I am sure I have seen a topic about this before but I can't find it!

I will be getting my new puppy at the end of June, I have one question regarding vacinations...I know that there is the for and against waiting for the second vacinations before the puppies can go out but what do you think is best...for example for my dog who is now 2.5yrs I took him to a few places before those second vacinations (places where there were no other dogs etc) and was careful about what he did but he caught a virus and had a cough for about 1 week with a runny nose etc. (Thankfully there were no long term effects) For my second dog, I did not take him anywhere until those second jabs and he is a nervous dog and it took ages and ages to get him to be comfortable around other dogs (despite puppy classes etc)....What do you think is the best option?

What is "best" is what is best for you and what you feel comfortable with! :D

FWIW IMHO I believe the risks of undersocialisation far outweigh the risks of "catching" anything and my puppies go out before their first vaccination let alone their 2nd and I have 100% sound temperament dogs.

Obviously this needs to be tempered with caution depending on the environment and I would not take my puppies to areas which I
knew were frequented by hundreds of unvaccinated dogs.

The window for socialisation effectively closes betwen 16 - 20 weeks max and so isolating a puppy can be detrimental to other training; besides, unless you take your shoes off and leave them outside, you will be bringing germs in anyway and when I have a puppy with an older dog the "risks" rise.

I had my dog done at 8 weeks and then 10 weeks and he was at socialisation classes at 11 weeks. He has never had a problem with socialising but this may be due to his breed and temprement not the fact that I took him early??  Whatever you feel best with really.

Thanks Tohme, I agree that socialisation is the most important thing - I also have three older dogs who will be competing as usual during this period, luckily at the competitions the dogs have their vacinations checked so that reassures me although 'you never know'!

We have had loads of problems with the GSP who only went in the garden before his second vacinations - I am sure that it is down to his temperament and also to the fact that at 5 months he dislocated his shoulder and was housebound for 4 weeks!  He is improving but still continues to yelp if a strange dog sniffs him! Although my other dog caught this virus he is much more self assured and better with other dogs(apart from when doing agility when the excitment seems to go to his head!)

We started taking Obi out at 9 weeks, between the two vaccs, I agree with Tohme, I feel early socialisation is very important, especially in my breed, not sure what difference it has made, but Obi is very well socialised, despite having a major op 3 weeks ago that has stopped him going for his normal sociable walks, you musn't forget that socialiation should continiue throughout a dogs life.

Well, to give the alternative view point, apart from short car trips (to get used to travelling)  with litter mates, my lot do not get out to socialise until after 2nd injection.  Perhaps there is a higher incidence of parvo outbreaks here in the North East, I do not think the risk worth any potential benefit.  When they do go out they are almost all happy, sociable, well adjusted.  Certainly have very few who have socialiastion problems (and I am talking about all the pups we breed, who follow our recomendations, not just the ones we keep.  I dont think that early soicaliastion would help the 1 or 2 (and I am talking over a 15 year period here) who had a tendency to reticence and nervousness, but of course could not prove this.  However, the many who have turned out to be outgoing, confident dogs seem to show that certainly with my breeds very early socialiastion is not vital.  Of course, they are well handled and socialised at home from babyhood.
bye
Gwen

How much socialisation is needed depends a lot on the breed, I'm sure. I'm with Tohme on this. There are plenty of ways you can minimise risk - carrying the pup & being sensible where it goes. I invite all & sundry round to my house to meet the pup(s) too. Nothing worse than a nervous unhappy dog!

Hi.

Have just been through this with my BC.  He was the runt of the litter so very sensitive anyway.  After his first injection I actually approached my local puppyschool trainer and asked if I could take him along just to watch and get used to other dogs in a good environment.  They were fine with it also you had the assurance that the dogs had been injected. 

Other than that I just used to carry him around town and made sure that I didnt put him down.  You get great looks in Barclays Bank!