Well, you’ve got a cute new puppy running around your house! And you’re wondering when can puppies go outside?
I know you’re excited to show off your new furry friends to all of your non-furry human friends, so let’s find out! Ready?
Let’s dive right in!
Dog vs World
So, you know that dogs are animals; they are, thus, totally at home when outdoors.
Well, you’re right. But, there’s a but…
When it’s about a new puppy, the outdoors isn’t really a hospitable environment place for them! So I suggest that you follow certain precautions. But, more on that later…
The first thing you should remember is that your puppy has been weaned. This basically means that your little friend is no longer dependent on their mom’s milk for nourishment. This also means that your puppy isn’t taking the milk’s antibodies in.
You must be wondering about the antibodies. I’ll explain…
The antibodies that are present in the mom’s milk protect the tiny puppies while their immune system develops. This development usually begins when your puppy is about 3-4 weeks old, and it may go on until the newborn puppies are about 8 weeks or so.
Now, the thing is that most of the pups go to their new homes during their 7 or 8-week mark. The problem is that your new puppy is old enough to be weaned, but it isn’t old enough for the vaccinations.
This means that the puppy is now vulnerable to all doggy diseases.
So, this means that places with dogs around or other wild animals around equal a hot zone for doggy germs, which may wreak havoc on your new puppy friend.
The Vaccine Issue: Can I Take My Puppy Out If They Aren’t Vaccinated?
So, as I said before, until puppies have their vaccinations, they are very vulnerable to many dangerous (and potentially life-threatening!) diseases like adenovirus, canine parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough, and rabies.
This means that vaccinations will definitely prevent an older puppy from getting these diseases, but your puppy is at risk until it’s not vaccinated.
But that’s not it.
Many of these diseases spread via feces or excreta of the infected animals or even parasites that may be living off-host.
This basically means that just avoiding dogs and other animals will not be enough to protect the little one. I’m trying to say that going places where the infected have been is all it’ll take to get an illness.
Now, if you’re still stubborn and still want to take your unvaccinated puppy out, then at least follow these precautions to keep your pup healthy:
● Don’t ever let your puppy run up to another unknown dog
● Never allow your pup to pick up anything it may find outdoors in its mouth
● Steer clear of damp places and areas with long grass
Exploring the Unknown!
So, the best thing for your puppy is that you wait until your pup has had its vaccinations done. Once they are done, you and your puppy friend can now explore nature!
Your puppy is now free to play fetch in the grass, make new doggy friends, and lick anything he can!
But let’s talk about socialization for a hot minute, shall we?
Well, if you don’t have a big circle of friends to prep the new pup for life, you’ll need to do something yourself to socialize your dog.
Let’s go over your options!
Arm Candy!
Ever seen people carry their puppy in their handbags or arms? Reserve your judgments as you’re going to be one of them!
This is an amazing option to help you introduce your furry friend to the world by keeping them safe from diseases. In this, you must avoid putting them in the red zone, aka the ground!
Carrying your new puppy from one place to another allows it to see the big world without any direct contact with harmful stuff. As a bonus, carrying your puppy around will also strengthen the bond between you and your puppy.
Now, if you’re a wimp…
You can be one of those people that push their dog around in a stroller. I’m not even kidding.
I suggest you line the stroller with a comfortable blanket, cover it with some sort of mosquito netting, and go out!
Exploring the Backyard
Well, if you’ve got a backyard, then you’re lucky!
Your backyard could be the first thing technically outdoors that your new puppy can explore without you worrying about any harmful diseases!
I’d advise keeping your puppy in sunny areas of the yard. That’s because of those disease-carrying parasites like staying in shady areas.
While we’re talking about staying away from stuff, you should steer clear of any fences. Well, it’s because wild animals love to eliminate near fences as explore the wild!
That being said…
I’d advise you to keep these backyard escapes as brief as possible. Making shorter trips at first can also help train your new dog to come inside when commanded.
It’d also be better if you tried a bit of leash training at your house in your backyard rather than outside.
I’ll tell you why that is.
Training your puppy to use the leash will help get your little puppy used to the uncomfortable collar and a leash. It’ll also help you control and maneuver your doggy’s moves in the yard. So you’ll be sure that your new pup is safe.
So, Exactly How Long Do I Need To Wait To Show My Puppy Off?
So, the vets usually recommend waiting until about one or two weeks after your puppy has gotten its last vaccination or booster, which is at about 14–16 weeks.
So this means that your puppy should be about 17-19 weeks old when you can finally introduce it to your friends and take it to parks, walking trails, and beaches!
So, what should you do in the meantime?
Well, don’t waste this time inside the house; rather, embrace it! You won’t even know how fast puppyhood goes by! You should enjoy having the little ball of fur all to yourself at home!
Try to get to know your new friend, channel its energy into training and maybe socialization, and call friends over at home to meet your new puppy friend! And love the little guy as much as you can!
So, What Can You Take Away From This?
You can be really excited to show off your new puppy to the entire world, but the outdoors is not entirely a safe place for your new puppy to visit! You really need to take care of a lot of things and avoid taking your unvaccinated puppy out.
He’s an overview of the article:
● Your puppy just got weaned when you got him; this means that it’s not getting the antibodies in its mother’s milk and is now vulnerable to many diseases, so taking it out isn’t a good idea
● Ideally, you should wait until your pup is properly vaccinated before taking him for a walk outside because it can get a lot of serious and fatal diseases
● If, however, you still wish to take your pup out, follow some precautions:
○ Keep it away from other dogs!
○ Keep it restricted to your backyard
○ Steer clear of fences and sunlight
● As for when you can take your puppy outside, vets say it should be about a week or two after your pup has gotten its last vaccine or booster shot!
I hope that I could clear everything you needed to know up! Please do comment if you have any questions or suggestions!
