Until Fully Vaccinated – Puppy Socialization
I often talk
to puppy owners who have been told by their vet that they should not take the
puppy off their property, and even that the puppy should not touch the ground
outside until they have been “fully vaccinated.”
This advice
presents a dilemma for new puppy owners who are also told that their puppy
needs to be socialized. So, let’s talk about what both of these terms mean and
what are safe practices for you and your puppy.
Fully
Vaccinated – typically this means that your puppy has had what are considered
the “Core” vaccines. These include Parvo, Canine
Distemper Virus, Canine Infectious Hepatitis, and Rabies. The first three are
often administered as the combination DA2P shot.
Good breeders give the first DHP shot at about 6 weeks of
age. Your vet will typically give a booster at about 12 weeks and one more at
16 weeks.
The Rabies vaccine is usually not given before 16 weeks. Dr
Jean Dodds recommends giving this at 20 weeks.
So, a puppy would not be considered “fully vaccinated” until
after 16 – 20 weeks of age. This presents a problem as proper socialization
needs to be well underway before a puppy goes through a juvenile fear period
that often starts at about 16 weeks. This fear period coincides with the puppy
beginning to lose puppy teeth.
The severity of this fear period will vary from pup to pup.
In some it is very pronounced with puppies becoming afraid of almost anything
and everything, especially any new people and sounds. Some pups will not show
much fear and can sail through this period with little change to their daily
routine.
However, early, careful introduction to many new sights,
sounds, smells, and surfaces can help even the pups in a pronounced fear stage
have a bigger library of good experiences to draw on during this time.
Puppies with little or no early exposure to the world outside
the home will have a harder time during this fear period as they will not have
those previous good experiences to remember.
The American
Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. You can read the full position statement here, www.AVSABonline.org
in their position statement on
Puppy Socialization states, “Behavioral issues, not infectious
diseases, are the number one cause of death for dogs under three years of age. “
So, what is a new puppy owner to do? I suggest following the
recommendations of both the AVSAB and Dr Anderson which is to enroll in a good
puppy class ASAP. We, at The Puppy Nanny like to start puppies in class at
about 10 – 12 weeks of age after they have had their 2nd DHP shot.
This gives your puppy a chance to safely experience new sights, sounds, smells,
and surfaces in their puppy class. We often have a short play session after
class so puppies can interact with other healthy, vaccinated pups.
In addition, We suggest carefully planned socialization
outings for your puppy.
1.Take her to places where there are not a lot of
other dogs. Stores like Tractor Supply, Cabella’s, and the garden centers of
Lowes or Home Depot can be good.
2. Go to a park and sit on a bench away from walking paths
and kids’ playgrounds. Let your puppy watch and listen.
3. Set up play-dates in a fenced yard with other puppies from
class or a friend’s or relative’s nice older dog.
4. You can rent a Sniffspot for an hour to let your puppy
explore a new environment. (Get the Sniffspot app to find locations near you.)
Early, careful socialization is not only vital for your puppy’s
emotional wellbeing, but it can be a lot of fun for both of you. And, if your
puppy is hit particularly hard by that juvenile fear period, you can take a few
weeks off knowing that as your pup returns to his regular, happy self, your
socialization journey can continue with only a slight interruption.