One of my puppy buyers is planning on going to a 'puppy playgroup' at their local vets from 10 weeks as it is designed for pups that are not fully vaccinated.... has anyone heard of this before and is it okay. I am of the thinking that pups should not be socialised with strange dogs until 2 weeks after 2nd vaccine - i.e. 12 weeks  

I don't like these 'clubs'. Have heard of many that allow big puppies to socialise/play with small puppies off lead and I don't think it is a good idea. One of my puppy owners pups ended up with treatment for flea bites contracted at one of these 'parties'. The Vet accepted responsibility and the treatment was not charged for. I think when puppies are allowed too much undersupervised free play then that is when problems occur.

I took my puppy to his first class of the Foundation Puppy course (prelude to the Good Citizens Bronze, Silver and Gold) just before his 2nd injection.  The floors were disinfected before our session and we all had to show certificates to show innoculations.  My boy didn't touch the ground outside the hall and was carried in and out.  I felt it was a risk worth taking as it was well supervised and managed (and the trainer had rescheduled her course to accommodate us)

I'd say much depends on the trainers as to whether these classes are any good.  I didn't like the idea of some I saw which were little more than a puppy bundle with almost no management.  With that in mind it might be better to look at sessions run by trainers rather than vet staff.  It's in the trainers best interest to impress you and to do things correctly as the puppy sessions are a great opportunity for them to sign you up to Good Citizens classes!

I went to a puppy party with my 3 year old when she was weeks old, but she was fully vaccinated before my vets would allow her in. I would not go back to another one. I disagreed with most of what was said. The vet nurse must have been glad to see the back of me ;-)

The thing that annoyed me most (after all the silly things she was talking about :-p) was the difference in size of the pups. There were toy breeds and large gundog breeds of the same ae all running riot :-( In the end I put mine back on a lead and refused to let her join in. There wasn't anywhere for the little ones to escape to. The vet nurse kept on saying that it was good for all the pups to join in. NOT IF ONE WAS SERIOUSLY HURT BY A LARGER PUPPY

can she follow same advice as for training class and go without pup for a look? There seem to be 2 or 3 in my area and had pups come to class that have been, 1 seems a lot more 'controlled' than the others. differences seem to be free run-bundle vs controlled grreting AND leaving other pup, also amount of advice given re house training, how to deal with fear-period, travel/safety in car etc.
Chris

at my classes the pups must be fully vaccinated and I have a 'safe play' area fenced off for the pups. I only allow two at a time and if the pups seem to be playing alright I will let a third in, they must be of of equal size. if we dont have a pup to match up a bigger pup then they arent allowed in with the small ones.  This practice should be the same for outside, sadly it isnt.

Year ago I went along to a vets puppy party. I was the only person that kept my pup on her lead.  It was just a free for all, and water all over the floor to make it more exciting!

A local APDT trainer allows puppies to come to their puppy classes after their first innoculation.  They have to bring proof of their first innoculation, the hall is disinfected and only used for the puppy classes and the only adult dog is their older (vaccinated) 'stooge' bitch who brings a calm amongst the puppies.  Puppies are carried to and from the hall. It is very well run and I would highly recommend it.  My vet told me ages ago that they get around 65% immunity after their first vaccination, and I do think that it is such an important age that the risk of undersocialisation because of adhering strictly to not taking them out and mixing with other dogs/puppies until 12 weeks outweighs the risks providing classes are run as above.

> It was just a free for all, and water all over the floor to make it more exciting!

I cannot think of anything worse than a free for all puppy class, regardless of whether they've been vaccinated.  The puppy classes I mention above are very well run with only a few puppies let off at one time and with similar type of temperaments.  The presence of the older bitch also adds some calmness to it, and the instructors are at pains to make it a positive experience for the puppies.  A free for all could be disasterous for a nervous puppy or one lacking in confidence.

Maybe it is the vets in our area that need some training Tadog!

The vet nurse kept on saying that it was good for all the pups to join in#

You are quite right, it's NOT good for all the pups to join in, and one would have thought that all vets would know this by now.
To be fair, many do, but some are still a bit behind when it comes to encouraging good and safe socialising classes.

Best classes let a few pups off at a time, (or maybe only one or two) and control the class according to how the pups are behaving.

Lindsay
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I've been to a few and it was supervised and any misbehaving from any of the dogs and they had to be clipped onto a lead until calmed down. The more nervous ones were let off first and soon found their feet. My boy was the largest and wasn't bothered by any of the other dogs. The small ones seemed to play with each other as it was.

I didn't always agree with what they were saying, but in general for the average pet owner it was good advice, those who show and breed or do certain activities will have a different outlook on it all and will know what is good and not so with their breed, or at least should of been advised by breeder :-)..

I think you need to asses them, they are normally short sessions so if not suited to the pup they can always pick it up and keep it away from the others.

Some let all the pups off at once, they get squashed and jumped on usually by the most ''full on' pup! I run puppy classes and they are let off for a few mins two at a time and always of similar size and temperment.  Any madness is stopped straight away but rarely happens. The advise given is sometimes questionable too!

Our vets surgery hold puppy parties and the one I attended with a male GSD pup was fine. In fact it was the smallest pup (JRT/Chi x) who was the bossiest and caused the most trouble so he was quite often back on the lead. There was no free for all allowed. I didn't agree with all the things that were said, but some weren't important anyway IMO.

My vet's hold them too, and I often take pups along if we can fit it in with shows etc, great socialiasation for the pups I am keeping, or those I have to hang on to for new owners for a bit longer.  They are very well organised and free play is encouraged, but any hooligan behaviour is quickly corrected with little itme outs, cuddles etc.  Boisterous/big pups and smaller/quieter ones are kept in different rooms for free play.  IF well run I think these are invaluable to the pet owner as lots of sueful advice is given, and the new puppy owners get a chance to chat to each other about the joys and problems, and discuss methods which work and those which don't!