At Misty Creek Rose Australian Cobberdogs, we understand how exciting it is to welcome a puppy into your family. We also understand that prospective families may naturally want to visit, meet puppies and see where they are being raised.
However, Misty Creek Rose is not a petting zoo, and puppy visitation is not an open-door service.
All visits to MCR are strictly by invitation and at our discretion.
This policy exists for several important reasons – the health and wellbeing of our puppies, the privacy and security of our home and breeding program, and the integrity of the puppy-matching process we have worked very hard to establish.
Visitation Is Not Part of the Puppy Selection Process
One of the most important things prospective families need to understand is that visiting MCR does not mean coming to choose a puppy.
Even when we have puppies on the ground and puppies may still be available, our puppies are not selected on a first-come, first-served basis and families do not simply walk into a litter and choose the puppy they like the look of most.
Every puppy is an individual.
Throughout the weeks they are with us, we observe their developing temperament, confidence, energy level, resilience, sensitivity, social engagement and individual personality.
Our puppies are then thoughtfully matched with their prospective forever families based on suitability.
- Family structure and lifestyle
- Children and their ages
- Working arrangements
- Previous dog experience
- Activity levels
- Training commitment
- Household environment
- Expectations of the puppy
- Whether the puppy may have a future therapy, assistance or support role
- The temperament and developmental needs of the individual puppy
The puppy that runs up to you first is not automatically the puppy that belongs in your home.
A puppy may appear particularly outgoing during a short visit because they are confident, excited, rested or naturally sociable. That brief interaction does not tell us whether that puppy will ultimately be the best lifelong match for your household.
Likewise, a quieter puppy may simply be tired, recently fed or having a quieter moment. Our responsibility is to look beyond a single interaction and consider the puppy we have been observing and raising every day.
Who May Be Invited to Visit?
Visitation is generally reserved for families who are genuinely progressing through the Misty Creek Rose adoption process.
Before a visit would normally be considered, prospective families should have:
- Completed our full Puppy Application / Expression of Interest
- Provided the information required for us to properly assess their home and lifestyle
- Completed a phone conversation with MCR
- Demonstrated that they understand our adoption process and expectations
- Shown genuine intent to proceed with the adoption of a Misty Creek Rose puppy
- Been assessed as potentially suitable for one of our puppies
Submitting an application does not automatically create an entitlement to visit.
Likewise, seeing that MCR currently has puppy availability does not mean casual puppy visits are available.
There is a considerable difference between someone who is seriously considering welcoming an MCR puppy into their family and someone who simply wants to come and look at puppies.
Our time, and more importantly our puppies’ wellbeing, must remain our priority.
Why We Limit Visitors
Young puppies have developing immune systems.
Before they have completed their vaccination schedules, they can be particularly vulnerable to infectious diseases that may unknowingly be carried into their environment on:
- Shoes
- Clothing
- Hands
- Vehicle surfaces
- Equipment
- Items that have been in contact with other dogs or public areas
A person does not need to have a sick dog at home to inadvertently introduce pathogens into a puppy environment. This is why responsible breeders take biosecurity seriously.
Limiting unnecessary foot traffic through our puppy areas is one of the simplest ways we can help protect every puppy in our care.
There is also another consideration that is sometimes overlooked – our mothers and puppies deserve peace.
A litter is not an attraction.
Our mothers need to feel safe and comfortable within their environment. Our puppies need predictable routines, appropriate rest, structured enrichment and positive human interaction without being continually handled by unfamiliar visitors.
More visitors does not mean better socialisation.
Quality, carefully managed experiences are far more valuable than constant stimulation.
Biosecurity Requirements for Approved Visitors
Where a visit has been approved, visitors must follow all MCR health and biosecurity requirements.
Depending upon the age of the puppies and circumstances at the time, these may include:
- Hand sanitising before entering puppy areas
- Removing shoes before entering our home
- Wearing clean socks
- Wearing clean clothing
- Avoiding contact with other dogs, dog parks, veterinary clinic floors or high-risk canine environments immediately before visiting
- Following instructions regarding which areas may or may not be entered
- Not handling puppies unless specifically invited to do so
- Not bringing other animals onto the property
Additional precautions may be introduced whenever we believe they are necessary.
If a visitor is unable or unwilling to follow our biosecurity requirements, the visit will not proceed.
There are no exceptions where the health of our puppies is concerned.
Meeting Puppies Does Not Guarantee Allocation
Even when an approved prospective family meets a litter, that visit does not determine puppy allocation.
Our allocation process remains based on the puppy’s temperament, developmental assessment, health considerations and suitability for the prospective household.
Colour and gender preferences may be considered where appropriate, but temperament and suitability will always take precedence.
We will never knowingly place a puppy into a home simply because someone fell in love with that puppy during a visit.
