My 9 week old Lab is a handful, even though I am home almost 24/7. I live in an apartment in the city and have him crate trained, which is going well. When he gets out of the crate though, he is very nippy and loves to go after power cords and the furniture etc. This is all normal behavior I know (the nippy side is from going home at 7 weeks I hear), but I need some control while he is confined to the indoors. He can't go outside until he is at least three months old due to parvo.

He only gets one nip of a power cord, or fabric of furniture before I grab him away, but over time a bunch of single nips could be damaging.

SOOOOOOOOOO -- should I consider leading him around the apartment with a leash until I can bring him outside? Is this a help or will I pay for it later? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Thanks! Elizabeth

http://leerburg.com/groundwork.htm

 Quote:

He can't go outside until he is at least three months old due to parvo.

Why can't he go outside?
If he has had his vaccinations, he should be ok to go outside.
If he has previously had parvo, he is now immune, so should be able to go outside.
?????

Allison, at 9 weeks, he hasn't had his full set of vaccines, so he's not safe yet. Puppy vaccines are generally given at 9, 12, and 16 weeks. It isn't safe for the puppy to be exposed to areas where other dogs have been until 2 weeks after the third shot.

So you reccommend that puppies DON'T go outside until they are...18 weeks(4 1/2 months) old?????!!!
Thats a little ridiculous. Too much socialization and exercise missed.
There are other places to take your dog that other dogs haven't been. Besides, dog parks aren't a good place for puppies to be at anyway. (or any dog, for that matter)

Is this what most people do with their puppies? I must be really lost if so...

Hi Allison,

I live in NY City and therefore I do not have my own yard for the puppy. There are loads of parklands and dog runs, but the risk of parvo is great here for young pups.

My vet told me that I could take him outside at 3 months if:

A) I keep him away from other dogs and
B) If I wash his paws with a thorough cleaning solution before allowing him back into the apartment where he would certainly lick his paws.

At 4 months he should be ok to roam as he is a large breed.

Hope that clarifies,
Elizabeth

No. I didn't say anything about not letting them go outside, or not taking them places until they are 18 weeks old. I simply said that it wasn't safe to allow them to come into contact with other dogs and places where other dogs have been until this time. You can still take them places and have them out in your yard (provided no other dogs have access to your yard), but it is not wise to take them for walks where other dogs have been and have possibly used the bathroom, until they are fully vaccinated. I know I would HATE to lose my $3000 puppy to parvo when it very easily could have been prevented.

There are also many stores that won't say a thing to you if you take your puppy in and let him ride in the shopping cart. This is a good way to get him out and about and exposed to people as well. I never said not to take him outside period - just not to expose him to areas where other dogs have been until he's fully vaccinated.

Does that kind of isolation not seem detrimental to his development?
Thought this might change your mind... Based on this, you and your dog mnight want to stay inside the house forever.

"Parvo is highly contagious to unprotected dogs, and the virus can remain infectious in ground contaminated with fecal material for five months or more if conditions are favorable. Extremely hardy, most disinfectants cannot kill the virus, however chlorine bleach is the most effective and inexpensive agent that works, and is commonly used by veterinarians.

The ease with which infection with Parvo can occur in any unvaccinated dog must be stressed. The virus is extremely hardy in the environment. Withstanding wide temperature fluctuations and most cleaning agents. Parvo can be brought home to your dog on shoes, hands and even car tires. It can live for many months outside the animal. Any areas that are thought to be contaminated with parvo should be thoroughly washed with chlorine bleach diluted 1 ounce per quart of water.

Dogs and puppies can contract parvo even if they never leave their yards. Parvo virus, despite what you might hear, is NOT an airborne virus. It is excreted in the feces of infected dogs, and if someone -- human, dog, bird, etc. -- steps in (or otherwise comes in contact with) the excrement, the possibility for contamination is great. Some people speculate that birds invading a dog's food dish can deposit the parvovirus there. If you think you may have come in contact with parvovirus, a strong solution of bleach and water does kill the virus, so you can wash your shoes and clothes, even your hands with it, to reduce the risk of infecting your dog. " (from nwk9.com)

There's a risk regardless and probably not much less with staying indoors.

Not saying to go against the recommendations of your vet, but gosh that's gotta suck not to take him out. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Yes, it's not the greatest, but it's the way we do things here. I do take him out (carrying him) and so he does meet people, but not other dogs just yet. Never fear though, he will learn to socialize in no time and I have the crate training under control so that I am no longer fearing the transition. I can't imaging training without a crate.

As far as exercise, we play fetch indoors until he is about to drop. He is a Lab afterall <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The only drawback is the nipping situation. THAT he would have had under control if allowed to socialize with his littermates longer. This too shall pass in time.

Take care and Go Yellow Jackets! (I got kicked out of Georgia State (Tech only nearby football then), but miraculously graduated from NYU)

Elizabeth