Puppy Go-Home Day Checklist

Pickup day always feels like it's going to be calm and structured, and then the buyer arrives, the puppy is excited, the buyer's family is taking pictures, and twenty minutes later the buyer is driving away realizing they forgot to ask about food transition. The breeder is realizing they forgot to send the pedigree home. Both sides are reconstructing what happened by text the next week.

The Puppy Go-Home Day Checklist fixes this by splitting the day into two halves. The breeder completes their pre-pickup prep the night before. The buyer review happens together at pickup, walking through every document delivered and every topic covered, with both parties signing at the bottom.

What the document does:

It coordinates the entire handoff so nothing important is improvised in the moment. The breeder pre-pickup section makes sure documents and items are packed, the puppy is bathed and weighed, and final photos are taken. The buyer review section walks through the take-home folder together at pickup, document by document and topic by topic, so the buyer leaves understanding what they have and what they were told.

What is included:

• Puppy and buyer information header (puppy ID, microchip, buyer, pickup date and time)
• Breeder pre-pickup checklist split into Documents Packed, Items Packed, and Puppy Ready
• Buyer review at pickup covering Documents Received, Topics Discussed, and Communication Going Forward
• 11 topic-discussed items including food transition, vaccination schedule, spay/neuter timing, socialization protocol, breed-specific health concerns, and first night expectations
• Special instructions section for anything specific to this puppy that the buyer needs to know
• Final confirmations covering payment, contract signing, and final photos
• Dual signature block where both parties confirm what was covered

Format and how it works:

Word version for digital editing and a PDF version for printing. Most breeders complete the breeder pre-pickup section the night before in the Word version, then print one copy to walk through with the buyer at pickup. Both parties sign. Keep the original. Send a copy home with the puppy in the take-home folder so the buyer has a written reference for what was covered.

Why this version is different:

Most go-home checklists are breeder-only and end at "the puppy went home." This one is bilateral by design. It establishes a record that both parties signed off on what was discussed, which protects everyone if a buyer later claims they were not told about food transition or socialization timing. The shared sign-off is the part that turns a chaotic morning into a professional handoff.

Who this is for:

For breeders who want pickup day to feel like a calm, repeatable transaction instead of an improvisation. Especially valuable for breeders placing into multiple homes per year who want consistent handoffs across every placement. Pairs with the Health Records Transfer Form and the New Owner Care Guide Template.

Get the checklist on its own, or open the bundle for the full placement set at the kit price.