Hi folks, Please help. We are getting a labrador retreiver pup in a few weeks, he will be 8 weeks old. i have read loads of books and loads of info on this site. My prob is this everyone is talking about taking the pups outside into the garden to go toilet but my vet has said the pup cannot go out until he has his last needle at 12 weeks and even then wants us to give it another week before taking him in the garden even. I want to do what's best but it would be great if i can toilet train from 8 weeks rather than paper train till 12 weeks then start all over again. I would appreciate all your opinions.xx

your garden is ok I think your vet means outside by not going to public places parks etc with the new puppy by all mean take you puppy out with you but carry him/her so they get used the the out side world!!!

mY VET told me when we got our two pups a couple of years ago that you can take them into your own garden but not into a public place, that way you can toilet train them properly.

Hi, According to my vet he should not even go in the garden as there are alot of cats that use our garden. I don't want to go against what the vet said but everyone else is saying different. including the half a dozen books i've read. I am worried about this...

I would suggest changing your vet, yes of course there are small risk of infection in your garden, but you are going to get a very frustrated and excitable puppy by the time he is 13 weeks old. Plus a very stressed out new owner.

My puppies go out in my garden, which like everyone else's may have strange cats in there or birds dropping things in there etc.etc. They are allowed out in the garden from being 5/6 weeks old and have never come to any harm, what you must remember is that puppies carry a lot of maternal antibodies in the system.

They are also carried out into the big outside world. Travelled in the car, visit peoples homes where there are vaccinated dogs.

Has your vet thought of the small risk involved when you take your puppy to his surgery to be vaccinated, from all the infectious animals that may be in the waiting room :-)

Bit like the old saying " you got to eat a peck of dirt before you die" I'm afraid you can take protection from infection a bit to far and IMO this vet is doing just that.

One of the reasons that a lot of vets nowadays are vaccinating at 8 and 10 weeks is so that socialisation and learning about new things can start earlier as it has been proven that this benfits the puppy in the long run.

There is no way that you should be keeping your puppy indoors until after its jabs! It needs to go into the garden as part of its socialisation, apart from the very obvious call of nature! In fact I took Anna to my dog club at 8 weeks old. I carried her and while I was there she sat on my lap so was not in contact with where other dogs were. Socialising should start as soon as you get your puppy.

Regards, John

i have a german shep puppy he is only 12 weeks now he has always been in the garden and is very fit and healthy most vets have different opions on how long to keep a puppy in after its last injections let alone if or not you should let them in to your garden me my self think that a puppy needs to be in the garden to get used to different sounds other than sounds that happen in the house i live next to a main road where lorries and cars go by all day and night and my puppy is not botherd about them anymore the first few times he used to run in and hide from them but he is fine now hope you sort your problem out

Whilst I can understand that your Vet is a professional, they can sometimes be a bit 'blinkered' on the risks........ By not taking your puppy out and about before she's fully vaccinated you may well reduce her risk of catching a disease to almost nil, but at the same time there are socialisation aspects to be taken care of, and BEFORE 12 weeks is the ideal time to take her for car journeys, to carry her to stand outside a school gate when the kids come out and watch children (but don't let her get mobbed!) etc. How do you think people who already have a dog cope with bringing home a puppy? Don't forget, unless you're going to strip off all your outdoor clothing and shower and change before greeting your puppy each time you go out, you will also be running the risk of bringing in germs..........

The reason that pups are not given their injections before 10 weeks, or there about, is because they have immunity from their dam, so providing the dam had up to date immunity, checked or by injection your pup should be safe in your garden. Everything in life is a risk and you can't stop your new dog facing risks you have to take a calm and sensible line.

First of all NO vaccination is 100% in EVERY dog. Secondly the window of socialisation closes at 16 - 18 weeks therefore by keeping your dog isolated until 12 - 13 weeks you are seriously handicapping his opportunities for this vital training. GDBA take their dogs out much earlier and so do I; I believe the risks in not socialising and exposing your puppy to every day events such as traffic, umbrellas, wheelchairs, men in hats, children etc etc far outweight the minimal risks involved in not being completely protected as long as you are reasonable in approach ie not taken to where a lot of "unknown" dogs are taken etc etc.

Sorry to hijack someone elses thread but my cousin has just bought a puppy who at 14 weeks old has not had any of his injections. The breeder said it was because he had not long stopped feeding off his mum. Is this right I always thought it was standard procedure, I have told her to get her puppy done ASAP.

Jolene

At 14 weeks I doubt if he was "feeding" - rather just a comfort stop! Yes he should definitely get his course started. Is he a big or small breed? If he's small then she'll be able to carry him out and about to socialise him before he can go on the pavements - if he's big, though, it's another matter!
:)

He's big, he's a labrador and quite big for one aswell. Just thought it was a little odd that was all.

When I have pups they go outside (if weather suitable) from around 4/5 weeks. Born in kitchen, explore into conservatory and from there into the garden if they wish. By six weeks they are definitely going outside and learning to explore and wreck the garden!

Christine

My pup was out and about in the breeder's garden from a young age - they really needed it. They learn and play and negotiate things in the garden, it all helps with confidence.

She was vacciinated at 8 and 12 weeks, but i took her out and about to places i deemed fairly safe "in arms" at 8 weeks and 1 day. For a breed that can be a bit reserved she is SO friendly, i am sure it was the socialisation. My vet too suggested it better to wait, and i was in a quandary, but it is a risk to be assessed at the end of the day by the owner. Risks from NOT socialising are really far greater.....

Best wishes
Lindsay

Thank you to all who replied. We are all very excited and can't wait to get our pup. (23 days and counting) It has pleased me very much that we can take him into the garden straight away rather than leaving it as long as the vet said, as some of you suggested i will be looking for another vet who agrees with all your views.

Lisa,
I have to agree with everyone else. I got my pup at 6 1/2 weeks, and from day one he was allowed out into my garden. He also did car trips, meeting loads of people ( at least 100 different people in the first 4/5 weeks!), meeting farm animals (whilst being carried!), ignoring joggers and people on bikes (Crucial one that!), umbrellas, went on a bus trip and loads of stuff like that.
The socialisation period for pups begins at 3 weeks plus and the 4/5 weeks after you get your puppy are sooooo important. They help to shape his whole understanding of his world and where he fits into it. I think that the benefits that he/she gets from being out and about in your arms far outweigh the risks. That said, its only sensible to avoid other dogs before he has his final jabs. Enjoy it - it all goes too fast!!

When we collected our pup and he had his first vets visit at 8 weeks the vet said get him out there to meet people THAT day!
His view was the risk of infection was minimal compared to the problems caused by lack of socialisation in the first few weeks of life and more dogs were given up to rescue ctes because of lack of socialisation than ill because of infections.

So we took his advice and had no problems !

Jude