Kennel visitors??? - Page 2

OOOOOPS!    Reply deleted....I read all replies again, and I do not want to be part of causing trouble....SORRY!
Ibrahim,  I am sure you must have over looked it also...I

my vet said that full protection is attained one week after a seriesof 3 shots that are given at 3 week apart.

6, 9 and 12 weeks plus one extra week makes 13 weeks the earliest.

I've heard that some vets believe that the first shots shoudn't be administered until 8 or 9 weeks.

I shipped Brick at 10 weeks and he seems to be doing fine. With instructions that he not be taken to places with lots of dogs until after his last vaccination. New owners are very happy  .

In general, puppies younger than 8 weeks are protected from illness by their mother's antibodies, which they get with their colostrum, in the first 24 hours after birth.

The problem is that we don't know when this protection wears off--it varies between 6 weeks and 14 weeks. So we give shots to try to get the puppy's immune system to start producing antibodies when it not longer has antibodies passed on from the mom. If mom's immune protection hasn't worn off, that shot doesn't do much for the puppy. So, we give shots spaced out to have the best chance of coverage to protect the puppies from accidental exposure.

In theory, if mom has good antibodies/vaccinations against parvo, the puppies should be protected until her passed on protection starts to wear off.

So, in theory, if you visited at 3 weeks and had some parvo germs on you, the puppies still couldn't get it. I would think the problem would arise if you "left" the germs behind and then when the puppies were 7 weeks old and still hadn't had that first shot they became exposed to the disease while they are in that gap--post-mother's-immunity and pre-shot.

So, it makes sense to exercise reasonable caution. It also makes sense for breeders to do their best to understand how puppies' vaccinations work. Here's a good explanation: 

www.peteducation.com/article.cfm

Christine

Thanks Christine. Thats where I found the guide to follow. I have always ordered my vacs from F&S, and if I have any questions, They are the ones I usually call on...Thanks for sharing that link with the board. Hopefully others will see all the very informative info they can learn from that site...

I respectfully ask "lookers" not visit any other litters prior to mine (of course no guarantee people will be honest) and offer up some hand sanitizer.

I work in a kennel and while I change and shower before seeing newborn pups, inevitably I carry germs home. I think my dogs all have very strong natural immunities and they really never get sick.

That's exactly what Molly told me. A healthy pup is a healthy pup. I have never forgotten that great advice because it applies to the puppy as he gets older. I was surprised after going to Molly's, I visited a few breeders and they were holding their pups  in their arms so I could not even see how they interacted together.
Paul

I do allow visitors to my kennel here but am not open to the public for "lookers" or an afternoon getaway for those trying to find something to do. I will not show dogs to anyone on the day that they call if I have never talked to them before and they call from a cell phone and say they are in the area etc... as this usually means they have been to other breeders homes. I only Show my dogs and puppies to people I have exchanged either phone calls with or an email followed by a phone call and only to those who qualify as someone I would sell a puppy to.  I do not show my babies before 4 weeks as they are in my home in our in home nursery. On few occasions I have brought puppies out briefly in a Rubbermaid tote with towels but touching of them is not allowed at that age. But I will allow people to come down see our facilities and visit any puppies from other litters who are older if I have them or my adult dogs to get an idea what to expect and answer the many questions that people have..  At my gates I have spray bottles that contain Roccal-D an anti viral spray. I let people know on the phone before they come out that I will spray shoes and not to wear sandals or open toed shoes here.... some still do anyway.  When they get here after introductions I come out of my gate and go over visiting rules especially if there are kids.  I spray each person shoes that is here by having them stand next the the fence and holding up their shoes. I thoroughly soak the soles of all shoes and spray over the tops with a mist of the roccal.  I do not allow people to spray their own shoes because people will not be as thorough or have the balance often to stand and get the bottoms of their shoes completely. So it is just easier they hang onto the fence and I support their foot and spray to my satisfaction.  I have never had but one person complain about the chemicals or using a antiviral product. This person actually had a deposit on a puppy and when he was going to come and visit I told him ahead of time what to expect and he refused to have chemicals sprayed on him.... because we could not agree between him viewing puppies and my policies for keeping people from coming onto my property he was returned his deposit.  When we get to my puppy play building I also have hand sanitizers. if I have more than one litter here people have to use hand sanitizer between touching any different litters. It is just habit... my puppy pens doors are closed ahead of time and I grab the sanitizer off of my table and squirt it into each persons hands. People are very good about just holding out their hands especially the kids. I do mine first and it sort of sets the mood.  Once everyone has used the sanitizer I willopen the doors up and peole are allowed to then reach in and pet the puppies.

After I have gotten to know a new client better they can spray their own shoes if they are regular visitors and puppies can be taken out inot hte yard to be played with and interacted with. . When puppies are old enough and can be interacted with I do allow people to go in with the puppies also but shoes have to be removed. I have done it this way for years and have never had but the one issue with anyone. Most people really appreciate the effort put into the protection of my puppies and my property and keeping it safe.