Okay everyone keeps telling me " I have always heard it's okay to let your puppy on the ground as long as it's not where other dogs have been". Unvaccinated puppies or puppies that have not had their second round of shots are at risk of catching diseases. Parvo of course is a big concern as is rabies; however, distemper a member of the Paramyxoviridae family , is carried by a whole lot of different wild animals. Squirrels, rabbits, foxes, coyotes, skunks, raccoons and ect; can carry the disease and pass it on to unvaccinated pets. The disease can be passed through inhalation, has no cure and has a mortality rate of 50%. ("Distemper in Dogs | petMD," n.d.) If you have a nice lawn that you don't share with wild animals, then I would venture to say it's safe for you to allow your puppy on the ground. However, if you frequently have wild animals in your yard, in my humble opinion, I would not suggest it. The virus is spread through the air and by direct and indirect contact with infected animals. It is usually spread through contact with mucous secretions however, it can also be spread through fecal matter as well as urine. ("Distemper in Dogs | petMD," n.d.) So this is why it's not a good idea for an unvaccinated puppy to be exposed to areas where wild animals are.
Distemper
in Dogs | petMD. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/respiratory/c_dg_canine_distemper
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