Very confused on when puppy can go for a walk

[SuMdUmGuY]

It seems that I am getting mixed information concerning when I can begin taking Duke for a walk. He is now 12 weeks and has had his 2nd set of shots. Aside from hanging out in the backyard, he has only been in the front yard on occasion. We have a lot of dogs on our block and Duke gets to briefly interact with them. Here in the southwest they say that parvo is a big problem so I am a bit paranoid. When can I begin taking him out for walks? Everything that I have read here and elsewhere has pretty much said to not let him walk around until he gets all of his shots, but if I am reading some of the threads right, some take their pups for a walk after the 2nd vaccine? Can anyone clear this up for me? Or direct me to a thread where this has been explained? Until then, Duke stays in the yard. Thanks.

[poohbearsmom]

Well....

Critical imprinting period for you and your new charge starts before you even bring him home, which is why a breeder who takes care to rear puppies properly is so important.

That being said, the period between 8-10 weeks is when pups imprint easily to humans. The critical period between 8-12 weeks is so important in the overall development of your pup, that keeping him in your backyard until this point is not good. After this age, and especially after 16 weeks, your socialization window is closed, and all you are really doing is desensitizing your pup.

There are PLENTY of places you can take your pup, which will expand his emotional and psychological development, it's not even funny. It simply takes common sense to keep your pup out of danger - don't take him to pet stores, or dog parks. You can take him darn near everywhere else.

When I bring a pup home at 8 weeks, it generally spends a couple of days getting to explore it's own environment.... and then it's off to visit the WORLD... damp recently posted a very nice example of how she socializes pups... it's worth the read.

If you do a simple search on the forums, you will find PLENTY of information regarding socialization and imprinting.

Proper socialization is so important - especially for weaker nerved pups, by essentially evening out the curve.... however, it's necessary for all pups to be allowed to explore the world around them, for you to teach the pup confidence in strange environemts, with strange people, strange noises and aromas.

In addition, I'd suggest you get him into a puppy K class as soon as possible, as you've lost valuable time.

Please rethink your fears, your pup had immunities from it's dam, and has now had plenty of boosters... if you don't allow him the opportunity to grow emotionally, and get a good foundation built, we'll likely be answering a lot of behavioral issue questions for you in about 10 months.

[SuMdUmGuY]

Originally Posted by poohbearsmom

Please rethink your fears, your pup had immunities from it's dam, and has now had plenty of boosters... if you don't allow him the opportunity to grow emotionally, and get a good foundation built, we'll likely be answering a lot of behavioral issue questions for you in about 10 months.

Thanks for the good word. Still though, the reason that I am paranoid about parvo is because here in the southwestern part of Arizona, we have all sorts of desert critters running around. I live in a neighborhood that is stil being developed and at the end of my street is a huge, undeveloped area of desert land. There are coyotes, snakes, scorpions even the ocassional racoon. Ofcourse he would be supervised if we ever venture down there (and I would really like to because Duke has a lot of energy), I am just worried that there is a chance that he could pick something up out there. Am I reading too far into this?

[1more~alwaysbetter]

Hi, I also had this question not long ago....EVERYONE told me that Rotties needed to have 4 sets of Parvo shots before being allowed out of your yard (because of their coloring). But my Vet (who has a few Rotties) said "that used to be the norm, but, now it is realized OVER Vac. can be just as bad for them". She said "they need TWO sets of Parvo & then 2 weeks after the last shot, they are good to go! . I also talked to another Vet that agreed. Roca is 19 weeks & is in puppy classes & I don't worry anymore .

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by SuMdUmGuY

Thanks for the good word. Still though, the reason that I am paranoid about parvo is because here in the southwestern part of Arizona, we have all sorts of desert critters running around. I live in a neighborhood that is stil being developed and at the end of my street is a huge, undeveloped area of desert land. There are coyotes, snakes, scorpions even the ocassional racoon. Ofcourse he would be supervised if we ever venture down there (and I would really like to because Duke has a lot of energy), I am just worried that there is a chance that he could pick something up out there. Am I reading too far into this?

