As you are probably aware, puppies have latent immunities from their mother. These maternal antibodies sometimes interfere with vaccines as they decrease in the puppy’s body at various rates. As we have no way to know when the antibodies decrease enough to allow the vaccines to start working, veterinarians vaccinate at multiple times during the first 16 weeks of life.
Tips for protecting your new puppy:
- Follow your vaccination schedule
- Do not take your dog to public areas where dogs frequent such as beaches, parks and sidewalks.
- Do not let your puppy sniff another dogs feces
- Carry your puppy in and out of the veterinary clinic. While Veterinarians are very precautions with disinfection, a sick dog could have walked on a pathway into the hospital.
- Make sure all of your pets are also current on vaccines
- Keep your puppy in your own fences yard where there is no access to non-family pets
- Socialization is important but you should not expose your puppy to outside dogs (even if fully vaccinated) until at least 14 weeks. Waiting until 16 weeks ensures full vaccination coverage however if you can verify a friend’s pet has full vaccinations, gentle introduction to socialization would be okay to begin two weeks following the second set of vaccines.
- Puppy classes and daycare should not be joined until a minimum of 14 weeks, preferably 16 weeks after your puppy’s third set of vaccinations