I am interested in people's opinions on showing whilst having young puppies at home.  I am, hopefully, going to have a litter soon (second time of trying) and I just mentioned to someone outside my own breed that I would be away from the ring for a few months.  They are also expecting a litter but said they would show, leaving hubby to look after puppies.  What would worry me is the risk of bringing back infection - parvo or kennel cough or example.  I wouldn't want to jeopardize my puppies for anything.  Within my own breed opinion seems to be divided but what do others do?  Surely it's not worth the risk. 

We are in the same situation.

What I plan to do is place puppy training pads soaked with anti parvo disinfectant at the front door and the door where my bitch and pups will be.  This will remove any nasties from feet.  Also when returning from a show I will change and shower before entering the puppy room.  Hand sanitiser will be used everytime I enter the puppy room.

My other dogs will be fully segregated from my bitch and pups.

In my breed people tend to still show with pups at home, just exercise caution.

Hope it all goes well

Vicky x

I still show.  My girls are kept away from all other dogs until the puppies are 6 weeks minimum anyway.  The worst thing we found was kennel cough got into a litter but it did quickly go.

My opinion right or wrong is that you can bring viruses in everywhere. 

I know a lot of people do disinfect before going in the door but I dont.

i neither show nor work at shows when i have a litter. Not a risk I want to take.

I used to avoid the shows but often you miss good shows and judges.

I won't show until puppies are at least 2 weeks old, hubby and mother will puppy sit  ;-)

Before I leave I hang a clean nighty and slippers in my grooming room which is a room behind my garage ( if I didn't have this facility it would be the garage or shed)

I go straight in strip and put the clean nighty on. Straight in the house and straight into the shower for a good long scrub.  Whoever I am showing is bathed fully in the grooming room. All my show kit is also left in the grooming room. ( if I didn't have the grooming room though I would probably not show)

I don't show when my bitch is in season, is pregnant or has a litter on the ground. I stay at home with her and my other dogs have to stay at home too. Bit of a nuisance sometimes when there is a decent judge that I would love to go under (eg Crufts next year ;-) ) I'm expecting my bitch to have a litter on the ground round about then and I would love to take my boy along, but I'll stay at home and wonder - if only...... :-)

I presume that everyone who doesn't go to shows etc. still walks their dogs where dogs go?  I find this more risky than going to dog shows because to me most of the dogs at the shows etc. will be vaccinated, I doubt that the same could be said for all dogs in your local area.

I wouldn't go until they were perhaps 6 or 7 weeks old, preferably having had their first jabs, and I would still change clothes and wash hands and dogs' feet before handling them. Once our puppies had first jabs, I started taking them (mostly in my arms, not down on the floor) to ringcraft and training club just for a little start on socialisation - like you say, the dogs there have to be vaccinated to be allowed to join the club. I wouldn't take them out to the park of course, and when I gave in to the mum's demanding to have a walk, I always washed her feet and tummy (and dried them) before she was allowed back in with them.

I have heard of people who have shown and who have brought kennel cough back to the pups unknowingly and have lost the litter

surely its not worth the risk for a rosette ?

Yes, I know it's out there anyway but in the company of so many dogs you must be increasing the chances and you are not going to be able to wash respiratory infections and viruses out of nasal passages.

I suppose I'm extremely lucky in that where I walk my dogs there are only 3 other dogs, and they are all innoculated. One of the perks of living in the middle of nowhere :-D

There's also the thing though, that if the dogs are kept locally then they will already have met the local strains (hopefully) so there immune systems have already got antibodies, which mum will pass on to any pups.

Best thing to do whether you show or not is get a cat litter tray buy a piece of foam from the market  and put in a solution of trigene in it and have everyone dip their feed as they enter your house.

no perrodeagua I dont as i have 600 acres with no public access whatsoever on which to walk daily.

I have just mated a bitch and I will therefore NOT be taking any of my other dogs to a show.  I dont want to risk it. I know alot of die hard show people do it but having brought back Kennel Cough back from a show years ago and having all dogs infected (thankfully no puppies were planned) it is not something  want to risk.  I am not desperate to win so it depends on how keen you are to be seen at a show.  It is a decision we have to make but having seen people loos whole litters from infections brought back from shows it is not something i would risk.

I certainly would not take any of my dogs to a show if I had puppies.  I missed Crufts this year as a litter were only 4 days old.

Just my honest opinion.

out of interest, I used to llook after pups at a breeders when she went to shiows, when she got in she went straight up to shower nd change into new clothes, And her dogs were not vaccinate other than puppy va. Ws this wrong???c

No I dont think it was wrong at all going and showering is a good thing.

We all make out choices but by my nature I am very meticulous and wouldnt risk it with mine.  I wouldnt forgive myself if anything went wrong.  My way is not everyone elses way.  I appreciate some people dont vaccinate they choose homeopathy.  I do vaccinate as I do like to use boarding kennels for when I am away but if I wasnt going away on a reg bacis I would probably choose NOT to vaccinate after the 2nd jab!

When i had a litter last year i stopped showing after my bitch was lined,thinking it would be ok to still do ringcraft because i knew everyone there and was well aware that they vaccinated their dogs,someone brought kennel cough back from a show and passed it round the class,it was closed for 4 weeks,pups were ok even though mum got it along with my other dogs,cost a fortune in antibiotics, so i go nowhere,except for our own fields when ive got pups now.It just isnt worth it.

So it seems even on here it's a very divided opinion.  I made my mind up long ago that when, and if, I ever had puppies I wouldn't risk it.  I know some people think I am paranoid but if my girl is pregnant (and it's like waiting for all christmases and birthdays to come at once) then they will be the most important things. It's not for long anyhow.

Re showering. I worked in a clean hospital environment involving a complete change of clothing inc at one time wet showering in (a long time ago also using paper undies :-o) it is no longer done as studies have shown that the micro droplets produced from showering actually increase the risk of dispersing any microbes carried. They now use air showers to enter but not really practical at home LOL. So a complete change of clothing, alcohol hand wipes/spray and the foot dip with trigene,virkon or parvocide is the best way to deal with the infection risk or better still avoid the risk entirely and stay at home.
Angela