If you have a puppy, please click through and read the position statement from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) about when it's recommended to start socializing your puppy. Under the right careful conditions puppies can start puppy socialization classes or playdates as early as 7-8 weeks of age. Puppies should already have a minimum of one set of vaccines at least 7 days prior to the first class (or playdate) and they should have had a deworming. Their vaccine schedule should continue as planned.
It is not recommended to wait until your puppy has completed its vaccines before allowing careful puppy socialization with other size-appropriate and age-appropriate dogs. Read the statement for more information.
Very briefly, we now know a lot more about how important it is to do the right kind of socialization during the first 3 months of a puppy's life -- and that NOT doing it sets the stage for a behavior problems later that can be very difficult to modify (anxiety out in public and panic around new sounds or objects, dog reactivity, separation anxiety and more).
When we think of what's best for the welfare of dogs, it is FAR better for them to be thoroughly and properly socialized than it is to wait and miss the most important (and short!) window. Waiting increases the number of dogs with behavior issues, which increases the number of dogs who get dumped by their frustrated disappointed owners. I know you would never dump YOUR dog, but why miss this every important development stage for your pup? It will make a huge difference in your dog's later ability to be comfortable in this crazy world we live in.
Not all vets (especially outside the US) are up to date on these recommendations (and in fact some vets have little to no training/education on animal training and dog behavior).
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