Yes. Use common sense. Above all SOCIALIZE your puppy. This is not limited to walking him around your block. There's more of a chance of behavioral problems due to lack of socialization down the road, than there is taking your pup out and doing right by him. He's had vaccinations. Use common sense.

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by 1more~alwaysbetter

Hi, I also had this question not long ago....EVERYONE told me that Rotties needed to have 4 sets of Parvo shots before being allowed out of your yard (because of their coloring). But my Vet (who has a few Rotties) said "that used to be the norm, but, now it is realized OVER Vac. can be just as bad for them". She said "they need TWO sets of Parvo & then 2 weeks after the last shot, they are good to go! . I also talked to another Vet that agreed. Roca is 19 weeks & is in puppy classes & I don't worry anymore .

That's a first. Dogs can't leave yard because of their coloring. Complete and utter hogwash.

Your vet is correct that it was believed pretty much across the board that taking pups out before all vacs were given would all die of disease.

That is nonsense. That being said.... USE COMMON SENSE. There are PLENTY of safe places one can take a pup to with little or no worries of disease.

The socialization and imprinting period starts to end at 12 weeks... and is definitely over by 16weeks. Once that window is closed any and all opportunity to TRULY socialize your pup flies out the window with the bath water. You can only DESENSITIZE a dog after that, and it ain't the same.

[SuMdUmGuY]

Originally Posted by 1more~alwaysbetter

EVERYONE told me that Rotties needed to have 4 sets of Parvo shots before being allowed out of your yard (because of their coloring).

Not to piggy back on the "use common sense" issue (because I think that simply asking questions on this site IS using common sense, especially for those of us who still have a lot to learn), but what role does coloring play in the issue of vaccination?

[Diva'sOwner]

Coloring has nothing to do with it at all.
I know there are a lot of threads on socialization, there's currently a really long one. I am tending to agree with the original poster, though. I just took Haley to the vet today and I was told to keep her away from all dogs that I don't know and to not even walk her down my neighborhood street!

This depressed me. I want to believe that at 9 weeks she's good to go, but she really hasn't had enough shots yet. She had shots at 6 weeks, 8 weeks, and isn't due again until 12 weeks. The vet thinks I should keep her basically indoors until 16 weeks. Don't worry, I'm not going to go that far but I am leaning toward waiting until she gets the 12 weeks shots to take her for walks on the city blocks.
I know I'm going to catch fire here from a lot of members for this, but please, I do not have the financial or emotional resources to deal with parvo. And all the vets I randomly called said they get a lot of parvo cases. That all said, I have a long list of non-dog places to take her. Like to the IKEA, to a nearby college, to the laundrymat, and to the mechanics, to the airport to see/hear planes take off. I made this list because I want her to hear lots of sounds and meet lots of people. But I'm not walking her on the streets for now, and unfortunately, we don't know any other dogs yet, so she's missing out until puppy school.

Also, should my dog be in puppy school at 9weeks? How can that be when neither she nor the other puppies will have had all their shots yet?

[Skip]

[quote=poohbearsmom.....
The socialization and imprinting period starts to end at 12 weeks... and is definitely over by 16weeks. Once that window is closed any and all opportunity to TRULY socialize your pup flies out the window with the bath water. You can only DESENSITIZE a dog after that, and it ain't the same.[/QUOTE]


Depends a lot on the temperment of the pup, but I really disagree that the window is closed at 16 weeks. I would agree that a lot of good supervised socializing should be done before that, but I believe that a well bred pup will benefit greatly from good socializing WAY past that timeframe. I've seen a couple pups that basically had very little socialization for the first three months due to the owner being sick....these pups were still CRAVING to be socialized at that age.

