Socialising

Before this last week this was the last time Kaiah was in the box. 10 days old here and OMG look at the size of them. I used to say I'm sure the are growing every time I went into the room. Having never had such a small litter it was a learning curve. They were big at birth, HUGE puppies, but are very normal adults. I wouldn't like Kaiah any taller, and she has the bone and substance to complete the picture. I know it's early days but if it wasn't for under carriage I could show her today, she really looks great. 

Whilst looking for photos to compare to these little ones I came across this photo of Kaiah at her first Ring Craft. She must have been about 9 weeks. The lovely Ann of course going over her. After her accident 8 weeks ago Ann is still in Stoke hospital and making steady progress. She is now able to walk a few steps with a frame ... here's hoping she'll be home by the Summer. 

Kaiah is out there before her vaccination, Most of you know how important I think socialising is, maybe more so with some breeds than others. The drawbacks of not socialising are greater than the risk of picking something up. Of course common sense is needed, and I suppose it will be the same for these as the K Kids, we can only do the best we can, and that maybe not quite as much as I'd like. But please know that if it's possible to take them in the van to play in my parents' house or my friends' gardens then I will be doing it.

 I've pinched this post from Katrina's page, it explains exactly what I'm trying to say.

"I keep seeing very worrying posts from owners who are taking their puppies out for the first time and the pups are reacting badly. Many of these pups are going out for the first time after they are 12 weeks. Any owner will have an uphill struggle by delaying taking their pup out until 12 weeks. The window for socialisation closes at 12 weeks and by 16 weeks, the doors are closed too. Puppies MUST go out from 8 weeks and even earlier if the breeder can get them out. I tell my owners to take them out from DAY ONE. They can be carried for the first week, so that the puppy isn't overwhelmed. After that, the pup can go on the ground, but just avoid parks where the world and its mother allow their dogs to pooh! Many owners are frightened to death because their vets say they can't go out. I always ask my owners 'Are you going to go out?' They usually are surprised and say 'Well, yes of course' So I tell them that whatever is on their shoes is on their property! It isn't rocket science. Pups I keep have one vaccination only at 16 weeks of age and they have pretty much been everywhere by then. I have done this since 2004 and not had a single problem. I give a probiotic daily (Yudigest) to boost their immune system and I use Homeopathic Nosodes (from Ainsworths). Vets are vaccinating pups too early, before their immune systems are mature enough to cope with it. Pups are most at risk for a few days after vaccination, so be extra careful for that week. How many posts do we see with pups becoming ill within a few days of the vaccination? Far too many! "

See it's not just me, and this is a lady who knows, this is my go too in a crisis lady! Orin did have his vaccination at 11 weeks, even Nobivac post on their website that for puppies vaccinated after 10 weeks only one vaccination is necessary. I still have the screenshot I took when I "broke in" to their website. (I lied, I am not a medical profession!) Orin like the others went out before his vaccination, I carried around Tesco car park, I pushed him round pets at home and garden centres in a trolley, I took him to my parents' house .. and yeah I took him on the mountain. I love seeing them learn about the world, the little brains like a sponge taking it all in ... so wonderful and if you want a balanced GSD ready to take on the world then so so necessary.