Puppy Protocol: Activities with Age and Health
Puppy ISO Building
Any puppy of any age or vaccine status living in the Puppy ISO building will be restricted from leaving the immediate puppy grounds. This is for the protection of new arrivals whose health status or immunization status is not yet known, who may be very young and have an immature immune system, who may be a nursing mother with no previous vaccines etc.
Puppies with no vaccines up to two vaccines + five days
These puppies must stay entirely in the Puppy ISO building in their in/out areas. They may not go to the park, to class be handled by volunteers or go to the Clinic for spay/neuter. They may be carried outside or taken for a golf cart ride but may not be placed on the ground or floor or allowed contact with persons other than there care-giver.
Puppies with two vaccines + five days and living in puppy ISO building
These puppies may go to the clinic for spay/neuter, go to the puppy park, go to puppy class in the Preschool building, go on walks on the puppy grounds and may do so with volunteers. Volunteers who handle these puppies must do so before they interact with other Dogtown dogs and before they travel to other areas of the Sanctuary. They must handle these pups with clean hands, clean clothes, and booties on feet in class.
Puppies with three vaccines + five days and less than 16 weeks of age who are housed in the Puppy Preschool Building
These puppies must follow the rules for puppies with only 2 vaccines for their protection.
Puppies with three vaccines + five days who are 16 weeks or older and housed in the Puppy Preschool Building
Puppies who have 3 vaccines and are 16 weeks or older, puppies who come to Best Friends older and will not require 4 vaccines and puppies who have 4 vaccines and are 16 weeks or older may go on outings, sleepovers, may interact with the public, may go anywhere on the sanctuary grounds. These puppies should be monitored and kept away from dogs of unknown status.
Housing of two vaccine puppies under 16 weeks of age in Puppy Preschool Building
Puppies who have only 2 vaccines + 5 days and are under 16 weeks of age should not be co-housed in runs with puppies who have had 3 or 4 vaccines and are over 16 weeks of age because of the difference in allowed activities. If the older pups live with them and do go to other public places there is an increased risk of bringing something back that could make the younger pups ill. Puppies who are less than 16 weeks of age who move to the Puppy Preschool building must be housed with like age groups and size.