Could not find the answer browsing the posts. Can a 7 week old puppy be taken outside for potty training. The complete shot cycle is not completed and I read not to take them outside till all shots have been given, which would be quite a few weeks. I do not want to train on pads if I can train outside. I am bringing my puppy home next week. Thank you.
Hi @Madone, I am not sure what you mean by outside. Do you mean outside in the garden at the breeders or when you bring your puppy home? In either case it is okay to take a puppy outside as long as you are certain that an infected dog has not been in the specific area. The parvo virus can stay in the soil for a very long time. Presumably your fenced-in back garden is perfectly okay for your puppy as you will have knowledge of what dogs, if any, have been on your property.
It is perfectly fine to take your puppy out into your garden from the day you bring them home. Your toilet training will get set back a LOT if you use pads. Even further: Please take your puppy out EVERYWHERE in your arms or in a shoulder bag, from the day you bring them home. Don't keep them shut up in your house until they have finished vaccinations, or they will end up very under-socialised and potentially scared and spooky - for life. Take them around town in a shoulder bag, take them for car rides, take them to DIY stores (Lowes), take them to pet stores, take them to look at farm animals, take them to airports (up and down on escalators), in lifts.... everywhere. Google 'socialisation' for more info on why this is so important. The only thing you need take care with, is putting them down on the ground in areas where other dogs may have toileted. If you can find some really out of the way rural areas or have private property which other dogs don't venture onto, then the risk is minimal even then.