[Francisca Lopez]

We had the same concern bringing our little girl home,especially reading how important it is to socialize them and being our first dog in a looonnngg time and first Rott ever, we live here in NM so we heard alot about the Parvo thing, so we would take her to friends houses whos dogs were vaccinated and whenever we would take her out places we would avoid parks where dogs would run alot and places where dog owners would leave remains but we would take her EVERYWHERE with us and sometimes I even held her if I was unsure (cant do that now ) but would let people talk to her and she became a softball fan real quick we would also often stop the car and let her hear the trains or see shopping carts go by and what not, but as long as you know there isnt alot of dog feces and alot of dogs roaming around your pup should be fine. So I think as long as you have them other places other than their yard it will be fine, as long as they see various people and things.

[Judi W]

My pups go and do.

Yes, I take them around the neighborhood. We walk in the street instead of along the borders where other dogs are likely to eliminate. We say hello to everyone. We visit people with healthy dogs that we know will be compatible with meeting pups. We go to auto supply, hardware stores, shopping centers, ball games, soccer games and any place else that is not illegal for dogs. No, I wouldn't go to a dog park, but I don't go there anyway. They start the KPT classes when a new session starts at whatever age they happen to be when that comes up. I've never had a pup come down with parvo. If you are concerned about the genetic health/immune system of your pup's breeding, then perhaps you might have concern.

Coloring has nothing to do with vaccine efficacy.

Parvo is species specific so the desert denizens are not going to be carrying it. When your dog is older however if you are going to be hiking you might consider getting him snake proofed.

We are now on about the 9th generation of vaccines and they are excellent with few if any reactions and good response.

[Bastianboy]

Well, I'm a bit paranoid too. What I have done with Bastian and will do with the new pup (coming in 25 days) is just make sure that every one that pets them has washed hands. I went so far as to having people either remove shoes or we had a REALLY diluted bottle of bleach that they could spray the bottoms of their shoes with. It didn't mean we couldn't socialize him, just that until his second set of shots most visitation occurred at our house. We had someone over about every other day if not every day for awhile. I still took him out front, had kids pet him, etc. When I took him places other than home though, he did not touch the ground until his second set of shots. Perhaps a bit overly protective sure, but he's still getting the socialization, everyone just smelled a bit more sanitized.

[damp]

The idea of socialization is letting the pup do the experiences on it’s own. Carry the pup around is NOT socialization. Neither a front yard is enough in the long run, no matter how many kids pet the pup.

[Judi W]

And it doesn't sound like much fun for anyone including the pup!

In general, dogs do not like to be carried. They have four good feet that work quite well. Sort of like the Dr. Suess "Oh the Places You'll Go!"........ Do you have reason to believe that your pups are abnormally vulnerable or lacking in vigor?

I will also say that when I am raising a litter, I put a tiny lead on the babies at about 6 weeks (they're underfoot anyway) and with a pocket of cheese, take them one at a time down to the corner to watch and say hello to anyone we find, and then back. When they are ready to leave home, they know how to use the doggy door, and how to follow along on a leash and how to see a bit of the world. Everything is an adventure and great fun. Never had a sick pup, or a worried pup. They taste life with great happiness.

[Bastianboy]

Originally Posted by Judi W

Do you have reason to believe that your pups are abnormally vulnerable or lacking in vigor?

I have been told by several vets in our area that Dobies and Rotties are more susceptible to parvo than other breeds. In fact the original vet we took Bastian to said that in his many (30+) years as a vet the only cases he'd seen were Rotties. Bastian's legs have always worked really well and was never the reason he was carried. I just didn't want to take the chance of losing the little bugger. The cleaning was because I have also been told that parvo is very hardy and can live awhile on shoes and pant legs. So, we try to reduce this risk as well. I don't want to hold them back from anything, but also don't want them to end up with parvo, or dead.

But, that's why we ask questions and learn new things. Not everyone knows everything. Maybe this time we open it up a bit more.