Sometimes the puppy a family initially notices may indeed prove to be an excellent match. Sometimes it may be another puppy entirely.
Our role as the breeder is to make that decision thoughtfully, using the weeks of observation and information available to us rather than an emotional five-minute interaction.
Why We Take This Approach
Being a responsible breeder involves occasionally saying no when saying yes would be easier.
It means protecting puppies when visitors are disappointed that they cannot come immediately. It means maintaining biosecurity even when precautions seem inconvenient.
And it means matching puppies based upon what we genuinely believe gives both the puppy and family the greatest opportunity for a successful lifelong relationship.
At Misty Creek Rose, our puppies are not products sitting on a shelf waiting to be chosen.
They are living, developing individuals entrusted to our care.
Our responsibility begins long before they are born and continues well beyond the day they leave us. That responsibility includes carefully deciding who enters their environment, how they are handled, and ultimately which family each puppy calls home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Puppy Visitation
Can I visit Misty Creek Rose before submitting an application?
Generally, no. We ask prospective families to first complete our Puppy Application / Expression of Interest and progress through our initial screening process. A visit may then be considered where appropriate. Visitation is not offered as a casual opportunity to come and look at puppies before deciding whether you may be interested in adopting.
I can see you have puppies available. Can I come and see them?
Puppy availability does not automatically mean visitation is available. All visits remain by prior arrangement, invitation and at the discretion of Misty Creek Rose. We first need to understand your family, lifestyle and expectations through our application process and phone conversation.
If I visit, can I choose my puppy?
No. Misty Creek Rose operates a considered puppy-matching process. Our puppies are matched to families according to temperament, family lifestyle, household requirements, developmental observations and overall suitability. A visit is not a puppy-selection appointment.
What if one puppy immediately comes over to me and we “connect”?
It is certainly lovely when a puppy seeks someone out, but a few minutes of interaction does not determine a lifelong match. An outgoing puppy may approach everyone. Another puppy may be sleeping or tired. A puppy may behave completely differently in another situation. We have the benefit of observing each puppy every day throughout their development. That broader picture is what guides our allocation decisions. A puppy approaching you first does not give that puppy automatic preference or allocation to your family.
Do I get first choice if I have paid a deposit?
No. A deposit secures your position within our adoption process; it does not purchase the right to choose whichever puppy you prefer. Puppies are allocated according to suitability and the MCR allocation process.
Can my children come to a visitation?
This will depend on the circumstances, age of the children, litter age and the purpose of the visit. MCR will advise who may attend when arranging an approved visit. Children must remain closely supervised and follow all instructions while on the property.
Can we hold or cuddle the puppies?
Not necessarily. Permission to visit does not automatically mean permission to handle puppies. Handling will depend upon the puppies’ age, health, developmental stage and the circumstances at the time. Please follow MCR’s instructions during your visit.
Why do I have to remove my shoes and follow biosecurity procedures?
Young puppies have immature immune systems and are vulnerable to infectious diseases. Viruses and other pathogens can potentially be carried into an environment on shoes, clothing and hands without the person being aware of it. Our biosecurity procedures exist to protect the mother and every puppy in our care.
Can I bring my current dog so you can see whether they get along?
No. Visiting dogs are not permitted within our puppy environment unless specifically authorised by MCR for a particular reason. Introducing an adult dog to a future puppy, where appropriate, can be managed separately and safely.
Can I just pop in while I am nearby?
No. Misty Creek Rose operates from a private property and is not open to walk-in visitors. All visits must be arranged directly with us in advance.
Does completing an application guarantee I will be invited to visit?
No. Completing an application begins the assessment process. Visitation is offered where we believe it is appropriate and useful within the adoption process.
Why does MCR decide which puppy goes to which family?
Because our responsibility is not simply to find every puppy a home. Our responsibility is to find each puppy the right home. We spend weeks observing our puppies as their individual personalities develop. Families only see a brief snapshot of a puppy. As the breeder, we have the benefit of seeing the complete picture. Our matching process is designed to give both puppy and family the best possible foundation for a happy and successful life together.
Interested in a Misty Creek Rose Puppy?
Families genuinely interested in adopting a Misty Creek Rose Australian Cobberdog are warmly invited to begin by completing our Puppy Application / Expression of Interest.
From there, suitable applicants will progress to a phone conversation so we can learn more about your family, lifestyle and what you are hoping for in your future Cobberdog.
Where a visit is appropriate, it will be discussed and arranged directly with you.
All visitation remains by prior arrangement, invitation and at the sole discretion of Misty Creek Rose Australian Cobberdogs.
Because when it comes to our puppies, our decisions will always be guided by what we believe is in their best interests – not simply by what is most convenient.
Puppies are not chosen from MCR. They are thoughtfully matched.