socializing unvaccinated puppy

[HeidiCaccamise]

Hello...so Baylee is 10 weeks old and I just read your info about socializing and am a little confused.  It says not to take puppy to places where unknown dogs have been but then talks about playgrounds, schools, parks etc or even taking her for a walk.  All of these places will have had unknown dogs.

What is the best way to socialize her and get her out and about without subjecting her to potential health issues.  She just had round 2 of 3 of her shots.  

This is very important to me as I believe Frisbee missed out on this and probably, based on what I heard, had no human interaction for the first 4 months of his life.

Thanks,

Heidi

[JMFS]

Hi Heidi,

Momo didn't have much socialization until after all his shots and I'm unsure about Gertrude.  Until recently Momo was good with other dogs (he hasn't socialized in Quite some time) and Gertrude has never met a stranger, furry or otherwise.

While it's ideal for them to get that socialization in the first . . . 16 weeks I want to say, it doesn't mean you can't play catch up!  If Baylee was with siblings then she got some of the puppy socialization done already, and the human side of it is pretty easy; especially if you have family members and / or friends she'll be around.  If those friends or family members have vaccinated dogs (or cats if you want her to be cat friendly) then you're getting a two (or three) for one deal!

[HeidiCaccamise]

Thanks Jennifer... I appreciate your feedback.  She had 8 siblings and now has two so she is around other dogs.  She is around a few different people but not many but I can probably increase that.  It's really an oxy moron when we know socializing early is so important but also know that exposure before all shots is also risky.

[JMFS]

It really is difficult information to work around.  I decided to focus on basic training with Momo when I found out I couldn't take him to the dog park The Day I Got Him.  He was with his brother and sister (someone dumped those puppies at the shelter - can you imagine?!) when I adopted him so I can only guess that he had that socialization for the first 16 weeks.  I believe he did because he understood the "yelp" training quite well.  He came into a house of 3 cats and they certainly trained him quickly as to what They didn't like, haha.

Once Baylee has her shots you'll be able to expose her to many different dog types, but for now humans will do.  That softens the blow because at least one type of socialization can be worked on.  And humans are generally far more judgmental regarding dog manners than other dogs are. 

There is also window training.  If Baylee can see other dogs through a window you can give her a treat each time she looks at another dog so she forms positive associations (other dog = delicious treat = happiness).  If you have friends with dogs you could even have them walk by the window with the pup to increase the number of opportunities to gain that warm and fuzzy feeling towards other dogs.  I'm doing that with the neighbor's goats.  While they don't walk them by my window, lol, Gertie does have an eagle's nest view of them from our upstairs office and their playful nature gets her chuffing and sometimes barking.  The circled area on the other side of the street is where they're usually frolicking about.

[Adrienne]

Chiming in to add that we can also organize "puppy parties" in the comfort of your home for socialization purposes  (if the area where you live permits it, due to COVID19 restrictions). These parties should involve a variety of different people (toddlers, school-age children, senior etc.) and possibly wearing/carrying different types of accessories (hats, sunglasses, umbrellas, walking cane etc). During these parties make sure you watch your puppy and make sure she's never overwhelmed. So you will need to be your pup's ambassador here. 

If possible, puppy classes can also be a great way to allow socialization. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) recommends starting puppy classes  as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies enrolled should receive a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class and a first de-worming. They should be kept up-to-date on vaccines throughout the class. Make sure the classes are run by professionals and that they carefully disinfect all areas to prevent transmission of infectious diseases such as parvo. 

Here is AVSAB'S position statement of puppy socialization:

https://avsab.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Puppy_Socialization_Position_Statement_Download_-_10-3-14.pdf

Instructions on the window training Jennifer is referring to can be found here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/