Who Do You Let Come And See Your Dogs?

[Wilderblu]

I'm just wondering what other breeders do when people/families want to visit your dogs?

I'm getting so many enquiries of people coming down my way and wanting to meet my dogs.

I have nothing to hide and my dogs love visitors but I'm extremely busy (shift worker, young children and animals) and also worry about sercurity as my website clearly advertises what pups I have.

But I do understand that people want to meet the potentional parents of the pups and see where they are brought up etc etc...

How much is too much. When letting people come up to choose pups at 6 weeks then come back to collect them at 8 weeks and then also having other people around the same time visit I feel like it's getting too much.

What do others do?

[cowanbree]

I only allow people who I have fully interviewed and checked out for a puppy to visit my home. Anyone else I am happy to talk to them on the phone or by e-mail and if they want to meet my dogs I will tell them when the closest show is and they can do it there. I am very cautious about giving out my home address to strangers.

Once they are on my puppy list it wouldn’t be unusual for them to visit 2-3 over the course of the litter and I am fine with that. Great socialization for the puppies and part of having a litter. Of course I don’t breed very often so not a huge drama for me

[sandgrubber]

Seems like 95% of the people who come and look at pups here end out buying one. I regard the desire to meet the family and see the pup's environment as natural and healthy, and I think puppy buyers would be more anxious, and thus more likely to pester, if they didn't see all the dogs (except the sire, often an interstate dog). I run a boarding kennel . . . it's about 50 m from the house . . . so it's generally easy for me to meet visitors, and it's also relatively protected from theft. I think I'd give up breeding if the interface with puppy buyers was a problem.

[Barat]

Maybe I am one of the extremes ... but I welcome all visitors (and yes I work and have animals .. children are grown up) if possible. They have to fit around my times but, from when they are very young I judge the time to start visitors from how the Mum is with them (in the current litters case a couple of days old) and initially they mainly look and I handle the pups - but they can pat! However usually by a week old I am happy to let the adults hold and the children have a pup on tehir lap if they sit on the floor. From this is goes onwards and upwards. The photo is visitors with 4 week old pups.

My pups are 5 weeks old today and have already met a wide variety of people of all ages. They run excitedly to new visitors. The people getting pups are building up a better knoweldge of teh bree and what they will need to cope with when they take their pup home and those I have not committed to yet are giving me a better knowledge of them and what they are offering to a pup.

And on the way I am making some new friends. Part of having a litter (to me) is making the time to welcome visitors as often as they wish to come - when I am home.

[Bisart Dobes]

I insist that people interested in one of our puppies meet all our dogs as early as possible (not just the parents) and I let the dogs just be themselves - no pressure to behave (not that they don't ofcourse) but I like to see peoples reactions to the big dogs and how they treat the dogs while we have that first meeting. It tells me alot about them and the dogs are great judges of character as well - if they don't trust someone then its no puppy. This is generally before the puppies are born and sometimes before the mating has been done . I have one family waiting for a puppy from a certain bitch because they just fell in love with her and don't want one from another litter .

Once the puppies are born I generally let people visit as often as they like - I like the first week to be close friends experienced with whelping only - for the bitches sake and to let everything settle into a routine but after that I am happy for people to visit every week, most come every couple. I try to stagger peoples visits though so that they aren't all there at the same time and for the same reason - I like it to be relaxed and their time - and to be able to answer their questions without too much distraction.

Ofcourse if I had a sick puppy or any worries about the litter I would cancel all visits until all was good again - but I would also explain this as well.

Like others - we don't breed all that often, only when we want something from the litter.

[Cockerlover]

I like to corespond with prospective buyers before I agree to them visiting my dogs & litter .

One gets a *feel* from the first interation, be it by phone Or e/m ,If I am suss about enq ,I do not invite them to visit .

I also judge by my dogs response to visitorss (usally they will lick them to death),I also watch very carefully the whole family""s response /Reaction to my big kids ,before letting them view( from a distance ) my babies ,I do not allow contact with my litters until they r @ least 6 weeks old & explain this to all prospective buyers .

I personally feel it is of the upmost inportance to get to know any one considering the privilage of becoming a owner of my beloved pups .

I also restrict visits to one family /buyer @ a time, so i can be with them & ansew any queries they may have ,Very time consuming but well worth the effort I feel .

