Visits are allowed at the convenience of our family. Random, "checking out the facilities" visits are discouraged. I understand your desire to "check things out" and do your due diligence. You are only trying to be responsible. However, my responsibility is to my puppies and to the buyers that have already placed deposits on puppies. Only "serious, we are interested in a particular puppy and would like to view that puppy and the parents" visits please.
Please be aware that due to the risk of parvovirus contamination you may view puppies but handling of puppies will be only by me until they have had at least two vaccinations. I know of breeders that have lost upwards of 15 or more puppies after having a visitor that had, unknowingly and inadvertently I am sure, brought disease into their kennel. These breeders had raised puppies for years and had never had parvovirus. They permitted visitors to handle puppies and suddenly they had a parvo outbreak that went through the entire nursery.
Parvo is very virulent, contagious and dangerous to puppies and most do not survive it. If you step in the same spot that I have stepped and I had previously stepped in feces of a dog shedding parvo, then you will be carrying the virus on the bottom of your shoe and wherever you step after that point, could now have parvo virus.
Parvo can live under a blanket of snow for up to 7 months and about the only thing that will destroy this virus is bleach (I use a lot of bleach on a regular basis. I keep a spray bottle full and use it liberally and often.) I must try to protect all my puppies. While puppies should have some immunity provided by mom, you can never be certain of their level of immunity until after they have had a series of vaccinations. Please understand and help keep it safe for everybody involved, including any potential puppies at which you look!
A parvo outbreak can be the financial ruin for a breeder, huge veterinarian expenses (it won't just be one puppy. If you have parvo or distemper in one puppy, you will likely have it in all puppies on the premises), and the loss of reputation is hard to recover and overcome with today's internet and social media! Not to mention the heartbreak of watching numerous puppies struggle and then die and the heartbreak of those who already have deposits on a puppy that doesn't survive. (I definitely do not want to go there.) Also, if you plan to visit my home, I respectfully request that you not do it on a day when you have visited other shelters, kennels, etc. Shelters and rescues often have outbreaks of disease because of the frequent exposure of incoming dogs. What appears to be a healthy dog to you today could be a very sick animal in 3 - 5 days because these very virulent and contagious diseases often do not display symptoms for several days. (Hence, my 5 day contagious disease warranty. Much more than most breeders offer.) I would prefer to miss out on a potential sale, than have someone accidentally introducing parvo or distemper or even something as simple as kennel cough to these babies! Plus once it is in the house or kennel system, it is extremely difficult to purge a kennel/home of it. I have been fortunate to date (knocking on wood now), but I correspond with numerous breeders and I have heard many horror stories that I want no part of! I have spent a great deal of my time developing a medication and vaccination regimen that works for me and my dogs and has given me a great deal of success. It is the reason that I can offer a better warranty on contagious disease than most other breeders (standard for most breeders is 48 or 72 hours). For more information regarding the causes, spread, diagnosis and treatment of parvovirus, please check out the following sites:
In addition, visitors can upset nursing moms who then injure their own puppies. Even my easiest going moms, do not like visitors when they have puppies. Female dogs that have never, ever been aggressive turn into something else entirely when the perceive a threat to their babies and in their upset, they often cause harm to those they are trying to protect. While it is rare, some moms will even refuse to nurse a puppy that has an unfamiliar person's scent. Talk about post partum baby blues!! If you visit, you will likely view puppies in my home and not in the building I use for my nursery.
Also, please be advised that due to insurance and liability requirements, our adult dogs will likely be secured away at the time of your visit. When we purchased our new facility, the insurance required this despite the fact that we have not had an aggressive incident in over 20 years and that incident was with a miniature dachshund...Not a cocker or a poodle. You may view the parents upon request and at a distance.
