Disease exposure vs socialization

I agree with AVS. What other websites are you going to that say otherwise? Keep in mind that the internet perpetuates stories and rumors as well as ignorance. Keep the source in mind. Is the website a scientific org or just someone's personal website that has become popular?

There's no way that I would not socialize my pup for lack of vaccines.

 Socialize, socialize, socialize!!! And then, when you're done with that.. socialize some more!!!

Just adjust where you're doing the socializing based on vaccines 

I socialized my pup from the day I brought him home. I took him everywhere with me daily, literally. Some days he even came to work with me (when I was still doing a retail job) and practiced kennel time/travelling, and so that I could keep up with his housetraining.  He came to every class I taught from 12 weeks (not because I waited, but because I didn't start teaching classes until May, and I got him in the end of March) to 8 months, he came to family's houses, to the movie store, I pushed him in a shopping cart at Home Depot - you name it, I did it.

Really the only place I DIDN'T take him was a dog park specifically. I didn't let him get too interested in the excrement (I tried to put f.eces, but it made it look like ***) of other animals. I didn't allow him to drink from unknown water sources. I didn't take him to vet clinics the humane society. Other than that, I made it a point to get him out in the world.  

Yes, disease kills some puppies. It's heartbreaking when it happens. But, behaviour kills FAR more dogs, every day, than disease.  I deal daily with the dogs who were kept indoors and not socialized until 16 weeks of age or later. And that's equally heartbreaking. I tell my own clients that they can "vaccinate" their puppies against fears, phobias, and sometimes aggression by socializing their puppy.

Genetics matters, too, and starting with stable stock.  Working with unstable genetics takes care and patience, often for the life of the dog, whereas a dog with great genetics (I mean nerves, stability, and bounce-back - not how many champions are in the pedigree) may have no noticable impact of a less-than-stellar socialization period. 

denise m

the American Veterinary Society suggested that the risk of exposure to diseases was out weighed by the value of socialization,

 

I can't say strongly enough how much I agree with this position. 

Absolutely, without a doubt socialize!  You do have to be smart & creative about it, but, imo, the potential issues arising from not socializing until a later age outweigh the potential for disease exposure.

I agree with the AVS socialization part, however, I would be extremely careful on who and how people handle the pup and where you take your puppy.

Rummy is now 7 months old and a very well adjusted dog considering I've had him since he was 4 weeks old. I did start taking him out almost as soon as I started fostering him, by 6 weeks old he was walking very nicely on a leash so we could go for very short walks. It was crucial that I socialized him because he did miss out on having a mom and siblings at such a young age. Only problem I ran into was that almost everyone who saw this cute fluffy puppy wanted to instinctively pick him up. It drove me crazy, strangers in the park we met, people walking by just stopping and without asking would "hold" him, even people I work with who know better would just reach down and grab him. I'm just now getting a handle on him jumping on new people and even new dogs he meets. Of course there are always could-of, should-of, would-of's but looking back I really should have been more on top of that from the beginning because I'm really paying for it now that he's much bigger and bouncier.

You probably already know this, but remember this age a lot of early fundamental training begins so if you don't want your pup doing it as an adult, don't let him do it now. Set guidelines from the very start when you take him out. Not just for you and your pup but for other people as well.

I'm not disagreeing but I've always had rescues and I know they were all not well "socialized" -- and I've encountered darned few problems I can't overcome with careful socialization.

If they wait til 9-10 weeks for that first shot, then that's going to be effective anyway.

You can "socialize" but you don't have to set them on grass to do it.  You can take them places and be careful where you put them.  Am I going to socialize at a dog park?  no.  If there have been signs up in my neighborhood that there's been a potential parvo puppy running around am I gonna go to a neighbor's lawn to socialize?  No - but I might as to use their garage or in the house or IN their fenced yard.

Did that make sense?

I socialize but with a 7-10 week puppy I don't go to the dog park (well, I don't really ever go to the dog park!) and if I'm at the pet store I carry the puppy.  Honestly I'm most leery about a pup catching something AT the vet's office so if we *have* to go in I carry the pup there too, he's in my arms unless I set him directly onto the sterilized table.  My friend and I do our own vaccines so normally the only vet visit we do initially is if the purchase agreement requires me to have the dog vetted within 72 hours.  We did do this with Pan to honor the purchase agreement and because the breeder told me one of the other pups tested positive for coccidia so we had a fecal done.  Other than being very careful at dog-heavy places I socialize like normal and make a point to bring the pup somewhere outside the home every day for the first few months.  I agree with Callie that with most dogs, you get what you get and there are inborn problems no amount of socialization will overcome, but since I'm looking for bold and powerful working type dogs if there is a temperament problem, I'd rather observe it right away so I can work something out with the breeder.  When I socialize it is more to test what I think I already know about the dog based on his genetics than me thinking I can change how a dog reacts to things, if that makes sense.

 In some countries, cars are equipped with seat belts for dogs.Socialization!!!