Problem:
Early socialisation vs isolation
Hello
Shannon
We fetched our new Rottweiler puppy last week, at the
age of 8 weeks. I was all set to start taking her to
socialisation classes until the breeder suggested that
she doesn't go off our property until her next set of
vaccinations due to the risk of her contracting Parvovirus.
Her next set of vaccinations will not be for another
3 weeks, and on reading your articles on socialisation
it seems that the earlier we start, the better it will
be for all concerned. We have 2 small children, and
I have never owned a dog before, so am really concerned
about inadvertantly doing the wrong thing and creating
bad habits, but also do not want to put the puppy at
risk. Do you have any suggestions?
Kind
regards
Social Liza
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Dear
Social Liza,
Rottweilers
do appear to be more prone to parvovirus than most other
breeds. This appears to be more of an issue in an environment
with lots of Rottweilers. It is indeed a problem, as
Rottweilers certainly need good quality socialisation
as puppies. Waiting until their vaccination schedule
is complete actually puts them outside of the optimal
socialisation period of 16 weeks.
In
my puppy school I am happy to accept puppies after their
second vaccination, which should be given at around
10 weeks of age. The small risk of illness in a properly
run puppy group is far outweighed by the risks of owning
a large unsocialised dog. But I am not in the situation
of having a large number of Rottweiler puppies in each
class, so I can afford to relax my vaccination protocol.
New
research has proven that puppies attending a puppy school
actually cross immunise one another. The exposure to
mild bacteria and viruses also stimulates their immune
system and these puppies are thought to be ultimately
healthier as a result.
Of
course it is imperative that the owner of the puppy
school ensures that only healthy puppies and dogs are
allowed onto the premises. A dog coming from a suspect
background, such a pet shop or a flea market (no pun
intended), should not be allowed to join a puppy group
until he has been in his owner's possession for two
weeks and then given a clean bill of health by a veterinary
surgeon. Unfortunately these pups can often be incubating
diseases, hence the two-week period before being allowed
to join the group.
I
operate my own puppy school on these guidelines and
in the past six years we have never experienced a problem
with a contagious disease (touch wood). In this time
we have had nearly 1000 puppies through our school.
Disease
is a risk when dealing with puppies that are not fully
vaccinated, but I would rather face that risk than end
up with a pup that never received his "behavioural
vaccination" thanks to puppy school.
Regards
Shannon