In the past, I have always allowed families that have placed a deposit for a puppy to visit the litter once it's whelped and everyone is settled. I've been diligent with ensuring anyone coming has freshly cleaned clothes on and washes their hands before touching any puppies. It was important to me that I shared my home and breeding practices with these new families to make them feel confident they were buying from a reputable breeder. I also loved seeing their faces when they got to meet their puppy for the first time.
However, experiencing Parvovirus for the first time in my December 2018 litter from Stewie x Danny, I've decided to make major changes to how I operate. While the source of infection for that litter was narrowed down to either the vaccine itself on one particular puppy (My boy "Blue" whom I lost), or the vet clinic itself, Parvo can come from anywhere and it is not something I wish to ever experience again.
Going forward, I will no longer be able to accept any family visits until 1 week after the first set of vaccinations. I now do Nomograph testing on my dams, in order to vaccinate at the most appropriate time. Because of this, each litter will likely be vaccinated at slightly different times. I will provide the puppy families with photos and videos regularly to keep them updated on their progress. I understand this may be a long time to wait (7-10 weeks) however, their health is far more important to me and I cannot take any chances of future puppies experiencing what my previous litter did. Watching 5 puppies in ICU for a week and a half fight for their lives is horrifying and I still live with the PTSD of that nightmare.