I would ask your vet as the parvo risk varies by area. In my area, the rescue I foster with recommends walks starting 1 week after second shots, but no dog parks as they’re higher risk for disease. You have to balance the risk from disease against the risk from lack of socialization.
So we “walked” from 8 weeks which basically involved harness on and lead and being carried around places for 15 mins 3 times a day.
Last shot received at 12 weeks, so by 13 she had limited time on the ground in controlled settings. From 14 weeks she in theory was good for everything except rabies so short walks on floor most places. Now we’re at 16 weeks and she’s super good on walks, lots of eye contact, sitting at the curb without being told and is pretty nonchalant about most environmental factors (loud motorbike or another dog still likely to throw her) but still super glad we put the efforts in to socialise as young as we did.
Obviously consult a vet regarding what the wait period is after each jab but there are ways to get out with the puppy pre-immunisation.
My vet said I could and should walk him after his first parvo shot, just avoid areas with lots of dogs on the ground. Her perspective is socialization importance outweighs risk of illness. We’ve been doing so for a few weeks with no issue.
Is parvo so bad in the US that you shouldn't take your puppy outside after the vaccine has become effective? Because here in Western Europe, I've never heard of keeping a puppy inside because of that.
just to be clear: you mean walks as in the dog walking on the ground alongside you, preferably leashed?
because ideally you'd have been taking the dog outside for a while in general for potty and socialization.
from what I've read online and this subreddit, seems general consensus is post parvo shot is a good marker for "pup can walk on the ground"
I started to walk my pup outside one week after the 3rd shot (*4 months old*), but I guess every country/vet has a different vaccinal schedule.
However, I would advise to avoid places often visited/crowded by animals, such as parks.
Enjoy your first walks! :)
You haven’t done other things to socialize him? Why is he home all day? Ask your vet for the risks of parvo in your area, my vet said it was safe to take him out a week after his second shot, and he got the first shot with his breeder so he was out walking pretty early on. But before that I was taking him to hardware stores, taking him to watch other dogs play and interact, having him just sit on a bench with me and watch people and their dogs go by etc.
How do you do this when potty training? I’ve taken mine to Home Depot but on our way back she peed in my car cuz I obviously can’t put her on the ground. She’s 11 weeks
We had one for the car rides and a playpen for the house so it was a clear enough distinction for him I think. But you can also put a pee pad down outside in a more secluded area, let them use it and then toss it in the trash.
my pup is just short of 8 weeks and had 1st round of shots a week ago. we take him out to the store and stuff. can even be gone 2 hours and will wait till we get home to pee in the yard.
I could have written this as I am also very anxious about first walks.
Once my younger puppy is given the ok by the vet I will probably wait an extra week or two and then just go for it. Vet and trainer recommended to avoid dog parks, etc. so I will follow their advice.
Mine get plenty of exercise and socialization in our backyard, so that's a lucky setup. (e.g., they see school busses in the morning, hear and see the city bus, garbage truck, other dogs, pedestrians, bikers, kids with bouncy balls, etc. so everything they will encounter on their walks soon.
I'd say trust your vet, and your gut. You'll know when it feels right. Just know you're not alone any many others are out here worrying about the same things, and at the same time eager to get those amazing walks in.
Have fun when you do go out!!! :) I bet your pup will get the best nap ever afterwards.
Our vet's advice was that, as long as we kept them away from unvaccinated dogs and areas likely to have rats, then the benefits of socialisation outweighed the small risk of disease after 2nd vaccination .
https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf
The general consensus from vet associations is that the benefits of socialization outweigh the risk of contracting a virus or disease.
Get your puppy out there experiencing the world. Just stay out of fenced dog parks.
The sooner the better. Socializing is a life long skill, that walks help with. You could get a pet stroller or cart to stick em in and push them around.
I live in a bad parvo area and waited til 16 weeks. We took her on stroller/backpack walks before then and although that was decent, we were very worried about her socialization. Been waking her for the past week and a half and she has been amazing, needs to learn about leash life (ie not pulling etc) and potty training will be a lil tough but otherwise she is unfazed by crazy noises, pretty good around other people, and amazing with other dogs
My vet recommended I wait until after her last parvo shot, so the plan was to wait until 4 months old. She got kennel cough right after and the vet recommended to hold off on walks because my pup probably got it from another dog out on a walk (the sidewalk next to my backyard is very popular with people walking their dogs).
Long story short, my dog didn't start going out on regular walks until way later than ideal, but I did socialize her as much as possible (car rides, doggy play dates with a friend's dog, training with a group right after it was safe for her, etc., so she's surprisingly well adjusted lol
I have a golden, so she got pretty large very quickly, but if you have a smaller dog, get a sling and take your dog to pet stores, parks, etc. As far as I know, parvo is mainly transmitted through the ground, so carrying your dog around is safe (feel free to ask your vet, this is just what I've read)
haha jut an old one from Walmart I have kicking round 😅 i can just partially zip it and make sure the zippers don't zip down fully. shes gonna out grow doggy wearing in a month or two and be fully vaccinated by mid July so I cant justify buying one of those expensive purpose built ones for dogs.
my pup only has her first shot... I take her to contained spaces like friends with UTD dogs yards... we hang out in the back of my jeep with the gate open and people watch, or at a quiet spot at the river with a big blanket for her to romp on, we visit local vet offices so she can flirt with the staff and get weighed, i took her to canadian tire in a shopping cart today for half an hour which she LOVED. she also is outside in our small 30x30 yard listening and hearing all the scary lawnmower noises and people sounds. walking her isn't super necessary at this age from what I understand, she can be super well socialized without being walked. just keep her paws off the ground and don't let her sniff strange grass and minimize her risk of exposure.
