We sometimes get asked why we don’t allow families to visit our farm to meet our adult dogs and our pups. This is not surprising given the number of “what to do when buying a dog” websites that advocate for visiting the breeder and meeting the pup’s parents first. The problem with these sites is that their priority is only the buyer, not the pups’ health or breeders’ safety. Please remember that our pups are home raised – in rooms in our house. This means you can’t come visit the adult dogs or me, without also visiting my pups and their Mom.
Safety of the puppies:
- Pups immune systems are very immature. Many unsuspecting visitors have brought disease (parvovirus, distemper, etc) with them when visiting pups, the result of which is the death of the entire litter.
- Stressed out Moms create stressed out pups. A new mother is emotionally charged and in hyper protective mode. When a stranger comes to visit, Mom becomes stressed causing her body create cortisol, which goes into the milk. The puppies consume this cortisol rich milk and become stressed themselves.
- Panicked Moms hurt pups. When a stranger comes to visit, Mom’s state of mind changes rapidly. She feels threatened and moves quickly to assess the threat. Many Moms have unintentionally stepped on or crushed a pup in their urgency to get out of the whelping box to assess the threat.
- I am entrusted with the care of all of our pups for the first critical weeks of their lives. I must do everything I can to protect them. If one of the pups was yours, I’m certain you would expect me to do that for your pup.
Safety of my dogs and family
- Most of the people that contact me about puppies are strangers. I know very little about them other than basic information. I would be inviting you, a stranger, into my home. This creates a threat to the safety of my dogs and my family.
- Please do not be offended by this comment, but we are not a petting zoo. Some people think visiting pups is a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I cannot compromise the health and safety of my pups, my dogs, and my family so folks can snuggle with puppies.
So, how can we help you have confidence that we aren’t a puppy mill or a fake website asking for your $300 deposit? We are very happy to provide references of adoptive families as well as our veterinarians.
We photograph and video our puppies regularly, and post these on our website, Facebook page, and YouTube. This gives families the opportunity to see how and where the litter is raised, socialized, growing, milestones, personalities, and development.
We thank you for your understanding that we cannot compromise the health and safety of our pups. We certainly hope that you see this as a positive quality of a reputable breeder.