Puppies can start at just 8 weeks old?

There is a great deal of controversy now on the subject of vaccinations and immunity; much of the conventional "wisdom" about vaccines has been disproven and newer protocols are still in discussion. You are not encouraged to ignore your vet's advice, but please make your own informed decision.

A human child remains a helpless infant much longer than a puppy. Yet we do not quarantine him at home, away from dangerous exposure to the world -- rather, he is proudly shown off at Grandma's, taken shopping, carried through restaurants, and generally shares life with his parents. Very few doctors would recommend hiding an infant from the rest of the world.

Yet many people do this with their puppies, denying them the opportunity to learn appropriate body language and behavior with their species (which often leads to social problems later) and to learn appropriate behavior interacting with friendly humans. This gap in his education is covered by the natural puppy exuberance, but as he matures the problem becomes more defined.

As mentioned elsewhere on this site, a dog is far, far more likely to die of behavior problems than of disease. The age of eight to sixteen weeks is the optimum socialization period, with the first four being the most critical; it seems a shame to waste this opportunity in a healthy puppy's life.

Organized and supervised classes allow puppies the best of socialization and learning experience while providing a safe environment; all enrolled dogs are required to present proof of vaccinations or titers and any sickly dogs are removed immediately.  The result is a much less risky arena for your puppy to learn than a pet store or a public park.

Don't risk your puppy by exposing him to situations with unknown dogs -- but don't waste this single opportunity to give him the best start in life.