I get this question a lot, so here's exactly how meeting your puppy works.

Your meet-and-greet happens at your scheduled pickup. We don't do visits before then, and visiting dogs don't come out on the property, including on pickup day.

Why pickup is the meet-and-greet

At any given time, we have puppies here at all different ages, and not all of them have their full set of shots yet. Until a puppy is fully vaccinated, their immune system isn't fully protected. Keeping visits to pickup day protects every pup on the property, including the little ones who are far too young to fight off anything that comes in on shoes, hands, or a car.

By the time you come for pickup, your puppy is ready to safely meet you and head home.

Your dog stays in the car

We are a closed kennel. No outside dogs come out on the property, and no outside dogs meet or sniff the puppies. That includes your dog, even on pickup day.

You're welcome to bring your dog along for the ride. Your dog stays in the car, and your new puppy rides home with them.

The ride home starts in the car.

Your puppy is leaving with you, but every other puppy and dog here is staying. If a visiting dog touches noses with any of them, that puppy or dog has to be quarantined by itself for two weeks before it can be around the rest of my dogs again.

It's not about clean or dirty

Healthy adult dogs carry germs every day. That's normal, and it doesn't mean your dog is dirty or sick. A perfectly healthy dog can still pass something along without anyone knowing.

Canine herpesvirus is a good example. In an adult dog, it usually causes a mild sniffle or no signs at all. In a puppy under 3 weeks old, it is usually fatal. Newborn puppies can't hold their body temperature yet, and this virus does its damage in a cooler body.

Parvovirus and distemper can also be carried and spread before a dog shows any signs. One friendly sniff can bring something into a nursery full of puppies who can't fight it off.

What's a little sniffle for your adult dog can be deadly for a newborn puppy.Dr. Amanda Williams, PharmD

Your deposit is always transferable

Your deposit is never locked to one specific puppy. You can move it to any available pup right up until pickup, so you are never stuck with a decision that doesn't feel right. If you get to pickup day and connect more with another available puppy, that's completely fine.

What you get before pickup day

• Live FaceTime or Zoom calls. You see your puppy in real time and can ask me anything. I'm with these puppies every day, so I know their personalities better than a short visit ever could show you.
• Personality videos and photos. You get a real feel for who your puppy is and how they act.
• Time together at pickup. You'll meet your puppy in person, and you're welcome to meet other available pups that day too.

Meeting their pups for the first time.

Introducing your puppy to your dog at home

The real meet-and-greet with your dog happens at home. Here's exactly what I recommend for a smooth first meeting.

One honest note

I've placed over 300 French Bulldogs this way, and every family has found the puppy they connected with. Out of hundreds of puppies placed over the years, only one has ever come back because the transition didn't work out. These puppies settle in with their human family and with their fur family, too.

The FaceTime calls and personality videos give you a better read on a pup than a quick early visit would, because you're seeing them in their normal environment with someone who knows them well.

If you've done a FaceTime and still feel unsure, reach out and let's talk it through. That's what I'm here for.

I'm not a veterinarian, and this isn't a replacement for veterinary care.