When Is it Safe to Let Your Puppy Go Outside and Meet Other Dogs?

Dogs

You might be wondering about the best time to introduce your dog to the great outdoors. It is very common for puppy owners to ask when is it safe for their puppy to go out, explore, and even play with other dogs and puppies.

The concern stems from the risk of a puppy catching an infectious disease before their bodies have developed immunity to it. Puppies can catch infectious diseases such as parvovirus from sick, unvaccinated dogs or from any place a sick dog has visited and shed the virus. Some of these viruses can live in the environment for years. This makes dog parks (and many other places you may want to take your puppy) potentially dangerous to a pet that doesn't have full immunity.