Slightly silly question...(puppy)

[StillMedusa]

So, all being well we will bring home our first puppy in two weeks time.
We have all the essentials (and more..I may have gone overboard!)
She will start her vaccinations asap but in the meantime I need to take her out for socialisation, but not put her down anywhere from what I understand.
HOW do I do this?! She isn't a tiny puppy...(was 4kg at 6 weeks !) I can drive to places and carry her a little way but I suspect a chunky fuzz ball is going to be quite heavy by the time she is safe to walk!

Big puppy owners..talk me through this! (Obviously I'll ask the breeder when we visit this weekend but any tips?)

[Floralnomad]

How heavy is she actually going to be , my dog is 15 kg and I can carry him quite a long way ( back from walks when he’s decided to rupture something ) . He sits on my hip like a toddler would .

[ATrainSeat]

I’ve seen people carry a puppy in an open rucksack worn backwards, so it’s on your front.

[GrimDamnFanjo]

I had a sling and used that for a few weeks. I did a lot of walking about like this with the pup and it has paid off. Also I took him to visit my parents close by who don't have dogs so it gave him more experiences where he could be on the floor or in their garden.

[Artykitty666]

Any friends with vaccinated dogs locally? Carry pup to their gardens is fine. Plus put treats / meals in rolled up towels or the grass keeps them very occupied. Introduce it to all the visitors to your house and let there be loud noises. My girl was huge and I got her at seven weeks so vets made me wait until 8 before we began her vaccinations. It was three weeks of imprisonment! I understand your pain! I've the best, chilled out, four year old ever now tho, so it's worth it!

[Girlintheframe]

We often took ours to the local retail park and sat in the boot (with the door open) so he could see things. Plenty of people came up to say hello and give him strokes. People can't resist a puppy !

[Girlintheframe]

Meant to also say we played him lots of socialisation noises off you tube. Things such as fireworks, sirens, thunder etc. The idea is you play them really low and as pup gets used to them louder and louder. He isn't remotely bothered by sirens, thunder etc now.

[AgathaF]

Ours was a big puppy. We carried him out and sat on benches with him in our arms. People came over to meet him just because he was a puppy. We also took him to the pub lots, to cafes, and out in the car to visit shops that allow dogs in, so carrying kept to a minimum but plenty of opportunity to socialise. It was somewhat of a relief though when we could let him walk on the pavement.

[zenlife]

Vaccinations are done at 12 weeks then you can go out and socialise

[CMOTDibbler]

I fostered a couple of puppies who were 6kg at 6 weeks, and I made a sling out of a big scarf so they could be carried around. I also often have unvaccinated older pups (like my current little friend) who need to get out.
The real trick is to cruise from seating area to seating area - we are notorious in our town for having the pups, so can take them to a coffee shop and they do a lot of socialising there (we get complained at when appearing without pups by the customers). Or drive to a pet shop and carry them round, sit in a pub garden by the road with them on your lap - or take a picnic blanket to places and keep pup on there

[OverFedStanley]

You can park your car near sports ground and sit with the dog with the boot up.

Same for traffic - park at the side of the road

Supermarket carparks are also great to meet different types of people again sat in the car with the boot up.

Summer is great for have dog on your lap outside cafes and pubs

It is vitally important that you do get your dog out and about before vaccinations but do not force any interactions just let the dog watch and take it all in

[MsMarvellous]

I've been carrying MarvelPup around in a baby sling the last couple of weeks.

[RRJR]

She’ll be fine. She will still have her mother’s antibodies (from the milk) inside her which will protect from diseases. It amazes me people don’t know this and believe everything the vets tell them/the horror stories

All my dogs have been out walking since the day I got them. They’ve never been to the vets other than annual check ups.
You miss out on so much of the crucial social period by keeping them indoors or carrying them around. Dogs did and still do survive in the wild.

[CMOTDibbler]

In my area, parvo is absolutely endemic. The rescue I foster pups for very regularly looses puppies to it, and even if they survive it is really, really horrible. We have one in the vets at the moment - sibling to my foster - and don't think she'll survive.
I have no idea why you would endanger puppies for the sake of a few weeks of carrying them.

[BiteyShark]

Dogs did and still do survive in the wild.

And those that don't do not cause heartache for their owners and cost them a huge amount of money in vet fees given insurance is hardly going to pay out when you have gone against professional advice.

[OverFedStanley]

.......^^ or heartache of the 50,000+ of dogs that are rehomed or pts due to behavioural issues that are not socialised correctly at the correct time.

There is a balance between getting your dog out and about and keeping them safe from illnesses.

Parvo can be carried into your house on your shoes and infect the puppy, it can be brought into your garden and driveway by your car wheels so being very dogmatic about vaccination and the time scale is not the answer.

Titre tested 6 week old puppy and it had immunity to all illnesses that were vaccinated against, they do have some cover from their mothers.

There needs to be a sensible non emotional approach to what is best for the puppies.

[BiteyShark]

I think most owners do get the right balance by carrying their puppies to places rather then letting them walk the streets or mixing with unknown dogs.

Gets them out and used to noise etc without taking unnecessary risks simply by carrying them. Certainly my vets encouraged carrying them rather than staying indoors but equally warned about avoiding placing them down in certain areas etc.

[OverFedStanley]

I would disagree that "most" owners get the balance right as the figures of 50,000 rehomed dogs illustrates there is a massive problem with behavourial issues with dogs

[BiteyShark]

I would imagine behavioural issues also covers people generally not training rather than just socialisation up to vaccination age.

Sorry OP to derail.

[StillMedusa]

Thank you for the suggestions. I was indeed planning to sit on benches in our little town to watch traffic, kids, people etc.
I may see if I can fashion a sling if my not-so-little girl is a wriggler in arms.
Being our first dog we don't know many local dog people but I do have a few friends who have said they will happily bring their vaccinated dogs round, or I can visit them .

I may actually build some muscles :D

[BiteyShark]

One thing I should prepare you for though when carrying them is to carry some towels as mine would sometimes pee on me

[BiscuitDrama]

What age will the puppy be when you get it?

[StillMedusa]

9 weeks

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

I tried carrying ours. Her weight wasn't the problem but the scratchy squirming was. I ended up visiting friends with vaccinated dogs, and taking her to ground that no other dogs were walked on, because she was, frankly, doing my head in: working line dog in urgent need of stimulation.

[yetwig]

I bought a sling off amazon, think it was a £5. Pup was 6.5 kilos and was quite happy, after her first jab I started to put her on the floor, my vet said it was fine, in none dog busy areas and on the beach by the sore line, as the sea washes away any nasties. She's 14 weeks now and quite a social girl.