Oscar is now 12 weeks old and is a real character. All our initial problems with biting and jumping are improving (but not gone!) and the bout of diarrhoea at 9 weeks cleared up after a course of antibiotics. We took him to the vet for his final vaccination on Wednesday and were so looking forward to taking him out with our older dog so it came as a bit of a shock to be told we have to wait another full week before it is safe? I'm sure we didn't have to do this with previous puppies so is this just our vet being extra cautious or is this standard practice? Many thanks if you can share your advice/experience with me.
It is certainly not uncommon to have to wait a week before you can put your puppy on the ground and it depends upon the vaccine used. If my vet said a week, a week it would be.
I would definitely follow your vet's advice. The situation is different in each area, and your vet will have the best overview of what is safe where you live.
You can still take the puppy out in the car and let him watch the world, go to a supermarket carpark, childrens' play area, the countryside, you can carry him though they tend to get heavy! I did take mine out earlier to a puppy class, but carried him over the grass.
Thanks everyone. I've been doing all that since he was 8 weeks old so he's used to all sorts of situations. I've also taken him to a puppy party which was great fun. Our main problem is that if we go any distance he needs the toilet and we can't put him down to go. I'll just have to be patient I suppose. Thanks for your help.
This is what I have to do with my Guide Dog pups. Up to 12 weeks +1 carry her everywhere except shops and shopping centres where no dogs are allowed. attend GD puppy class from 8 weeks. Up to 16 weeks + 1 carry her everywhere except shops, shopping centres and clean pavements. If she needs the toilet I put a puppy pad down. 17 weeks - first free run on grass. It seems like a very long 17 weeks! I get strong biceps! But GDs are now ultra cautious due to losing some to Parvo. Interestingly both my GD pups have had 100% brilliant recall and always stay close on free runs - no issues at all. To help with recall we use whistle feeding all their lives from 6 weeks old. We practice recall a lot from room to room and in from the garden. We practice recall at puppy class too, long before they are allowed on grass. .
Fascinating reading all of this! I was never told this -- by the breeder or the vet or anyone with dogs in my area. From 8 weeks when we got him, our boy was going everywhere, dog parks, friends' houses with dogs, shopping centres, etc. I will definitely ask my vet about this, really curious, perhaps we live in a very low-risk area. I do recall, at the dog school we went to (which was a distance away), that puppies were carried across the grass (we missed the young puppy class), so perhaps it is not unusual here, just not in my area! I see the tiniest of puppies playing on the grass at the beachfront or at the dog park.
There is a risk wherever you live and many people rely upon others vaccinating their dogs to help protect there's. I remember even as a child our puppy had to stay in the garden unto all vaccinations done - and I'm talking a long time since I was a 5 year old with a puppy
At 16 weeks my pup weighed 34 pounds (14.5 kg). Carry him? Was never going to happen. This is what I did and what my vet said was absolutely fine to do. This was after his second set of shots. Don't worry, your pup will be fine.
The risk of parvo varies from area to area. I live in an extremely high risk area, with parvo very active in the local urban fox population. No-one can say whether or not your puppy will be ok if you let him go outside before he has cover from his vaccinations. He might be, he might not be. There is an article here that helps you weigh up the risks: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/when-can-i-take-my-puppy-out/ I took my puppy to puppy class, to socialisation class, and to visit friends with older, vaccinated dogs. That was what I decided was my risk appetite. It's not an easy decision.
Thank you all for your advice and especially JulieT for the link to such an excellent article on when it is safe to take your puppy out. I'll most definitely be waiting for another week before taking Oscar out on the ground. Having had an ex guide dog for 14 years (he sadly died a few months ago at the grand old age of 15) it's very interesting to read Boogie's post on what is recommended for GD puppies. Unfortunately I can't use puppy pads or newspaper if I take Oscar out in the car as he thinks they're only for ripping up and through the day he can only last about an hour without a wee, so I don't think I could wait until he's 17 weeks before putting him on the ground. I'll follow my vets advice and wait until a full week is up. In the meantime we'll continue carrying him in the rucksack to expose him to as many different experiences as possible and we have another puppy party on Monday, run by our vet and supervised by an excellent dog trainer who ensures the experience is fun and positive. Looking forward to next Wednesday!
No need to wait to 17 weeks - I was just letting you know how seriously GDs take Parvo. It's different for our pups as they are allowed so many places pet dogs are not and we can take them walks there. (It is a looong 17 weeks 'tho!) .
I can well believe it lol. 13 weeks seems like a very long time! The dog in your profile picture is uncannily like our ex guide dog Shaun in his younger days - beautiful.
Oban's last shot (third) was at 16 weeks and then the Vet said to wait another two before going to dog intensive places. That was about as long a two weeks as the two before we got to bring him home in the first place. My sister's Vet cleared her puppy to go out at 12 weeks, only a few days after the second shot. Way more dogs where she lived, more chance (I'd have thought) of disease. Different vac. schedule (4 starting at 6 weeks for her), different Vet, different opinions from our Vets.
