If you are looking for a puppy from a reputable breeder, you may be wondering why some breeders do not allow visitors to their premises. While it may seem harsh or unfriendly, there are valid reasons why breeders may have this policy and it is for the best interest of the dogs and their future owners. Here are some reasons:
Health/Biosecurity:
Breeders must protect their breeding program from contamination. Breeding dogs is a delicate and complex process that requires careful planning, health testing, and genetic screening. Breeders want to ensure that their dogs are free from diseases, parasites, and infections that could affect their health and fertility. Visitors may unknowingly bring in harmful germs or pathogens that could spread to dogs and cause serious problems. Visitors can unknowingly bring diseases or parasites that can infect my dogs and jeopardize their health. Even if visitors are careful and wash their hands, they can still carry germs on their clothes, shoes, or accessories.
Stress:
Mothers - Visitors can cause stress to dogs, especially pregnant or nursing mothers. Stress can affect their hormones, milk production, and behavior, which can have negative consequences for the puppies. Stress can also lower their immune system and make them more susceptible to infections or diseases.
Puppies - Puppies are extremely sensitive to stress, especially in their early stages of development. Stress can affect their immune system, their behavior, their socialization, and their learning abilities. Stress can also increase the risk of diseases such as parvovirus, which can be fatal for young puppies. Some of the sources of stress for puppies are loud noises, unfamiliar people, separation from their mother and litter mates, and changes in their environment. Even if the visitors are well-meaning and gentle, they can still cause stress for the puppies by handling them too much, exposing them to new smells and sounds, and disrupting their routine.
Safety Concerns:
Dogs react differently in many situations. Dogs may react negatively to strangers, and accidents can happen if visitors mishandle, frighten, or even provoke the dogs. Dogs are territorial animals, and they may not react well to strangers coming into their home or their safe space. Especially if they have puppies, they may feel threatened and defensive.
Breeder's Schedule:
Breeding dogs is a full-time job that requires a lot of time, attention, and care. Breeders must monitor the health, nutrition, grooming, training and socialization of their dogs and puppies, as well as keep up with the paperwork, records, contracts, and registrations. They also must deal with inquiries, applications, interviews, and follow-ups from potential buyers. All these tasks take up a lot of their time and energy, and they may not have enough time to accommodate visitors who want to see their dogs or puppies.
Privacy/Security:
Privacy - Breeding dogs is not just a hobby or a business for us, it is a passion and a lifestyle. We spend a lot of our time and energy caring for our dogs and their offspring, and we want to protect them from unnecessary stress or disturbance. We also value our personal space and our family's privacy. We respect the privacy of our clients, and we expect them to respect ours.
Even though we do not allow visitors to our premises, we always provide our clients with regular updates of photos and videos of the puppies. Clients can contact us anytime if they have any questions or concerns.
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