can anyone give me some advise. what do you do if prospective buyers come to visit the litter at say, 3-4 weeks of age. should I be aware of any health issues ie. do you allow people to pick up the puppies? should they wash hands beforehand, what about passing on any possible disease. this may sound paranoid, but don't know what to do. I have never bothered in the past until a friend mentioned that she never allows anyone to pick up her pups nor touch her bitch(s). how can anyone decide which puppy is for them if not allowed to touch or pick up?? any comments appreciated.

angela

I'm not a breeder, but when i picked my pup at the breeders (he was then 4-5 weeks) we were allowed to pick him up. My daughter was in the pen with all of them, in fact we all were. The Bitch was good too, now I didn't let my little boy touch her (although she wouldn't have minded, the bitch or the breeder) but the rest of us did, as he was a toddler being rather noisy I wasn't sure if he would have upset her too much! Their children being much older. but we were allowed to see anything we wanted basically which is how I would want it so there was nothing to hide... I'm sure some of the breeders will be along with more advice than this

You have to make up your own mind! personally, I prefer my puppies to meet as many people as possible( And to be pcked up & cuddled by them). I don't believe in trying to keep them in a germ free environment because eventually they are going to have to go out into that big dirty world :D
Obviously, I don't let people go straight into them from a dog show (I always shower & change if I have been to a show).
Since I go out myself & also have other dogs, it seems a bit pointless asking visitors to take all sort of precautions.

Ditto. Mind you, I don't suggest people choose a puppy till they're 5 weeks or so, when their personalities are starting to appear. But I let people meet them to socialise them beforehand.

Yep, forgot to say that. I always tell people the pups are really boring unitl they are 5 - 6 wks. :D

I had friends handling my last litter at a few days old..... this was my personal choice as I wanted the litter socialised and handled from an early age.  I was a clean machine and made everyone wash their hands with disinfectant and remove their shoes etc etc etc.

I've always done exactly the same. As Brainless said below the time I worry most is between the time maternal antibodies wearing off and vaccination. I like my pups to be handled by various people right from the start and I like the new owners to be as involved in the litter as is humanly possible. Of course they have to remove shoes and wash up, and I wouldn't let anyone in who has just been to a dog show/event or who has a dog at home that isn't fully and properly vaccinated.

Again like Brainless I do warn people travelling a distance that the pups are not very interesting until they are about 4 weeks old but I've always been surprised at how many people come hundreds of miles just to see mum and little balck slugs. :) That is excellent from my pov because it gives me a chance to really get to know the prospective owners and to see them with mum, the pups and the other adults several times. I do tell all prospective owners that I will not make a firm booking until I have met them in person and seen them with the adults, so that may encourage people to come early, although most of them have been to visit even before the litter is concieved.

Obviously I wouldn't let people in to very young puppies if the dam was even slightly bothered, but so far they have all been happy to show off their pups as long as I'm there. Anyway it always strikes me that the one person we all DO let in is the very person who is most likely to alarm mum and the most likely to be carrying infections on his person. In other words, the vet!

i never let anyone see my puppies until they are 6wks old and had their first vaccinations...... i am more than happy to send pictures via e-mail to prospective owners but make them aware at the time when they can come to see puppies ...... i have found that this hasn't been a problem and people do understand the reason why ...... and lets face it what can anyone decide from a 3/4 wk old pup .. their characters haven't really developed at that stage ...... its much nicer when they can choose a puppy that is beginning to show signs of his own character ........you can never be sure if people have been to other kennels before they come to you and if they are carrying any transmittable illness with them .... what if suddenly your puppies became ill because of this ....... it happened to a breeder i know and she had a horrendous time because of it ..... she also never allows anyone to view puppies now before they have had their first injection .... its not a point of wrapping them in cotton wool .. its just not taking unnecessary risks particulary when you consider the amount of love and attention you devote to these little souls while they are in your care

and lets face it what can anyone decide from a 3/4 wk old pup .. their characters haven't really developed at that stage ......

They get nothing from the PUPS but a lot from the MOTHER, and likewise you as the breeder can gain a lot from seeing the potential buyers interact with her.

At 4 weeks maybe but at 3 weeks many bitches would find this stressfull.  Even if they cope and don't resort to behaving in, what could be fairly discribed as, an out of nature manner, is it fair to put them under that sort of stress? 

My bitches have never been stressed by visitors, once the pups' eyes are open, Mum is delighted to see them shared around (as long as she gets her fair share of attention too)

thanks for all the replies and advice. my main concern was not the age of the puppies but the disease bit. meeting the 'new' owners is as much for me to vet them as for them to look at the pups. my bitch is very friendly and loves people, doesn't matter if she knows them or not. she does not get stressed by people looking at her babies at all. I think it is very important that new owners see the adult dog as much if not more so than the puppy.

I also think it is nice for the new owners to come and meet their pup as soon as possible - if they do not choose then they can at least get to see the pups at different stages of life and it is exciting for them - its a long enough wait to get them home let alone not being able to see them until they are 6 weeks old.  I think after 3 weeks old it is fine for the pups to be viewed as their eyes and ears are open and mum is much much happier to leave the pups and meet and see other people.

I think it is fair to ask people to wash their hands before handling the pups and to ask that the kids don't get too OTT with them but I enjoy showing off my pups as does mum as much as the new owners lap up the time spending with the beautiful babies :)

thanks for that, enfielrotts.

When we went to see our prospective litter at 4 weeks old, we were not allowed to handle them and then the mother had to be out the room. The first time I handled out future bundle of joy is when she was 6 weeks old, by then she was showing her character a little more.

Yep me too.  If long journeys are involved then I tell people that the6y aren't interesting until 4 weeks+, but I want as many visitors in before they start loosing maternal antibodies as posssible.

It is as they reach the age of leaving that I worry most about disease, and I do not vaccinate any pup befor it leaves unless it is staying long enough to complete its vaccinations.

Personally, I prefer the very early socialisation to be family and friends that the mothers knows after all they are new to the puppies :)

My pups are socialised with family and friends including grandchildren who handle pups from a few days old. But outsiders do not come in to touch them until they are 4 weeks old. My pups do not leave until they are fully vaccinated.