Buying a pup but have no idea what’s in a puppy pack? Learn what all you should look for in a puppy pack.
Table of Contents
Are you planning on buying or selling a new puppy? It doesn’t matter which side you are on; you should know what’s in a puppy pack.
A puppy pack is provided to the new owner of the puppy by the dog breeder at the time of sale. There are usually two reasons behind giving a puppy pack:
- Educating the new owner to help the puppy settle in the new environment and
- To thank the client for putting faith in them.
A puppy pack usually contains paperwork, information about the breed, nutritional information, toys, etc., anything that helps the new pup parent acclimatize to their pawed friend and its needs.
Puppy packs vary depending upon the dog’s breed, breeder’s intention, and the price paid by the client, but you must always include certain items in any puppy pack. I have made a thorough list of items that will be extremely useful for the puppy owner.
Paperwork & Documents
Sale Contract Of The Puppy
Any responsible dog breeder needs to include a contract with each transaction concerning the sale of the puppy in the puppy pack. It also includes all the contractual clauses agreed by both parties.
A sale contract protects both parties as they are legally obliged to obey whatever is included in the contract. For instance, as a buyer, you will need the breeder to stay legally bound to the DNA test results they provide, or you need to inform the breeder before mating your dog.
Pedigree Certificate (If Applicable)
Professional dog breeders keep track of their puppy’s heritage. For any pedigree dog, the owner will always like to know about their earlier generations. Even if you have provided the family tree to the owner before selling the dog, you should still include it in the puppy pack.
You can make a pedigree certificate yourself or ask organizations like Kennel Club or ISDS if the dog is registered with them.
Vaccination Record & Vet Visits
A dog breeder must provide a record of all the vaccinations the dog has received before being sold to the buyer. The breeder should give information about every vet visit and medical activity to the owner in the puppy pack.
It helps the new owner to start from where you stopped. It also helps you as a breeder because it prevents the owner from blaming you if some medical issues arise in the next few months or years.
Other than the vaccine records, some vet-related things a breeder must include in the puppy pack are:
- The boosters left for the puppy or recommended soon.
- The primary deworming product used on the puppy, the dates on which it has been given, and the future requirements to finish the course.
- All the vet visits, reasons, and examinations the puppy went through.
It’s always better to be as transparent as possible with the buyers. If the puppy has any medical issues, it should be clarified in advance. The reason behind it is to give the puppy the best treatment possible from day one by the new owner.
Any responsible dog lover is unlikely to reject a dog because of medical issues.
Registration Certificate Of The Dog
Puppies registered only with any of the official institutions such as Kennel Clubs, National Breed Clubs, Working Dog Clubs, etc., will have a certificate of registration. The certificates generally contain their own unique registration number.
The most common certificate is the one by the Kennel Club. You might not be able to register hybrid dogs with the Kennel Club. As a dog breeder its is your duty to know which federations and associations register dogs from your specific breed.
Dog’s Identification
The identification requirements for dogs are different for every country. Many western countries are making it mandatory to put microchips on every dog, with the owner possessing the identity papers.
Like the United Kingdom, some countries have a rule that all dogs need to wear a collar having the owner’s address and name inscribed on a badge attached to it.
Some other modes of identification like Genotyping are on the rise amongst breeders. Genotyping, also called canine DNA profiling, establishes a permanent identity for your dog. It helps in case of theft or loss.
A General Guide For New Puppy Owners
A general guide should be definitely included in the puppy pack on how to deal with puppies, as most people owning a pet for the first time can find it challenging to raise one initially.
I have made a list of things that should be included in the guide:
- Essential Items Checklist: Important equipment and toys the owners should have ready at home from the beginning.
- Potty Training: A step-by-step guide to let them know everything about it.
- Puppy Proofing: Letting the puppy owners know which items keep away from the puppy.
- Socialization: Most people get confused about it, so make a complete guide.
- Puppies With Children: A guide for children to help the hat they should or should not do with puppies.
- Feeding Schedule: The meal plan for the puppy along with the nutrition value.
You could add many additional things, so as a breeder, feel free to include any information you deem valuable.
All this information will come in most handy during the first few weeks. It will clarify many doubts new owners have about welcoming puppies into their house.
Mother’s Scent & Familiar Items
You might find it weird but just think about it from the puppy’s perspective for a second. The puppy is living well with its mother and other littermates. The puppy is sleeping and playing pretty much at the same place, and the only human they are used to being around is the dog breeder for around the first two months of its life.
Now all of a sudden, they are at a new home with entirely unfamiliar faces around them. It is traumatic for the puppy and can cause a lot of mental stress for them.
It’s important to include items in the puppy pack that carry the scent of their mother to make them feel relaxed and safe. Some of the best examples of items to ease the transition for the puppies would be a towel or a duvet they used for sleeping.