[Bisart Dobes]

The first meeting we do with all people interested in a puppy with all of our dogs present is never at our home - and if people cannot take the time to do this or aren't interested in doing this then they don't make it any further. But with those that do this meeting normally takes 2 to 3 hours.

[SBT101]

With my breed and location, I have to be very weary of who comes round. If someone wants to look at my dogs, I take them to the park or something so they can see and meet them there.

All of my first and only litter of puppies went to Perth which is about 500km's away so new owners couldn't view them anyway. But in saying that, a couple that did take one of my male puppies, did come up for a weekend to see their puppy when it was 6 weeks old. i am now good friends with them and we chat at least once a week so is good.

But I only and will only let people that I trust come around

[Wilderblu]

Thanks guys...... I new everyone would have different views which is great.

I normally have everyone up that wants to see them I think I'm just put back because I spent a long time with a lovely family a few weeks back and they really loved my dogs and were very excited about the upcoming litters but turned around and bought a byb pup 2 weeks later because they didn't want to wait. I shouldn't judge everyone based on that but it really upset me.

Anyway I think I'll be sticking to no visitors until pups are 6 weeks old and people are welcome all other times when I'm available. My pups get enough socialisation and handling from my boys and dogs to begin with and I always worry about their immunities before that. Their health is my main concern at that age.

I do love the relationship I have built with puppy buyers though!! Great families that regularly pop around with their gorgeous spoilt dogs!

[Lowenhart]

For the first couple of weeks, puppies are just blobs so there isn't much point people coming to visit them.

I will allow people I have previously screened to see them at 5-7 weeks of age in a very controlled environment. After first vaccs I take my pups out and about to visit.

If someone just wants to sticky beak, I don't let them come. While I have nothing to hide, I am an extremely busy person and I don't need strangers coming through all the time.

They can meet me at a show if they want to check out the breed.

[Baileys mum]

I'm new to all of this, but I have already had several emails from interested puppy buyers that wan't to know when they can come & visit my Aussie terrier pups.

I just emailed them back to say that they are only 10 days old at the moment, & I will most probably not let anyone visit until they are atleast 4 weeks old. I also put in the email if they could give me a call if they are still interested to have a chat, so we can get to know each other,before I give them my adress.

I also worry about diseases people could bring into the home (even though my bitch has been vaccinated, & pups should have some immunity ) it still worries me that pups could still get infected.

I suppose this is just a chance every breeder has to take if they want't to place your pups into a good home.

Edited May 8, 2010 by Baileys mum

[nobul]

I do not let anyone see the puppies until 8 weeks of age reasons being

# Diseases and germs are my first priority

# It is not a day for the bored family to have something to do (and believe me their is many who do that)

# Security reasons

# I am usually far too busy with the puppies and others i have

# They havent had their health checks until 6 weeks so pointless coming before if something is wrong with their chosen puppy

# At 8 weeks if they like the puppy and all is well they can leave with it

# Why put the bitches through so much stress? would you like strangers coming in picking up your babies all the time with no say in it?

# and the amount of people who dont hold appointments even when collecting a puppy geez if they are going to be late RING and let me know , so i would hate for that to happen consistantly

I can understand peoples urgency and impatietance but my dogs and puppies are my number 1 priority. I have nothing to hide buyers are quite free to come over when the puppy is ready to go and meet everyone i have and see the kennels etc.

I do have close friends and family over all the time (and they know the rules of the house when i have puppies) so socialization isnt a problem.

[MissMonaro]

I insist that people interested in one of our puppies meet all our dogs as early as possible (not just the parents) and I let the dogs just be themselves - no pressure to behave (not that they don't ofcourse) but I like to see peoples reactions to the big dogs and how they treat the dogs while we have that first meeting. It tells me alot about them and the dogs are great judges of character as well - if they don't trust someone then its no puppy. This is generally before the puppies are born and sometimes before the mating has been done . I have one family waiting for a puppy from a certain bitch because they just fell in love with her and don't want one from another litter .

Once the puppies are born I generally let people visit as often as they like - I like the first week to be close friends experienced with whelping only - for the bitches sake and to let everything settle into a routine but after that I am happy for people to visit every week, most come every couple. I try to stagger peoples visits though so that they aren't all there at the same time and for the same reason - I like it to be relaxed and their time - and to be able to answer their questions without too much distraction.

Ofcourse if I had a sick puppy or any worries about the litter I would cancel all visits until all was good again - but I would also explain this as well.

