29/07/2025
Is Parvo really the only risk to your unvaccinated puppy??
**Critical period of socialisation**
Puppies undergo a crucial developmental phase known as the critical period of socialisation, which typically lasts from birth until about 16 weeks of age. During this time, their brains are particularly receptive to learning and adapting to new experiences. The importance of this period cannot be overstated; it lays the foundation for your puppy's behaviour and temperament throughout their life, and it's your responsibility and power as a puppy owner to shape it.
**Puppy Brain Development**
During the first few months, a puppy's brain develops significantly. This includes making neural connections influencing how they respond to various stimuli, including other animals, people, and environments. Positive interactions during this time help shape a well-adjusted adult dog. However, it's crucial to note that negative experiences or a lack of exposure can lead to anxiety and behavioural issues later on, underscoring the importance of this period.
** But my puppy isn't fully vaccinated**
The big thing all puppy owners fear is PARVO, so how do we navigate this critical time in our dog's lives while reducing the risk of infection but also ensuring our puppies have the best possible start to life?
It's important to remember that with proper precautions and guidance, the benefits of socialisation far outweigh the risks, providing a confident start for your puppy's life.
Behavioural euthanasia in adult dogs has increased significantly; this can be for numerous reasons, but lack of socialisation in the critical period between 0 and 16 weeks has been a consistent factor. So, in the worst case, not socialising your puppy correctly due to fear of them getting sick could, in turn, lead to serious behaviour problems that could potentially lead to a lifetime of management and potential behavioural euthanasia due to not being socialised properly. This might sound extreme, but it's more common than you probably think!!
** So What is socialisation**
"Socialisation refers to the process through which an individual learns and adapts to the values, norms, behaviours, and social skills necessary to interact effectively with others in their environment."
**Low-risk "safe" ways to socialise/expose your unvaccinated puppy**
Car rides: Get your puppy in the car regularly. This will get them accustomed to being in the car, so take them with you as much as possible.
Coffee dates: Buy a takeaway coffee. Put down a blanket/matt, or sit in the boot of your car and let your puppy watch the world go by. Make sure your puppy is in a secure crate or on a lead. This activity can expose your puppy to lots of different things, such as;
Skate park
Beach
Construction sights
Parks and playgrounds
Different animals
Train station
Busy roads
and whatever else you can think of.
Bunnings Trip:
Put your puppy in a trolly and push them around Bunnings. There are so many different things to see!!
School drop off/workplace visit:
This needs to be done with care; make sure your puppy has lots of space and is not bombarded with people, as it can quickly become a negative and overwhelming experience.
Carry your puppy or buy a trolly and take them for walks to as many new locations as possible.
Exposure to people:
Your puppy must see as many different people as possible from other cultures, heights, and shapes. This includes various clothing, facial hair, hats, sunglasses, etc.... Dogs and puppies can be very nervous about "Novelty." If your puppy isn't exposed to many different people, it's more likely to get anxious about "new" things. For example, many dogs often get anxious about men with long beards, sunglasses and big hats. It's unlikely that something terrible has happened. However, this can be due to a lack of exposure during the critical period.
Playgrounds in sunny areas:
The sun kills parvo, so concreated areas and playgrounds that get regular sunlight in high socioeconomic areas with a high vaccination rate are generally low-risk areas. This is a great way to expose your puppy to different surfaces and build confidence through exploration.
Grooming and handling:
Even if you have a short-haired, low-maintenance puppy, booking them in for some puppy grooming is a great way to get your puppy accustomed to being handled by new people. It also helps with nail trims and brushing!! Most groomers will take puppies after their second vaccination, and some will do so earlier if they have the facility. This should be a high priority while young if you have a puppy with long hair or a high-maintenance coat. Getting them used to the grooming environment young will reduce/eliminate any anxiety around being groomed when older.
**Socialisation at home**
Confidence building:
Find a new challenge regularly, and be creative with your puppy's food, such as training and problem-solving.
Box/bucket:
Start easy and make it more complicated until your puppy is happy to climb in and over it to get the food.
Surfaces:
Tarps, bags, bottles, rocks, bricks, tyres, etc... be creative with whatever you have; you could set up an obstacle course for you and your puppy to do together or scatter their food over new obstacles for them to self-explore alone.
Play:
Teaching your puppy how to play with you is both fun and fabulous for your relationship; it's also a great way to give your puppy an outlet for your puppy now and when older.
Everyday skills:
At this age, the only "obedience" I work on is everyday skills, such as walking on lead, recall, toilet training, and relationship building.
**Things to watch out for**
This is your puppy's journey;
we must go at their pace!! If your puppy seems overwhelmed, nervous, or unsure, take your time and do lots of sitting and watching the world. Don't avoid things your puppy is uncertain about, but don't force interactions. For example, if your puppy is unsure or nervous about the sound of kids screaming at a playground or the sound of machinery at a construction sight. Sit with your puppy until they settle, go home, and do the same thing the next day until your puppy is happy and confident in that environment.
Strangers wanting to touch your puppy:
Everyone will want to see and pat your cute little puppy, so make sure you advocate for your puppy. Remember, bad experiences will affect your puppy just as much as good ones. Letting your puppy sit back and watch everything until it is comfortable is much better than forced interactions with strangers; if your puppy was a human child, you wouldn't let random strangers force themselves on them!
Meeting other Dogs:
I am very calculated about puppies' interactions with other dogs. Generally, I want my puppy to ignore most dogs unless they will have an ongoing relationship with them. I will not let puppies interact with a dog or puppy I don't know; the risk of my puppy having a bad experience is not worth it!!
If your puppy seems excessively nervous, anxious, or aggressive towards new people, other animals, environments and this does not improve over the first few days, contact a dog trainer ASAP. Do not wait!!
Progressive Canine Training
