Puppy Class Dilemma

[Alfie]

I have conflicting advice from two vets at different hospitals, both of whom are well-respected in my community. I'm cuirous what choices the rest you have made...

Alfie would be 13 weeks when the class starts. He had two sets of shots at the breeder, but both vets recommended that we start the cycle over again for safety in an urban environment. One vet is recommending no classes until 10 days after his last injection, which would be the very end of February, at which point he would be about 19 weeks old. The other vet recommends a puppy-preschool class at our local "canine learning center" for him for socialization event hough he won't be fully vaccinated.

I keep reading, though, that the most important socialization time is before 16 weeks. So, I'm torn... do we go? do we not?

He doesn't have any major bahavioral problems, but I'm sure that the class would help in terms of general socialization, bite strength modulation (a bonus for my feet that he likes to chomp on), and just general stimulation.

I have a place in the class reserved, but they're ok with me holding off until next session (he's be 21 weeks) due to this concern. I have to make a decision in the next day or two, as class is due to start and since the classes are capped at small numebers, there's a waiting list....

Thoughts?

[gmacleod]

I would go.

The period 10-16 weeks is the ideal time to start puppy socialisation classes, and the pup will learn a lot from playing with others of his own age. This is solcialisation and learning that really can't be replicated in any other way (unless you happen to know someone else with a puppy of a similar age he can play with, of course - in which case, you can have the best of both worlds).

Sure, it carries with it a bit of risk of disease. But the risk is fairly minimal - all the other puppies in the class should be being similarly protected by their owners from other dogs and places where dogs congregate and defacate. IMO the risk of disease is a lesser one than the consequences of a pup that misses out on early socialisation with other puppies.

[franp]

My Vet has a puppy play school for pups that have not finished shots..It was a Godsend..And Dari did not suffer any ill effects..

We started when she was about 14 weeks (it was a long time ago,so I don't remember exactly.).And the other dogs were about the same age..Not only did she learn to be around other dogs,but she got TIRED!!appicon

I highly recommend this type of play group if you can do it..When she was old enough to be in a general dog population, she was not at all afraid..

[Martina]

all the other puppies in the class should be being similarly protected by their owners from other dogs and places where dogs congregate and defacate.

I put Tigger in class at about 16wks (got him at 14/5). I had to have doctor certication regarding shot history ... so I assume that everyone else did too ;) I would do it again.

[slakker]

The Puppy Schools and vet recommendations in our area (Vancouver Canada) is mostly concerned with Bordetella. Though there is still debate about the duration and efficacy of the vaccine, it seems this is highest risk concern for disease in the puppy schools we've looked into (about a dozen).

There's not much concern about other diseases as I think the viewed is that any owner conscientious to spend time and money to train their puppies, would take care to ensure vaccinations, general health, etc.. But like any general rule of thumb, I'm sure there's exceptions, hence the "small risk" component.

[imogene]

Slakker forgot to mention that I made sure that Belzie had her third set of vaccinations before we brought her into contact with other dogs. We have an issue with Parvo in our area. We got Belzie when she was 17 weeks, and immidiately started socializing her. She met so many people her frist two weeks - people in hats- people with umbrellas-people in uniforms-babies, large groups- birds, cats and other dogs. Theres over 100 things recomened to introduce your dog to from 16-18 weeks. I have a list somewhere if you're interested I can post it.

I had one really bad experience with a trainer (recomened by our vet)who made me feel like we had gotten a deffective puppy by not getting her sooner than 17 weeks. We got Belize in December, and I wanted to get her into a puppy soci. class as quick as possible. But here there are no calsses from Dec to mid January. Their class was only open for puppies under 20 weeks - she made me feel like Belzie would grow up to have two heads and bite by the time I left. :mad:

We found a trainer who allow small dogs up to 8 months -even if it is two cities and a 45 minute drive from our place. So far we have had one class -the first part of class is spent taking turns handling other peoples dogs - I am not biased or anything;) , but Belzie is the most well-behaved puppy in her class :lol:

[Alfie]

Thank you, Everyone, for your responses and thoughts.

I've decided to go ahead and join the class; tonight is the first session.

It was a tough choice balancing information, but I'm hoping that the combination of what immunity he may have (two shots at breeder's vet, and the first of re-doing the three shots here), the fact that there are two vets available on site (in addition to the puppy class, they teach a few dozen other ones too, i felt like i back in university redaing the course catalog!), as well as the fact that most people doing a class at this school probably take awfuly good care of their pups, means that the benefits will far outweigh the risks.

Again, thanks for you time -- I appreciated it!

-Anthony & Alfie

[franp]

Thank you, Everyone, for your responses and thoughts.

I've decided to go ahead and join the class; tonight is the first session.

It was a tough choice balancing information, but I'm hoping that the combination of what immunity he may have (two shots at breeder's vet, and the first of re-doing the three shots here),
Again, thanks for you time -- I appreciated it!

-Anthony & Alfie
Why are you re-doing the shots? The greatest danger to our dogs is overvaccintation...
Please google Dr Jean Dodds and read her puppy vaccination protocol..PLEASE do not revaccinate your dog.

[Alfie]

The vaccination schedule that she recommends is basically the one that we're on now. Read on, though:

The reason that its been restarted, though, is that he was too young when they started (first shot was at 6 weeks), and when they're that young the pup's blood still contains antibodies from the mother's milk that interfere with the effectiveness of the vaccine. [human babies experience the same problem in building immunity at very young ages.]

His (traditional-style) vet is the one who initially pointed this out, but I also verified it with a (holistic-style) vet that I'm friends with socially. (I don't feel comfortable with a holistic vet as his primary doc, but I do value his opinion in terms of broadening my perspective.)

Either way, they were both on board with re-starting the cycle. It would have been ideal had he not had the first two shots... but becuase biologically/immunologically they didn't create any substanitve immunity, I was satisfied that it was appropriate under the circumstances to restart the cycle.

I agree with you that there's no need to vaccinate beyond what is truly necessary (I have some educational background on the pros and cons of vaccines) -- but in this case, I felt that it was the responsible thing to do.

[franp]

Ok. thank for taking the time to explain why he is being revacincatied...I really appreciate it..

[franp]

Ok. thank for taking the time to explain why he is being revacincatied...I really appreciate it..

YIKES, my spelling is bad this early in the morning....:eek: vaccinated...