Welcoming a new puppy is an exciting time! But it can also be daunting for new owners. And they do not always think of everything they need for the puppy ahead of time. A responsible and ethical breeder who loves what they do will provide new puppy owners with puppy kits to help their puppies settle into their new homes.
If you are a breeder, then a puppy pack can help new puppy owners and give them confidence. It will also help reflect your reputation as a caring and thoughtful breeder.
So, what should you include in puppy kits for new owners?
It is a big step for a puppy to go to their new home, a major milestone in their lives. So, a kit with everything the new owner needs, from vaccination details to advice on socialization, can help a new puppy settle. Including a sample of the puppy's current diet can support the transition to their new home. Puppy kits can empower new owners and enable you to pass on the expertise that you have developed over many years of caring for and breeding dogs.
The AKC recommends that breeders provide new puppy owners with puppy kits as a means to promote responsible care and ownership of the puppies. It also helps support the relationship between the breeder and the owner.
It can be a stressful time for a puppy moving to a new family and leaving their siblings, being away from their mother and no longer at the home where they were born. Having a toy or blanket that smells familiar can provide comfort to the puppy as they adjust. This simple gesture can help prevent the puppy from developing separation anxiety. If the puppy has a favorite toy, you can include this in the puppy pack.
It is key to ensure you offer expert advice on feeding. You should provide information on diet in a care sheet. Adding a sample of the puppy's current diet for new owners allows them to transition gradually to a new dog food brand. You should also discuss feeding schedules and amounts. Provide estimates on how this can change as their puppy grows, including how to transition to adult food.
You could offer advice on good brands of food or water bowls. You can include these in a puppy starter pack, but new owners might want to choose this themselves. Stainless steel is durable and easy to clean. BPA-free plastic bowls are another option. You might want to include some other supplies to fill the pack, such as dog poop bags. An ID tag is essential and a nice addition, but new owners will likely want to choose collars and leashes. You can again advise on brands or styles in your care guide.
Include all the certifications you have for the puppy, including microchip information, AKC pedigree certification, health checks with veterinarian certification, vaccinations, worming treatments, etc.
You should also include personal information about the puppy, such as age, color, breed and parent names. It can be helpful to include details of the current daily schedule so new owners can either keep to the schedule or amend it gradually.
Puppy behavior can be challenging, so training advice on housebreaking, crate training, and socialization is a welcome addition. Let the new owners know how you are currently training the puppies, talk through positive reinforcement training and the next steps to take as their puppy grows. You should also advise your new puppy owners to attend dog obedience training classes.
You should also include advice on grooming in your puppy kits. Include how often the new owner should groom and bathe their puppy, and advice on trimming nails and keeping eyes and ears clean. Also, advise how to puppy-proof the home and make sure it is safe for the puppy.
This includes removing toxic items such as plants, puppy-proofing electrical cords, and removing small items that your puppy could accidentally ingest.
There are some other more unusual items that you might want to consider including in puppy kits to help educate and engage new puppy owners. You can include a welcome letter with information about your breeding kennels, your dogs, your history, and thank the new owners for offering a home to one of your puppies. These small elements can help the new owners feel part of the family.
Include contact details that will be helpful. Such as the veterinarian clinic you attend, your phone number, email, website, and social media details. You can include contact details for recommendations, like obedience schools. You can also include details of local breed groups. If you have a social media group page for previous customers, let the new owners know about this as well. It is a great way for you to stay in touch.
You could include some keepsake puppy photos from when they were born and at different stages. These mementoes are a lovely, personal touch.
You might also be able to obtain free samples from local or big brands if you become well-known, and these can be a great addition to puppy kits.
Puppy kits are a fantastic idea for new puppy owners. It is an exciting time to welcome a new puppy into your family, but there is a lot of information to take in. Having a carefully constructed puppy kit with a care guide and plenty of expert advice can make all the difference to how a puppy settles into their new home.
If you are a breeder, it can help enhance your reputation as a caring, responsible, and ethical breeder and help your puppies get off to a great start in their new homes. Remember to keep your puppy kits current and up-to-date. It can help you build a good rapport with new owners and encourage them to stay in contact with updates.
05 June, 2025