Page 48 - Chow LIfe - Spring 2021

By Penny Leigh
Mar 31, 2020
Coronavirus concerns did not dominate headlines
when Beci Beasley boarded a plane for Canada in
late January. Traveling with the North Carolina
resident was her cherished Cavalier King Charles
Spaniel, Sunny, who had a long-awaited date with a
carefully selected stud dog.
“I had been waiting two years to do this breeding,”
Beasley said. “There has been a lot of planning and
research to make this happen.”
On March 25, Sunny delivered six beautiful puppies
into a world that had been transformed in the nine
weeks since the litter was conceived. Breeders now
face questions of how to socialize and place puppies
while keeping themselves and potential buyers safe
from COVID-19.
“This is very nervewracking,” Beasley said.
“Socialization is terrifying. With my last litter, I had
15 to 20 different friends visiting on different nights,
so the puppies were exposed to people outside the
household. Today, you don’t want anyone coming to
your home. So how do you make sure your pups get
the experiences they need?”
The health crisis has not diminished the desire for
puppies. With a majority of Americans working
from home, many families decided it is an opportune
time to obtain a new dog. The AKC Marketplace has
experienced record-breaking visits in recent weeks
as the puppy-seeking public searches for available
litters.
Coronavirus Concerns for Breeders
“I don’t think this is a case of not breeding, but
changing the way we normally do things,” said AKC
Breeder Field Representative Vanessa Skou.
Skou, who is also a breeder, had a litter of
46 puppies ready to go to their homes last week.
Typically, the families would come into her house,
complete the paperwork, and then take their puppy.
This time, she modified the routine to minimize
contact. Paperwork was completed online so there
was only a final contract to sign when the new
owners arrived. She asked them to bring their own
pen to sign the document.
“Usually, I carry the puppy out and put it in their
crate in their car,” Skou said. “But this time, I had the
family meet me outside. I placed the puppy down so
they could pick him up, then I opened the gate so
they could carry the puppy to their car. I also did not
have them meet the mother and the rest of the litter.”
Breeders can still interact with puppy buyers if they
use common sense and practical safety measures,
according to Dr. Fred Askin, a pathologist at the
University of North Carolina Medical Center, as
well as an AKC Judge and breeder of West Highland
White Terriers.
“People do not need to walk through your home,”
Dr. Askin said. “I suggest having a room or area with
outside access where visitors can maintain distance
while they meet you and see the puppies. It should
be an area that is easy to clean and disinfect. Before
anyone comes over, ask them if they have had a fever
or any other symptoms associated with COVID-19
or if they have been exposed to it.”
Require that everyone uses hand sanitizer or washes
hands with soap and water before and after visiting
the puppy area. Limit the number of visitors to one
or two at a time. Families should leave children and
grandparents at home. If you do allow the visitors to
touch the puppies, it is a good idea to wipe down the
pups with canine disinfecting wipes afterward.
Breeders Getting Creative Around COVID-19
Thankfully, technology makes it possible for breeders
to interact with and interview potential puppy buyers
without ever being face-to-face. Beasley has a video
camera on her puppies 24/7 that she can take videos
from or invite guests to view. As for paperwork and
registrations, many can be achieved online, and even
payment may be made online via PayPal, Venmo, or
other programs.
“As far as vetting buyers, I plan to use all the
technology tools available to me, like Facetime and
teleconferencing,” Beasley said. “That way, I can see
them and talk to them, and see their body language.
If someone wants to see where the puppies were
raised, we can do a virtual tour of my house. If