Like others - we don't breed all that often, only when we want something from the litter.

This is pretty much what we do too.

I invite ppl to meet my dogs first and like to judge how they react to a fully grown dog, some more boisterous than others, and see how they handle that. I do not allow anyone to touch the pups at all though and we will hold the pups and show.

We held on to one pup for a few more weeks due to fencing at new house not being complete and allowed them to come out every weekend to spend time with their puppy (time suitable to both of course).

I really hate ppl that say they are coming out and dont show though, esp if I have waited around. eg. like today. I had to go out to get mums day card etc - lucky other person that was coming at a later time had the courtesy to ring and say they were going to be a bit late, which gave me an extra bit of time to get done what I had to after waiting an extra hour for the no show person.

[Wilderblu]

I do not let anyone see the puppies until 8 weeks of age reasons being

# Diseases and germs are my first priority

# It is not a day for the bored family to have something to do (and believe me their is many who do that)

# Security reasons

# I am usually far too busy with the puppies and others i have

# They havent had their health checks until 6 weeks so pointless coming before if something is wrong with their chosen puppy

# At 8 weeks if they like the puppy and all is well they can leave with it

# Why put the bitches through so much stress? would you like strangers coming in picking up your babies all the time with no say in it?

# and the amount of people who dont hold appointments even when collecting a puppy geez if they are going to be late RING and let me know , so i would hate for that to happen consistantly

I can understand peoples urgency and impatietance but my dogs and puppies are my number 1 priority. I have nothing to hide buyers are quite free to come over when the puppy is ready to go and meet everyone i have and see the kennels etc.

I do have close friends and family over all the time (and they know the rules of the house when i have puppies) so socialization isnt a problem.

Yeh I'm not that strict at this stage but I understand where you are coming from. I do feel like people want to come for a drive sometimes just to take the family to the country. Some people even think my farm is some kind of wildlife sanctuary (because we rescue native animals) and I'm open to the public! lol

My bitches are definately not stress from visitors though. They adore the attention and sometimes I have to put them away because they are sitting on everyones laps!! Also by 6 weeks I think they are pretty much over their pups!!

[sandgrubber]

I do not let anyone see the puppies until 8 weeks of age reasons being

# It is not a day for the bored family to have something to do (and believe me their is many who do that)

. . . . I have never had that feeling about any family that visits.

# I am usually far too busy with the puppies and others i have

.. . . if you're too busy to establish rapport with puppy buyers, maybe you shouldn't be selling puppies.

# They havent had their health checks until 6 weeks so pointless coming before if something is wrong with their chosen puppy

. .. . how often does that happen. . .the only failure my vet has caught is bad bite, and I can spot this ok without vet input

# At 8 weeks if they like the puppy and all is well they can leave with it

.. . . except they don't go away with a feeling of attachment and they have had to make a decision on the spot, which may result in a bad feeling and a sense that you will brush them away if they come back with questions

# Why put the bitches through so much stress? would you like strangers coming in picking up your babies all the time with no say in it?

. . . stress? My bitches LOVE visitors . . . after the teeth come in they like the visitors more than their pups, and I think exposure to people (with supervision) is good for the pups.

# and the amount of people who dont hold appointments even when collecting a puppy geez if they are going to be late RING and let me know , so i would hate for that to happen consistantly

. . . sigh . . . I agree on this one. People can be real sh#ts about schedule. But s'est la vie.

I can understand peoples urgency and impatietance but my dogs and puppies are my number 1 priority. I have nothing to hide buyers are quite free to come over when the puppy is ready to go and meet everyone i have and see the kennels etc.

I do have close friends and family over all the time (and they know the rules of the house when i have puppies) so socialization isnt a problem.

I think that if you really care about your pups, you'd be glad to spend adequate time with puppy buyers . . . including time BEFORE decisions are finalised. It isn't nice to be put on the spot and have someone say 'take it or leave it'.

Edited May 10, 2010 by sandgrubber

[Shelby]

I do not advertise that I have puppies until they are six weeks or older. Before that time, I am probably still deciding who is staying so there is not much point in people coming to look as they would not be able to choose.

I also don't like to give out my address - you just don't know these days. Have heard of too many pups being stolen and not being found. I am not keen when people make arrangements to view two or three puppies on the same day either. I make sure that shoes are taken off at the door and hands are thoroughly washed before they interact with my dogs and pups.