If the person sounds weird on the phone or I don't know much about them, I tell them I will meet them somewhere with the puppies to look at them first and then if they are really interested they can give me a small deposit and come look at them at my house. I have nothing to hide. I just try to do this to weed out the weirdos as much as possible. There are some crazy goonies out there this day and time.

It's always a good idea for a breeder to get to know a buyer as well as possible before they sell a puppy for them for many reasons. Nothing is guaranteed of course...but it should make things a little safer

In most cases you don't get to know the person buying your pups do you...I mean it takes a long time to get to know someone because anyone can make up anything on the phone....you know what people say you really don't know anyone until you live with them....and that is so true!!! I thought I really new my husband but you really don't until you move in with them.

this is so true!!! same here with the hubby. i found out so much stuff that he lied about before, after we married. talk about pissed. i was ready for divorce!

honestly you can't really know who you give you're puppies too. and there are some great liars in this world! i am protective of my kids. so i will never be comfortable allowing any strange person in my home.

I do reference checks before someone comes to my house. I check their name, address, phone numbers on google, yahoo. I Always make an appointment and I make sure my husband is here.

The calls that really get me are the ones that ask first thing 'How do I get to your house?' or 'What is your address?' without asking anything about the puppies. I prefer not to have strangers in my house. I usually meet them at my antique shop. I find it is just quieter and more peaceful there for me and the dogs at home.

I would not buy from someone who had to meet me at a different place I would wonder what they are trying to hide at their house that I cannot see puppy mill etc.And I would not stress out my pups and moma and dad hauling them somewhere else for someone to take a peep.
Most of mine are are on waiting lists anyways and I have already talked to them and screened them so I do not have to worry about it.
Yes there is alot of freaks out there. You can always send pics via email and if they are truly intersted then go from there.
I wouldnt have a female bred that I did not already have buyers in line anyways. When you advertise in the paper etc then you get the weirdos.
If you have a place of buisness that you woudl sell them too then I would not mind taking a look.

Just because you go to someones home and it looks nice does not necessarily mean that is where the dogs are being kept. I have been to some breeders homes that looked really nice but they won't show you where the dogs are being raised. Many breeders keep their dogs in buildings away from the house or they cram them in a little room full of cages. I went to see some puppies one time and I just happened to walk to the back yard of the house before the lady let me in her house and I was horrified at the condition of the dogs and the area they were kept in. Inside the house the dogs were clean and looked nice but I certainly would not buy a dog from her. I heard later she got in serious trouble and her dogs had brucellosis. I just heard a sad story yesterday that some breeder around Athens, TX lost a bunch of their dogs because they had them in a building with dogs two levels high and the air conditioning went out and all the dogs on the top level died because of the heat. So sad. I am sure you already know all these things because you sound like a very responsible breeder. I just get upset at how some people keep their dogs. I do not have anything to hide at my home and I gladly tell everyone how my Yorkies are raised but I don't let just anybody come to my home unless I really know them.

bjh
I agree about not letting anyone into your home you never know.
And it is terrible some of the conditions that people keep their dogs in
I went to a groomers home to see a puppy and it was clean had nice clean dogs but then she started pulling them out of rooms for me to see,terrible upkeeping on them,and she just kept bringing out dogs from different rooms.DIdnt know she could house so many in her home.Poor things I felt sorry for them and of course bought nothing.

There certainly is reason for concern..... Here lately I have been meeting people. I've sold dogs around the country and people drive from all over the state to visit my dogs. That being said, I rarely invite people over anymore. I really have to know them. If they don't like it, they can go somewhere else. I really don't care what people think. There are plenty of yorkies out there. Safety first for me and my family.

To the OP: If you don't want to visit at your house, I wouldn't visit at my mom's house either. Your just opening her house up for strangers and possible burgulars.

You could let them know that your at your mom's house and this is wehre you show the dogs..let them know that you live somewhere else...if for some reason they want to know where you live..be very discreat wehre you live.

hmmm...amen to the gun. My husband is a k-9 police officer so if they can get past the dog they won't make it past my hubbies gun! :rip:

I don't know what I'm going to do. So far I've shipped and had only one person to the house who I knew was a good person.

I don't feel they NEED to see my whole house. I don't want kids running all over either. I have nothing to hide but don't want strangers in my house either.

One reason why I prefer to ship, I skip this whole process. Honestly I'm thinking about meeting people. I have to feel REAL comfortable with the person and know alot about them before having them over.

I don't know...............it sucks we even have to be having this conversation .

i'm with you... i would ship if it came down to it but i really don't like the idea of shipping. but i don't want strangers in my house either. oh well i guess i get a red flag.

I guess I would rather have a red flag than someone try to harm my family or steal my pups! I have to make sure that my family is safe!