Can my unvaccinated puppy catch a virus from people's shoes?

The breeder is correct that Edith should avoid contact with other dogs if you do not know their vaccination status, but she can have contact with dogs who are fully vaccinated. Parvovirus can be carried a person's shoes and clothes, which is why the breeder implied avoiding contact with people who have dogs. That being said, as long as the dogs at the home where your father is staying are fully vaccinated, there is no problem with him coming to see you :-)

There is less risk for an adult fully vaccinated dog to develop parvovirus, but it can be a very hardy virus and live for a long time on clothing or shoes. To be safe I would change clothes after coming in contact with the puppy and wash hands thoroughly. You can clean shoes in a mixture of bleach and water (1:32).

It is possible, although rare, for people to bring infectious agents into a home on shoes, clothes etc which a pup is not fully protected against until after the course has been completed and onset of immunity is generally a week or so after full vaccination. Similar to newborn children, general precautions of clean clothes and shoe, washing hands and avoiding contact with any owners of pets who have recently been unwell would be sensible. Do not take puppy to public areas or parks or mix with any dogs which are not fully vaccinated with up to date boosters.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a fine line between being too over protective and not socializing the puppy enough. I think walks on side walks and NON dog parks are fine. I think playing with healthy (not recently sick or currently sick) and 100% vaccinated animals is also fine. I do not recommend boarding, doggie daycare or dog parks until 2 weeks after the puppy's final vaccinations. So yes I think it absolutely fine for your friend to visit. Humans can carry viruses. If it has been 2 months since her previous dog died of parvo it is likely safe. She should leave her shoes outside and have clean clothes on. Have her wash her hands before playing with your puppy. If she recently, with in 2 months, had a parvo infected dog that is still alive in her house I would not have her visit. Good luck!

Yes, parvo lives in the environment for a very long time. The is not the most common way puppies contract it but is a possibility through people and animals spreading the virus. If there is an area that is contaminated, and the sheltie walks through it, it is then on the shelties feet. If you puppy licks or contact something contaminated, then he will be at risk. The best thing to do is keep the sheltie to a limited area in your yard to minimize his risk of touching it, then wiping his feet when he comes in.

Generally speaking people are ok to touch your pet. The spread of viruses via fomites (articles of clothing or inanimate objects) is very low risk and rare. Generally direct contact with another sick pet, aerosolized exposure, or contact with infected feces is needed to pose any serious risk to Xander.

I would not recommend it. Without vaccines your dog is not protected against a disease like Parvovirus which can be fatal. The virus lives in the soil and can survive up to one year after it is excreted from the body. The vaccine is highly effective but it must be administered in a proper timeline. I recommend to keep your new pup inside and to get him vaccinated ASAP. Best of luck.