Advice on early walking needed

[JoHarborne]

Hi everyone!  Can I ask a question about early walking on a lead?

Woody has had his vaccinations and is very happy to wear his collar (good boy!)  In the last couple of days I've taken him on short walks around our neighbourhood - literally only five or ten minutes at a time and 90% of the time on pavements.  Yesterday I took him out three times and now I'm worrying that that's too much.  

I read on the Forum a week or so ago that five minutes per month of life is about right and have been following that.  But I'm concerned that the pavements will affect his joints (which I read somewhere).  Is it 5 mins per month of life in total per day or per walk?  Our house has wooden floors and our back garden is completely paving stones - so he's never really had a soft surface from the start ...

He's extremely happy on the lead, bounds along, takes an interest in everything and is slowly bewitching the whole neighbourhood - I've never had so many new friends.                    

[lizzy]

Hi Jo and Woody

I think what you' re doing sounds fine, but maybe twice a day on pavements at the minute, you could drive him to a park and let him have a play and meet other friendly dogs and see some children.

I would take him to as many different places and let him meet alsorts of people while he is still young and impressionable, quality is more important than quantity at this age. :wink:

Evie is 5 months and had a varied socialisation from the day I got her and still does but is quite wary of some people, something I'm working on!

Woody will get his exercise from a romp in the garden at this age, so don't worry about that!


Lizzy Molly and Evie                    

[bluesmum]

Hi Jo,

am I right that Woody just had his second vac on monday as you said on the microchipping thread? Bailey had his on monday too and we were told to keep him in for another week after this vac, and I know it's the same for everyone I know, did your vet say you could take him out so soon after?

I would just check with your vet Jo that it's ok to be taking Woody on walks so soon after his vac :wink:                    

[PennyB]

I agree Maria most vets say no lead walks outside until a week to 10 days after 2nd jab. In theory it should be safe but its better to err on the side of caution with young pups. Carrying them around everywhere is OK though and a must for any pup.                    

[JoHarborne]

Hi Penny!  Hi Maria!  Hi Lizzy!!

Yep - Woody did indeed have his second lot of vaccs on Monday and the vet advised us that so long as we kept him on pavements and away from areas where rats might be (our local park!!) then he would be fine.  

The park will be perfect for him but as my husband is still away on business, I've not been able to take him out in the car on my own.  We bought a harness for him but (doh!) only got one for a full sized Cocker so for the time being it's hubby holding him while I drive.

So as from next Monday we should be able to offer him a more varied selection of activities.  He is getting very adept at fetching his ball in the back garden and the short walks have literally been for him to get used to cars, new smells and those lovely friendly neighbours.

Thanks for your advice - it's amazing the way the whole world seems to open up as a dog owner, the moment you can step outside the door with them!!! xxx                    

[PennyB]

You can get an attachment to go on a normal harness so you can avoid this problem and it works more or less the same as the car harness does. I'm thinking of getting one as I don't always like to take their car harnesses (I don't have a car but just in case I get a lift anywhere) with me when out hiking and they usually have ordinary harnesses on them anyway and it'll be easier to stuff these attachments into my backpack. I often had harnesses on mine when they were pups as they would get into trouble and it was easier to hoist them up by the harness.

http://www.petcompany.co.uk/acatalog/Onlin...w_Vents_34.html

SEAT BELT ATTACHMENT LOOP
For safety whilst travelling in a car, this product comprises of a nylon webbing loop, with a strong plastic clip buckle to open and fasten the loop, and a sewn in heavyweight trigger hook, to attach to the dog's harness. The seat belt in the car is clipped in as normal, and then the loop of the product clipped around the actual seatbelt in the car. The length of this product is not adjustable. The dog is able to move as much as a seat belt allows a human to move around, and the product provides a similar impact protection as if wearing the seat belt. Recommended for use attached to a harness.

Odd thinking by your vet really as if all parvo/diseases skip the pavements LOL                    

[JoHarborne]

Oooh I didn't know that!   Definitely worth looking into - thanks Penny!

