccination, I would say to get the puppy out and about WITHIN REASON and increase the exposure more with each subsequent vaccination. After all, many of us show baby puppies at 3 months of age and that is usually well before the final puppy shot and a dog show could be reasonably seen to be a hotbed of potential health issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoxyNHemi Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 As people have said - be wise and pick and choose. I took Cruise to OH's work, introduced employees, there was alot of banging and carrying on there as it is a manufacturing factory Took to my work, and introduced to all there, and took to family and friends house where I knew other animals could be trusted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miranda Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I get my puppies out two weeks after their first vaccination. Bunnings is a good place to take puppies, I stand out the front near the sausage sizzle where people walk in and out. Schools are also good, stand near the gates in the morning or afternoon. I also walk my puppies at the local shops. Just avoid parks and ovals or anywhere else where lots of dogs are exercised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikesPuppy Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 I hang out at local cafes with outdoor tables As well as other high human traffic areas (schools, shopping centres, train station etc). Ziva went for a day trip into the city (as in Melbourne city) via the train, and we hung out at mum's work (uni library LOL). I carried her throughout most of the city though, popping her down for a toilet break every so often. She was only small though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfsie Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I took my Newf puppy with us to dog training initially and she met a lot of other dogs and people..But we also know all the dogs were vaccinated. We take our dogs wherever we are allowed to take dogs. There was actually an out break of kennel cough that a lot of dogs got from a single vet visit.........Katy had been there, but we were lucky and she only had a couple of coughs. Some dogs were really sick. So where do you set the limits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoppyDog Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 I am concerned about this too! I read that your Puppy should be introduced to 100 different men, women and children before 12 weeks. But mine won't have had her needles by then! I have also been told that there is parvo going around our area so I really don't want to take her out and about and risk that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD26 Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 ETA: my pups only get two puppy shots, so investigate this too I just noticed this. Why only 2? Mine will need his first at 6 or 7 weeks, before he gets here, then again at 12 and 16 weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norskgra Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 (edited) ETA: my pups only get two puppy shots, so investigate this too I just noticed this. Why only 2? Mine will need his first at 6 or 7 weeks, before he gets here, then again at 12 and 16 weeks. The 'new' recommended vaccination regime is 8 and 12 weeks followed by 12 months after the last puppy shot. Edited February 6, 2010 by Norskgra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD26 Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share Posted February 6, 2010 ETA: my pups only get two puppy shots, so investigate this too I just noticed this. Why only 2? Mine will need his first at 6 or 7 weeks, before he gets here, then again at 12 and 16 weeks. The AVA recommended vaccination regime is 8 and 12 weeks followed by 12 months after the last puppy shot. Ok. Is this along the same lines as vets following the advice of the drug companies instead of the AVA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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