# Sounds right but kinda scary



## mikeb (Mar 11, 2009)

I am not getting my puppy till summer but I'm reading up because I want to give him the best start in life. Eventually if he is up to it gonna do some agility and also therapy work. From what I now read socialization before age 12-16 weeks is very important. I can socialize my puppy pretty well with humans by carrying him places and with people that visit. They now advise that you take puppies to classes very young before they are fully vaccinated so they can socialize with each other before the critical period is over. This kinda scares me although I'm sure he would be fine. Well I have till summer to decide.


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## Scooter's Family (May 23, 2008)

We couldn't do classes here without proof of shots so I'm not sure how young you plan on taking classes. I'd ask your vet about it.


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## pjewel (Apr 11, 2007)

I couldn't even take the boys to the groomer till they had all their shots. I would not think of exposing a puppy to anything till they're protected.


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## sweetlotus (Nov 26, 2008)

Not that I am recommending you do this, but I took Mochi to puppy classes after only one set of shots at 9 weeks and she benefited a lot from the early socialization. When people meet her now and see her interacting with other dogs, they are amazed that she is so social. Well, it definitely wasn't that way in the beginning!


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## mikeb (Mar 11, 2009)

I know it surprised me when I read it but many behaviorists are evidently recommending classes quite early. See this one http://www.apdt.com/po/news/rk_anderson_letter.aspx


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## Sheri (Oct 11, 2008)

I noticed that the new AKC information is encouraging taking puppies to puppy class before their shots, (within their first 3 months of age,) after making sure that the dogs have been checked by the vet first. This sure seems contrary to the well-established tradition of not taking puppies out until they've had their shots. I'm not sure what I think of this yet.


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## Eva (Jun 20, 2008)

I spaced Todd's shots out quite a bit and so he didn't get to get down and play with other dogs until he was about 5 months old. 
My sister in law lost her puppy to parvo and so I was probably overly careful because I didn't want to risk him getting sick. 
Todd had a lot of trips to the park, home depot, kids schools, and outdoor markets before that I just carried him instead of letting him walk. 
He did have some agression problems with other dogs when he first started socializing but they were resolved really quickly and now he loves all of the dogs that he meets.


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

mikeb said:


> I know it surprised me when I read it but many behaviorists are evidently recommending classes quite early. See this one http://www.apdt.com/po/news/rk_anderson_letter.aspx


He's also saying it's ok to place a puppy with a buyer at 7 weeks and that before 8 weeks the puppy should have it's first shots and be in classes with the new owner. I don't know of any hav breeder that will let go of a puppy that young but there are many I don't know.
I thought Dr Dodd's study showed that before 8 weeks the shots wouldn't provide anything useful to the puppy but I'd have to check on that.


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## mikeb (Mar 11, 2009)

Thanks for the comments. I can see I'm not the only one concerned about this. I think I get my puppy in his 8th or 9th week. If my vet agrees I'll take him to classes after his second set of shots at about 11 to 12 weeks of age. This should give him some good training and socialization and have him a bit more protected.

added : I just read in the forum about titers. Maybe I could have one of those done to make sure the puppy has the right antibodies before his classes. Just a thought I'll check with vet.


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## davetgabby (Dec 29, 2007)

AvSAB recommends only the first set of shots being necessary. I would go asap. Just stay away from areas like dog parks , carry them into pet stores . Make sure he gets to meet as many different types of people especially kids and men as possible. Here is the AVSAB article. http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonline/images/stories/Position_Statements/puppy socialization.pdf And here is my favorite article http://www.siriuspup.com/pdfs/before_puppy_sirius.pdf


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## JASHavanese (Apr 24, 2007)

davetgabby said:


> AvSAB And here is my favorite article http://www.siriuspup.com/pdfs/before_puppy_sirius.pdf


_"Sadly the majority of puppies fail to live long enough to enjoy their second birthday?" _
HUH? :brick:


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## Chasza (Dec 10, 2008)

mikeb,

I could be wrong, but I don't think getting titers will help you alot in this particular circumstance. The reason they give the shots 3 times (and I do like Dr Dodds suggestion of only getting 'core' shots, and not those 'everything' shots), anyway, they give the puppy shots in 'sets' b/c the puppies are born with immunity from the mother.

Problem is that the mother's immunity that they get when born will die off and leave them unprotected -- and that time frame varies from dog to dog. Say you have a dog that will keep it's mother's immunity until it is 16 weeks old, for example. Then the shots that they give at, say 9 weeks old or 12 weeks old will actually not do any good long-term. The 'mothers' immunity will kill off the virus in the shot, in this case, and the dog does not develop it's own antibodies. So, then, say the mother's immunity given at birth starts to die off around 13 weeks old. Then you give another shot at 17 weeks (or whenever the schedule calls for), then this shot will be the one that causes the dog to develop it's own immunity.  Thing is that another dog may have the immunity it's born with die off at 10 or 11 weeks old -- so then it really needs that second shot at 12 weeks. There is a wide time frame when the original immunity dies off - so that's why they give so many shots. Only shots given after the mothers immunity dies off will cause the dog to develop it's own antibiodies to the virus. This is my understanding of how it works.

I have done titers. My dogs were too sick to get even the puppy boosters (which I do think is a good idea to do boosters in one year -- but they were not healthy enough). SO, instead I titered them. Christie Keith has a good article on titers and you might want to google her name + titers. But, it takes a week or 10 days to get the titer information back....and it will be about time for another shot again if still doing the puppy series. I don't know if the titers will pick up the mother's immunity or not (if it does, then you wouldn't know if the titer was showing the puppy developing antibodies or not). Then, wait at least a few weeks away from the other shots before giving the rabies shot and make sure the dog is healthy when it gets the rabies shot. Dr. Doods 'it for the animals site' can give more info on her suggestions on vaccination protocols.


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## mikeb (Mar 11, 2009)

Thanks for all the advice and references. I read all the sites and printed some out, this will help me when the time comes to make my decisions. Now I just need a puppy.


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## gelbergirl (Jun 9, 2007)

I brought Henry to friends homes who had friendly dogs.
Henry was 3 pounds running past labs and grabbing toys from their mouths.
He also met another friend's shelties.
It helped that Henry met other dogs as a young'n. The older dogs knew instinctively he was a baby animal and treated him with kid gloves.


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