Puppy Buyer Inquiry Form

The hardest part of running a waitlist is the front door. A buyer reaches out, the conversation goes well, and you say "I'll add you to the list." Three months later, neither of you remembers what they actually wanted, when they could pick up, or whether they were a serious lead or a casual inquiry. I lost track of more good buyers that way than I want to admit.

The Waitlist Intake Form is the structured front door. It captures everything you need to triage a new buyer. