prevent puppies from getting sick

Question
I have five four week old puppies and I was told not to let them go outside untill they get older because they can get sick by being on the grass  is that true and if it is how do I prevent them from getting sick  

Answer
Nonsense! Grass alone is not going to make puppies sick! They can, however, get sick if exposed to germs/parasites from other dogs (or other animals, ie. giardia), particularly if their immunity levels are low. Some breeders will not even take puppies outside until they have had their first inoculations which I think is a huge waste of valuable learning time. I start housebreaking my puppies at five weeks of age, weather permitting, even though they won't get their first inoculation for another 3-4 weeks. At 6-7 weeks, mine will be outside running through agility tunnels, walking on a tipping board, and running across a piece of PVC pipe lying between two jump stantions.

I inoculate at 8-9 weeks of age, and feel that they are well-covered before that by the immunity passed on to them by their dam. I will not, however, take them off my property until they have had that first inoculation, and then it is only in controlled areas.

Karen