Little lamb is asleep on the chair next to me while I catch up with my emails - I'm really seeing his personality develop daily and he's been a real joy over the past three days.  I panicked like mad when my husband left and I thought I'd never cope but it's been a lot of fun and I think Woody and I have bonded even more.  Saving his last five minute walk until Daddy gets back this evening - want to show him how good Woody is on his lead and that he doesn't need to get a treat every few yards!!!                      

[lizzy]

Aaaww bless him!


Lizzy Molly and Evie                    

[Sheila]

Lottie had her final vaccs on Tuesday, and our vet said no going outside on walks until 7 to 10 days either. It takes that long to be sure that the puppy is covered properly.

We are looking forward to next week.....first walks and first puppy socialisation class                    

[*Jay*]

We must be the only other vets apart from Jo's who says 3-4 days is fine :wink:  It can also depend on the brand of vaccine used.  The ones that can be given at 8 and 10 weeks normally state in the data sheet that the pup still can't get out so to speak for 10 - 14 days afterwards. Thats why we stayed with the 8 and 12 week ones as there didn't seem to be any major benefits in giving them earlier.                    

[bluesmum]

My dogs had their vac's at 8 and 12 weeks but vet said no outside walks for another week later, it seems all vets do things differently - just to confuse us!

Enjoy your walkies Jo and Woody                    

[*Jay*]

My dogs had their vac's at 8 and 12 weeks but vet said no outside walks for another week later, it seems all vets do things differently - just to confuse us!  

Oh well, bang goes my theory                    

[JoHarborne]

I just wanted to clear up the debate about the vet's advice.  We asked how soon we could take him out for short walks and he said that the only concern was one particular disease that is carried by rats and that if we kept his walks on pavements only and kept him well supervised (?!) then he would be fine.  

I know that we all trust our vets' advice implicitly and that we all want the best for our babies.  We are no different.  We wouldn't have taken him out had we not been told that it should be fine.  I'm not angry with any of the postings and I love this Forum because the advice and conversation is so helpful, but I am a little hurt that it has been even slightly intimiated that we would put Woody at risk in any way.  We were told by our breeder that we could get his first vacs done at 8 weeks and the second at 10 which we did.  And we have now passed his care into the hands of our vets.  I personally feel we have done nothing wrong and would hope that the new friends we have made on this site would recognise that too!

As I said - I'm not at all angry!!  I just wanted to take the opportunity to clear that issue up!                      

[bluesmum]

I'm not angry with any of the postings and I love this Forum because the advice and conversation is so helpful, but I am a little hurt that it has been even slightly intimiated that we would put Woody at risk in any way.

Jo,

I'm sorry that you feel hurt, my comment about vac's was not to critisise YOUR care of Woody at all  I had never heard of being able to take puppies out so soon after having their last vacc (we learn something new every day :wink: ) and I think you will find that I was only trying to help on the information I had, as I said in my second post Jo -

it seems all vets do things differently - just to confuse us!

Enjoy your walkies Jo and Woody

                   

[Magic Star]

Hi Jo

You are right not to over walk Woody, 5 mins per month of age is usually the rule of thumb :wink:  

Just picking up on the vaccination issue, I too have never heard of this advise :?  when I got Indie done it was 10-14 days after her second jab, before she was allowed on the floor :roll:   Please don't take this the wrong way Jo, but I would seriousley reconsider walking Woody on any pavements until at least 7-10 days after his jabs.  At the end of the day rats go anywhere and everywhere and are very often seen on pavements close to houses at night, as that is where all the scraps are :wink:   The same is to be said with urban foxes, which I believe also carry diseases :?  

Please don't take offence to anything I or the others have typed regarding this, we are just trying to help and offer our experiences, in the hope that it will help others or yourself make informed decisions :wink:     Good luck with the lead walking, Indie was a terror on hers for a while, but it does get better, so stick with it