Need some input please. Sorry this is long!
I am picking up my first every puppy (or dog) on thursday. He is going to the vet on Firday for his check up. He is an english cocker spaniel.
He will be 9 weeks on Sunday, and just got his first vaccine at 8 weeks. So he won't get his 2nd lot until he is 12 weeks.
Now the puppy classes I wish to put him into (it's the best reputation, huge area, does all agility, obedience training the works) has classes starting this Monday, basic puppy socialisation stuff. Or I would have to wait until my pup was 15 weeks old, for the next class, as it says on their webpage - the usual about needing to have his 2nd lot of shots before he can start class.
I realise it's within (just) the socialisation period of 17 weeks.
My quandary is this I e-mailed the school and the insturctor to see if there would be any more classes. And she surprisingly said if I would bring in proof when I got the 2nd shots so I could start this Monday before I get the 2nd lot of vaccines (4 days after I get him, he will be 9 weeks) she prefers earlier the better, and hasn't had any problems health wise, re other dogs in the center.
Is this wise as it seems to go against every advice I have read or seen. But I don't want to wait too long?
My dream (and yes I have no idea what the temperment of my dog will be) is for him to be a therapy dog. I want to start to take him to basic obedience and then advanced obedience after the puppy class, so that might be taken into consideration?
As it is vital for a therapy dog (any dog!) to be well socialised in that small period of time until the close at 17 weeks.
This is the biggest and best facility. The other 2 in my area sort of melds puppy socialisation and obedience into one, and don't have any other basic obedience. I like the program in the one I want to go into.
petsmart seems to have a 10ft square area which is tiny for their classes which I don't like.
So do I take the puppy now to my "optimum" place?
Still go to place but wait till he is 15 weeks old?
Go to petsmart for basic puppy class then go back to other for obedience class?
I am trying to weigh up the advantages of good class and early socialisation to the health of the pup and the risk to him, not having 2nd vaccines.
I know it's not optimum to do this but what exactly are the risk of him picking up something at an inside dog center?
