DS: What is your opinion on taking puppies to public places before they have completed their vaccinations?

[Cheryl]

it is absolutely ridiculous to keep a dog indoors or contained till it is four months old ... i had my dog in puppy kindergarten by ten weeks and with only one set of shots ... i walked him in a public park the day i got him at eight weeks old ... as i did with every dog i have owned, walked them from the day i got them, all at eight weeks old ...

"The Primary and most important time for puppy socialization is the first three
months of life. During this time puppies should be exposed to as many new people,
animals, stimuli and environments as can be achieved safely and without causing
over-stimulation manifested as excessive fear, withdrawal or avoidance behavior. For this
reason, the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior believes that it should
be the standard of care for puppies to receive such socialization before they are fully vaccinated."

four dogs, over the past forty years, each as a puppy was taken outside, walked, with no health issues whatsoever before they were fully vaccinated ... but the early socialization resulted in very nice dogs with friendly temperaments and minimal behavioral issues for life ... people paranoid about disease and keep their dogs in can then be dealing with a lifetime of behavioural issues ...