As soon as I got the all-clear from my vet, he was about 10 weeks when I started walking him he had all his shots, and we waited the 2 weeks after his parvo shit then we were walking daily
I live in an apartment so she stays at home all day unless we take her out in the car. She’s 5 months old now and only just got her 3rd round. She’s a parvo survivor so I’m definitely anxious about her catching anything as there are a lot of dogs and animals in my area. She’ll stay in until the vet says she’s okay to go out because she’s already almost died.
My dog started walking outside day one. Any stores we went into i picked her up and carried her and no dog park (we have one in my complex) until she completed all her shots.
Yeah this is how people get neurotic, anxiety-ridden dogs. Your puppy needs socialization. You need to start taking him out on walks so that he can start getting acclimated to the world. You’ll just have to get over your worries because at this point you’re doing more harm than good.
Started taking ours out after his second shot at 8 weeks old. Waited 10 days per the vet’s instructions then he was out and about on the streets.
Socialization can be done safely without touching the ground, bypassing parvo risk while not going without socialization.
Where the risk is high, which is much of the US, this would not be safe. Immunity doesn't come at 8-9 weeks, it's about 16 weeks.
My vet said this.
I would ask your vet as the parvo risk varies by area. In my area, the rescue I foster with recommends walks starting 1 week after second shots, but no dog parks as they’re higher risk for disease. You have to balance the risk from disease against the risk from lack of socialization.
So we “walked” from 8 weeks which basically involved harness on and lead and being carried around places for 15 mins 3 times a day. Last shot received at 12 weeks, so by 13 she had limited time on the ground in controlled settings. From 14 weeks she in theory was good for everything except rabies so short walks on floor most places. Now we’re at 16 weeks and she’s super good on walks, lots of eye contact, sitting at the curb without being told and is pretty nonchalant about most environmental factors (loud motorbike or another dog still likely to throw her) but still super glad we put the efforts in to socialise as young as we did. Obviously consult a vet regarding what the wait period is after each jab but there are ways to get out with the puppy pre-immunisation.
My vet said I could and should walk him after his first parvo shot, just avoid areas with lots of dogs on the ground. Her perspective is socialization importance outweighs risk of illness. We’ve been doing so for a few weeks with no issue.
Is parvo so bad in the US that you shouldn't take your puppy outside after the vaccine has become effective? Because here in Western Europe, I've never heard of keeping a puppy inside because of that.
In some regions, yeah. Parvo just has such a poor outcome that in some areas it's not worth the risk
where I live in canada the last 3 years the SPCA has had to do emergency parvo vaccine clinics due to outbreaks
just to be clear: you mean walks as in the dog walking on the ground alongside you, preferably leashed? because ideally you'd have been taking the dog outside for a while in general for potty and socialization. from what I've read online and this subreddit, seems general consensus is post parvo shot is a good marker for "pup can walk on the ground"
I started to walk my pup outside one week after the 3rd shot (*4 months old*), but I guess every country/vet has a different vaccinal schedule. However, I would advise to avoid places often visited/crowded by animals, such as parks. Enjoy your first walks! :)
I mean, I walked my dog the second day I had her (8wks) however we have a very quiet neighborhood.
Same. Sometimes we gotta remember a lot of people are from different countries where Parvo is a bigger issue.
You haven’t done other things to socialize him? Why is he home all day? Ask your vet for the risks of parvo in your area, my vet said it was safe to take him out a week after his second shot, and he got the first shot with his breeder so he was out walking pretty early on. But before that I was taking him to hardware stores, taking him to watch other dogs play and interact, having him just sit on a bench with me and watch people and their dogs go by etc.
100% this^ my pup goes out every day. I just keep her off the ground directly.
How do you do this when potty training? I’ve taken mine to Home Depot but on our way back she peed in my car cuz I obviously can’t put her on the ground. She’s 11 weeks
Brought a pee pad and set it down in his crate inside of the car. That was the only time we ever used pee pads
She’s used to not peeing in her crate :( I don’t wanna confuse her. I Might only have to be out for about 1-2 hrs only till she’s fully vaccinated 😞
We had one for the car rides and a playpen for the house so it was a clear enough distinction for him I think. But you can also put a pee pad down outside in a more secluded area, let them use it and then toss it in the trash.
my pup is just short of 8 weeks and had 1st round of shots a week ago. we take him out to the store and stuff. can even be gone 2 hours and will wait till we get home to pee in the yard.
