Skycat Et Al: Age At First Inoculations

[Neal 1,873]

I'm soon to acquire my first pup for nearly seven years and I'm aware that a lot has changed during that time, particularly with regards to research into how pups develop in their first year and how this is effected by "sensitive periods."

 

When I bought my last pup I'd recently read a couple of books in which the authors put forward their opinion that pups shouldn't be kept in until two weeks after the second jab (as had previously been recommended). Their reasoning was that the danger of contracting something during this period was outweighed by the benefits of earlier socialisation. Or, to put it another way, the dangers of late socialisation outweighed the dangers of contractig something in the big wide world.

 

I'm sure more research must have been done on this during the last few years but I've not found much on the internet and was wondering if aybody had any thoughts on this. I know that the obvious thing is to ask my vet but different vets have different policies regarding age etc and I wanted some prior knowledge before approaching them. Incidentally, the pup will be a tad shy of eight weeks when I pick it up.

 

Many thanks in advance!

[skycat 6,174]

If you live in an area where Parvo is rife: such as some inner city areas where nobody vaccinates their dogs and the disease is around all the time, or in areas heavily infested with rats (Leptospirosis) then I'd keep the pup well away from public areas or rat areas until its vaccinations are completed. But if you live in a 'nice' area, where dog owners keep their dogs up to date with vaccinations, dirt/rubbish/refuse is at a minimum and regularly cleared away, I'd get the pup out and about straight after its first jab. I've never had a problem doing it this way, but I do live in a 'nice' area: countryside not infested with rats, pet doggies all vaccinated etc, and I do keep pups away from stagnant water or landfill sites which attract rats. It's down to knowing your area.

 

Even if you live in am area where Parvo is around, I'd still take the pup out, but I'd carry it a few hundred yards down the road and back just so it can see and hear the noise of the world around it. If you are in doubt as to your area, ask the local vet if they've seen many cases of Parvo recently, but don't tell them what your'e planning to do!

[Neal 1,873]

Thanks skycat; that's just what I was hoping to hear and is pretty much what I did with the last pup.

[beast 1,884]

personally, i dont think the pup will miss out too much over just a couple of weeks, it will still be learning and expanding its mind within the confines of your house and garden. particularly if you have dogs already, and visitors to the house. i like to take mine out in the car as early as possible to get them used to it, but i'm not too bothered if they are not out and about straight away and i've never experienced any socialisation problems. good luck with the pup.

[skycat 6,174]

A lot is also down to the breeder: if the breeder gets the pups out and about in their garden, plays with them a lot, and generally exposes them to noise and comings and goings, rather than keeping them shut away in a kennel in a high walled yard and never let out, it makes a big difference. By the time some pups are 8-10 weeks old they may already have started to react with fear at new things rather than curiosity if they have been kept shut up and not handled and played with by people (the breeder, family and friends).

 

Also depends on the type of dog and the basic breed traits.

[Neal 1,873]

Thanks Beast and Skycat.

It'll be another kelpie to replace the rapidly ageing old fella in my avatar (I think that photo was taken about eight years ago). Good point about travelling in cars too. I bought my last kelpie nearly seven years ago and it was about a year after moving to a more rural area, as a result I didn't need to take her anywhere in a car and so she's never been as happy in one as old Rust.