What do you all do about people coming to visit the puppies?  It is either people who have reserved a puppy (so you feel they ought to be allowed to come) or else people who are interested in seeing the puppies and perhaps reserving (so you also don't want to say no, and in any case, you need to meet the people in person before agreeing to a reservation).  People are generally more or less willing to leave their shoes outdoors and to accept washing their hands in sterilizing gel, but I am always nervous, as I'm never convinced it is enough.  I always tell them in advance that I don't want them to come if they have a cold (more to protect myself than anything else) and that they may not come directly from a visit to another breeder, etc.  But you never know if their own animals might have something or whatever.  I don't let them handle the puppies in the early weeks, only to look.  How do YOU deal with this?  I've of course been doing what I feel I can ask of perfectly respectable people, but now that I have found this community of breeders, I have a chance to find out how you would look at this.  Thanks.

Nobody other than perhaps my close neighbour at the time, came to see our puppies until they were at least 5 weeks - not because I was concerned about infection (I was) but more because baby Bassets don't look like 'Bassets' until their ears come down, and so often novice Basset owners are disappointed not to see loooong ears, if nothing else.   And it would also depend on the mum and whether having strangers around would be upsetting for them.    If I had grown to know those waiting, so they became kind-of friends ahead of time, then they'd be allowed in but I don't think I'd allow handling.    I didn't let mine go until 10 weeks other than to experienced people who I knew in any case fo by 8 weeks the puppies looked like Bassets and that was soon enough for them to be seen really.

I tended to pick out what I felt was the right puppy for the right family too, and mostly people were more than happy to accept my experience.

We are obliged by our club regulations to keep the puppies until they are 10 weeks old.  I think that I am going to start trying to hold the visitors off until the puppies are at least 4 to 5 weeks old.  I take loads of pretty good photos all the time and send them every week to the people who have reserved and are waiting.  I too try to influence these people as to their "choice" of puppy, just gently guide them in the direction I want them to go. 

I still cringe innerly, though, when I think of what they might be bringing into my house on their clothes, hair, etc. 

My breed and ,y own bitches love nothing more than having visitors and showing off heir pups.

Actually pups being well protected by maternal antibodies for at least 6 weeks and then protection starts to wane I'm less nervous of early visits than later.

Within reason I am happy for the new owners to visit as often as they like, all good socialisation.  I encourage as many friends and relatives to visit, with children as I no longer have any, from 3 weeks on.

I do tell people who have a long way to come that the pups wont' be very interesting to see until about 4 weeks as regards developing characters and actually doing more than eating and sleeping.

Thanks for this.  It is reassuring, as this (with the addition of a lot of photos) is just what I have been doing up until now.  But suddenly you can start to question everything and to think that surely everyone else has found better solutions. 

I never restricted visitors after 3 weeks. I waited beforehand as the pups are boring and I didn't want people travelling miles to be disappointed in the little fat guinea pigs that just sleep all day. Luckily, my last litter was a late March litter so they were all outside during the day from 3 weeks (giant hairy breed) which made them doubly fun