sorry to keep posting..but have so many questions popping up..lol...i plan to crate train my bullmastiff pup who will be 8 wks when i bring him home. I have no other pets and am at home all the time as i work from home. with it being the summer, is it ok and safe for the puppy to go in the garden on his own free will b4 he has his vacc's? i know its obviously ok as u need to take him to the toilet outside, but for him to play out in the garden etc on his own...my garden is puppy proof...not even a plant in it..lol......(yes i'm a single bloke....lol) and there is no ways of escaping either...many thanks in advance

Hi niceguy,

Yes, taking your puppy in your own garden is fine.  They need to get used to the outside world and your garden is a good start.  The danger is picking up bacteria and viruses directly from other dogs, or, where other dogs have been and deposited feces, urine, and other yucky stuff.  As you don't have any other dogs, that will not be a problem. 

Stacey

As far as infection is concerened that should be fine, but do not think a pup should be left unattended in a garden/yard. No danger from plants but there will be stones.

Hi niceguy, have you chosen a name for puppy yet? Chances are pup will not be in the garen himself lots as youll be housetraining and want to be out there ready to praise success, but Id not leave a pup in a garden by him/herself for fear of theft ( esp a  popular breed like a Bullmastiff) or the off chance pup will find a tiny hole to wriggle through, something nasty to chew and round my way we have a lot of gulls/cats/foxes so Id be out there. Before vaccs its places other dogs have been you avoid on the chance some dogs may be carrying diseases, but this has to be weighed against the benefits of socialising. Lucky you working from home. :)

hi all....yea his name is homer!!....and yep from the simpsons..lol.....i wouldnt be allowin him out without me there. just needed to make sure that it would be safe...healthwise to allow him in the garden. When he is a bit older...im lucky that where i work....the window next to me gives me full view of the garden!!!  i collect him in 2wks 2 days!!!!

If the garden can be accessed by foxes I think its wise not to take pup in too :)

But that would probably include every garden in the country, lel ...

well true :) but I meant one where they often frequent ( I think) :rolleyes:

as far as i know....no foxes use my garden....there again.....there is a 6 foot fence around it...(i know they can jump though!!!!!)

im sure he will be fine as he should still carry some immunity from his mum! mine have always been in the garden no probs!

Is cat poo dangerous to a puppy?  We have two cats that unfortunately poo a lot in my garden.  Could that be dangerous to a puppy before vaccs?

Julia

Crate train for goodness sake !!! house train ,why crate ? do you know in bad old days when no cages were around we actually house trained dogs without them ,I know its hard to belive but we did. you now just good old newspaper near a door

I'm not crate training.  I am doing my best at just house training with paper.