Puppy Visitations and/or Meeting the Dam and Sire
Note: I have written this page with some frank (or straight forward venting, if you want to call it that) advice on customers visiting a breeder. Whether you are meeting a puppy OR doing a Meet N Greet with the parents. The points I make below are just a little perspective for customers to understand what breeders go through to protect young puppies and what it is like when we make time for household visits.
Meeting The Adults
Below - I have a few guidelines that I have implemented when it comes to planned visits
# 1 Scheduling
I try to schedule multiple families all at one time, in order to keep my weekends open. If it doesn't work, that's fine. I would just rather not spend every weekend per month with visits. I would never get anything done.
# 2 Whelped or Expectant Litters
If we are expecting or currently have newborn puppies, visitations will not be permitted as a safety precaution with our puppies. We do NOT want something airborne coming into our home that would potentially be life threatening to our puppies.
#3 Customer Safety Precautions
All families are required to mist clothing and shoes with provided Lysol prior to entering our house as well as using hand sanitizer. I advise everyone to avoid any places where there is high pet traffic prior to coming to my home. This would be pet stores, tractor supply, and even your vet's office.
#4 Scheduling Visits
As long as I am available, I will gladly schedule appointments with those who are seriously looking at meeting our adults with the intent of a puppy purchase. I can meet during the week or on weekends. Preferably combined with any other potential families in the attempt to save some time.
#5 Children
I have had some families over the years bring their young children along when meeting our adults or puppies. I would advise you to get a baby sitter, due to previous families treating their visit like a day at the petting zoo who were not serious about a puppy. I also do not want children climbing all over our furniture and/or being unattended outside.
#6 Appt time
When scheduling an appointment to visit our adults or puppies, please allow yourself plenty of time to reach my home ON TIME. There have been instances where I had other plans scheduled after a visit, that had to be cancelled due to late customers. Please allow for traffic and/or road construction. If you are going to be late or cant make it, please call. If just a few minutes, that would acceptable. However, if you were supposed to be here at 11am and are calling now me at 10:45 and say that you just left and have a 2 hour drive ahead of you, plan on turning around and going home. So, just a little bit of advice whether you are coming to visit my dogs or visiting another breeder ... please be on time! Nothing pisses a breeder off more than a late person or a NO SHOW. Call if you aren't coming.
#7 Family
Please make sure that EVERYONE in your household who has the authority to make a decision, is on board with purchasing a puppy. It annoys a breeder to hear, " I have to check with my husband/wife first." Well, you should have done that before contacting me. It gets old hearing it over and over.
Puppy Visits
A few tips for families about visiting our puppies...
#1 Puppy Immunity
Puppies are NOT allowed visitors until they are at least 6 weeks old, due to their delicate immune system. I'll say again...That means, no visits before the age of 6 weeks.
Please do NOT ask! We do not want someone bringing in something on their clothing that could potentially wipe out an entire litter of puppies. IE: PARVO
#2 Reservations and Deposits
Puppy visits are primarily limited to customers who have already reserved a puppy and paid a deposit. This is at my discretion. If we have one or more puppies who are not already spoken for, we will allow puppy visits by potential families, only after 6 weeks of age.
# 3 Appt Timing
Please limit how long you visit. I do have other obligations that need to be done daily, so limiting your visit to approximately 1 hour is appreciated. Again, a quick reminder that this isnt a day at the puppy petting zoo. It is for serious customers who have already submitted deposits only to choose/meet their puppies and potential families for pups that are unspoken for.
#4 Other Pets
I understand that some want to make sure that a current family dog gets along with a young puppy, however, this poses a risk to our puppies. Either by bringing something unwanted into our home or the chance of an outside dog attacking one of our babies. I ask that you leave your pets at home and work slowly on introducing your new puppy when you take him or her home.