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When can my puppy safely walk outside after his parvo shots?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Our puppy just got his second Parvo shot. Is it safe to take him outside on walks now?

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5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on July 17th, 2016

As long as your puppy stays current on his [vaccination series](https://www.petcoach.co/article/vaccination-recommendations-for-puppies-puppy-shots) (boosters every 3-4 weeks until at least 16 weeks of age), he can certainly go on walks in your neighborhood. In fact, it's very important to get him out and about at this age since the critical [socialization](https://www.petcoach.co/article/socialization-of-your-puppy) period for dogs last from 6 to 16 weeks of age - so he needs to be out seeing the world, the sooner the better. I would recommend avoiding [dog parks](https://www.petcoach.co/article/dog-parks-fun-and-games) and other busy areas where large numbers of unknown dogs have been, but it should be fine to walk him in quieter areas.

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    It would be best if you waited about two weeks after his final round of [vaccines](https://www.petcoach.co/article/everything-you-should-know-about-pet-vaccines). If you must walk him, keep him away from dogs of unknown vaccine status and away from areas visited by many dogs. Remember that parvovirus is a very hardy virus that can live in the soil for 7+ years, so it's best to assure that your pup has maximal protection from vaccines before any potential exposure.

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    51Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on January 16th, 2018

    Yes, it's fine for him to go out to potty and go for walks. Rabies can only be contracted through a bite from an infected animal, so it's extremely unlikely that he would be exposed if he's with you on-leash.

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    1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on January 25th, 2017

    Considering she is 6 months now, if she had those vaccines at the age of 2 months (8weeks) and repeated after 3-4 weeks (following a standard protocol), that means that she is perfectly all right to go outside. If she had only one injection of DA2HPPv there are some possibilities that she was not vaccinated correctly (as at that age the antibodies from the mother can cross react with the vaccine). In this case vaccine must be repeated and then after one week she can go out.

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    Answered By Mara Howard, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 30th, 2017

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Congrats on your new puppy. I typically recommend new puppies have no interaction with dogs of unknown vaccine status until after all their shots are completed, and avoid off-leash activities (such as dog parks, etc.) for the same period of time. Two weeks after their second distemper/parvovirus booster I encourage socialization with friendly dogs with a known up to date vaccine status. At 6-8 weeks most puppies typically spend some supervised time out in the yard in a controlled environment. If you have further questions or concerns, I would recommend reaching out to your regular veterinarian for further advice. Good luck!

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    3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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