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If you sell directly to the public, organizing a "Puppy Packet" is a win-win for both your kennel and the new pet owner.  The main purpose of the packet is to give your buyer what they need in order to raise your puppy up to the dog it is meant to be.  

Dr. Wade of Microchip ID Systems shared some great ideas on puppy packets at a recent breeder seminar.  Here are some of his suggestions and a few more from all over the internet.  This is all in addition to your sale agreement and health guarantee (we'll discuss those in a future issue).

What's in Your Puppy Packet?

Nutrition:  provide info on what your puppy needs now and on into adulthood.  Include a supply of food for the next few weeks, a list of places where they can buy the same food, and maybe discount coupons for food or supplements.

Vet care/Health concerns:  shot and wormer records, date of last vet visit, date of next vet visit, results of medical tests on pup or his parents, conditions/diseases common to the breed to watch for as pup matures, exercise recommendations.

Training/Behavior:  advice on socialization and any special handling the particular breed requires re: behavior (barking, digging, chewing, biting, independent, stubborn, overly protective, overly sensitive...), maybe include a favorite training dvd or booklet.

Safety:  info on hazards around the house and yard, teaching small children how to handle the dog safely, human foods that are poisonous to dogs, car travel safety, plane travel safety, hot and cold weather precautions.

Identification: microchip all puppies leaving your property; add an ID tag to the puppy packet and a registration form for a reliable microchip registry (it should be linked with the AAHA National Microchip Lookup Tool);  make sure chip number is on all of the pup's health and pedigree papers.

Toys:  a few toys that your pup is familiar with already

More ideas:  subscription form to your favorite pet magazine, dog collar and leash, feed bowl, application for pet insurance, bumper sticker, doggie blanket, photo album with pics of sire/dam and their pup as a baby, a few puppy training pads, a framed baby photo, a cute basket or bag for it all ... the possibilities are endless!