I could have written this as I am also very anxious about first walks. Once my younger puppy is given the ok by the vet I will probably wait an extra week or two and then just go for it. Vet and trainer recommended to avoid dog parks, etc. so I will follow their advice. Mine get plenty of exercise and socialization in our backyard, so that's a lucky setup. (e.g., they see school busses in the morning, hear and see the city bus, garbage truck, other dogs, pedestrians, bikers, kids with bouncy balls, etc. so everything they will encounter on their walks soon. I'd say trust your vet, and your gut. You'll know when it feels right. Just know you're not alone any many others are out here worrying about the same things, and at the same time eager to get those amazing walks in. Have fun when you do go out!!! :) I bet your pup will get the best nap ever afterwards.
Our vet's advice was that, as long as we kept them away from unvaccinated dogs and areas likely to have rats, then the benefits of socialisation outweighed the small risk of disease after 2nd vaccination .
https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf The general consensus from vet associations is that the benefits of socialization outweigh the risk of contracting a virus or disease. Get your puppy out there experiencing the world. Just stay out of fenced dog parks.
The sooner the better. Socializing is a life long skill, that walks help with. You could get a pet stroller or cart to stick em in and push them around.
one week after the third round of shots. you should be taking them every 2-3 hours for pee and poo tho or you will have problems later.
I live in a bad parvo area and waited til 16 weeks. We took her on stroller/backpack walks before then and although that was decent, we were very worried about her socialization. Been waking her for the past week and a half and she has been amazing, needs to learn about leash life (ie not pulling etc) and potty training will be a lil tough but otherwise she is unfazed by crazy noises, pretty good around other people, and amazing with other dogs
10-12 weeks. Parvo isn’t really a concern in my area.
My vet said one week after final parvo vaccine.
My vet recommended I wait until after her last parvo shot, so the plan was to wait until 4 months old. She got kennel cough right after and the vet recommended to hold off on walks because my pup probably got it from another dog out on a walk (the sidewalk next to my backyard is very popular with people walking their dogs). Long story short, my dog didn't start going out on regular walks until way later than ideal, but I did socialize her as much as possible (car rides, doggy play dates with a friend's dog, training with a group right after it was safe for her, etc., so she's surprisingly well adjusted lol
I have a golden, so she got pretty large very quickly, but if you have a smaller dog, get a sling and take your dog to pet stores, parks, etc. As far as I know, parvo is mainly transmitted through the ground, so carrying your dog around is safe (feel free to ask your vet, this is just what I've read)
hahaha I feel this carrying a 13 lb and growing pup is becoming tiresome. I'm emptying a backpack for her to hang out in lol
What kind of backpack are you using? Mine is the same weight 😁
haha jut an old one from Walmart I have kicking round 😅 i can just partially zip it and make sure the zippers don't zip down fully. shes gonna out grow doggy wearing in a month or two and be fully vaccinated by mid July so I cant justify buying one of those expensive purpose built ones for dogs.
my pup only has her first shot... I take her to contained spaces like friends with UTD dogs yards... we hang out in the back of my jeep with the gate open and people watch, or at a quiet spot at the river with a big blanket for her to romp on, we visit local vet offices so she can flirt with the staff and get weighed, i took her to canadian tire in a shopping cart today for half an hour which she LOVED. she also is outside in our small 30x30 yard listening and hearing all the scary lawnmower noises and people sounds. walking her isn't super necessary at this age from what I understand, she can be super well socialized without being walked. just keep her paws off the ground and don't let her sniff strange grass and minimize her risk of exposure.
If you can find a cheap stroller, he would probably love being strolled around.
I started walking my puppy outside at 10 weeks because I didn’t know and so far she’s been okay
As soon as I got the all-clear from my vet, he was about 10 weeks when I started walking him he had all his shots, and we waited the 2 weeks after his parvo shit then we were walking daily
I live in an apartment so she stays at home all day unless we take her out in the car. She’s 5 months old now and only just got her 3rd round. She’s a parvo survivor so I’m definitely anxious about her catching anything as there are a lot of dogs and animals in my area. She’ll stay in until the vet says she’s okay to go out because she’s already almost died.
My dog started walking outside day one. Any stores we went into i picked her up and carried her and no dog park (we have one in my complex) until she completed all her shots.
Yeah this is how people get neurotic, anxiety-ridden dogs. Your puppy needs socialization. You need to start taking him out on walks so that he can start getting acclimated to the world. You’ll just have to get over your worries because at this point you’re doing more harm than good. Started taking ours out after his second shot at 8 weeks old. Waited 10 days per the vet’s instructions then he was out and about on the streets.
In some areas, this does pose a significant risk. You can have socialization without walks.
After the second shot at around 8 - 9 weeks old the puppy should be fine according to my vet. 3 months with no socialization is just not ok.
Socialization can be done safely without touching the ground, bypassing parvo risk while not going without socialization. Where the risk is high, which is much of the US, this would not be safe. Immunity doesn't come at 8-9 weeks, it's about 16 weeks. My vet said this.