Another great idea will be to give the owner a specific toy that the puppy loves playing with. The puppy will be more comfortable with playing with that toy compared to a new one and, as a result, helping him during the transition period.
Eventually, the new owners will need to become the parent figures of the puppy, but it should be a gradual process, not a forced one.
A Week’s Supply Of The Puppy’s Food
Domesticated dogs have a very delicate digestive system. An upset stomach is expected if the diet of the dog is changed all of a sudden. The change needs to be gradual.
Many new owners already have a specific food brand in mind for their new four-legged friends, but many do not plan it out in advance. It doesn’t matter what they choose, but it’s always better to provide them at least a week’s food in advance of the same range and brand they were eating already. It will make the transition for the puppy really easy.
In case the new owners want to choose a different brand or type of food for the puppy, providing a decent amount of familiar food for the dog will be really helpful.
Initially, mixing both the new food and familiar food would be a good choice, then eventually increasing the proportions of the new food will finish the transition.
Toys & Goodies
As a dog breeder, you should let your imagination roam free and add some valuable toys and goodies for the puppy in the puppy pack. Your list might include:
Food & Water Bowls
Most Households will be equipped with both water and food bowls a few weeks in advance before bringing a new puppy. However, most won’t have a foldable bowl they can bring around on the move.
Foldable bowls are usually pretty inexpensive and come quite handy when going to the vet, the beach, the park, the city, or literally anywhere away from your home.
Offering engraved and personalized food and water bowls will be great if the client is paying some big bucks for one of your puppies.
These can be a precious addition to the puppy pack and are usually appreciated by the new dog owners a lot.
Puppy Treats
Adding a pack of some delicious and healthy puppy treats in the puppy pack will make your clients realize that you are a great dog breeder. You don’t even need to buy anything expensive as puppy treats can be found in all price ranges.
In fact, you can ask for some puppy treat samples directly from the manufacturers. They are often pleased to raise their brand awareness by offering a few bags of their treats to serious dog breeders.
Here are some examples of treats that are great for the puppies:
- Organic Buffalo Bars
- Fish Skins Crunchy Treats
- Himalayan Dog Chews
- Antler Dog Chews
- Salmon Jerky
Adding one bag of treats to the puppy pack is enough. It will help calm the puppy in the new household.
Toys
I already mentioned how critical it is to add a familiar toy to the puppy pack. But it would help if you spent some time adding some more new toys too to the puppy pack. Rubber frisbee and squeaky plush toys are the most common toys, but you can add some unusual toys too.
Puppies like chewing, so it will be a good idea to add a couple of teething toys and a plush toy for the puppy to cuddle. There aren’t too many options in this category, so you won’t have to spend too much time.
Educational Material On The Dog’s Breed
Most breeders don’t even think about adding something like this in the puppy pack. But if your customer is not an experienced dog owner and a newbie, you should offer a DVD or book on the dog’s breed.
Usually, books and DVDs won’t cost you much, and they are readily available but are highly informative.
If you are selling working line dogs, you should add a book on their job to make the owner interested in the sale. For instance, most border collies have working lines relations, but most owners don’t know about them; they would like some information on herding and border collies.
Another reason for the information is that some dog breeds have breed-specific diseases. Many of them are more inclined to particular structural issues like arthritis.
Many breeds need a specific type of care and grooming throughout their lives. On the other hand, some breeds come with unique coats that require specific trimming and brushing and trimming routines.
A Personalized Letter
In the end, as a breeder, you should definitely add a sincere letter to each family. The letter you write should not be a generic one written multiple times but a personalized one for every family.
The letter should be short, wishing the best to each family. Just tell them you believe in them and why you have chosen them. It is very touching, priceless, and heartwarming. Please, do it. It means so much.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you put in a puppy starter pack?
A puppy starter pack is customizable, and as a breeder, you can put anything you want in them. Some things it must include are:
- Paperwork and documents
- Mother’s Scent and Familiar Items
- Week Supply Of The Puppy’s Food
- Toys & Goodies
What should I bring my new puppy home in?
You should bring the following things:
- Crate
- Food and water bowls.
- Treats
- Collar and leash.
- Dog Bed
- Toys
What should a breeder provide?
A breeder must provide the following things:
- Mother’s Scent and Familiar Items
- Week Supply Of The Puppy’s Food
- Toys & Goodies
- Educational Material On The Dog’s Breed
What papers should a puppy come with?
The puppy should come with the following paperwork:
- Sale Contract Of The Puppy
- Pedigree Certificate (If Applicable)
- Vaccination Record & Vet Visits
- Registration Certificate Of The Dog
Wrap Up
I hope this list has cleared all your doubts as a breeder of what should be added in a puppy pack or as a buyer what to expect. Other than the items mentioned, you also add anything related to the puppy you want in the puppy pack.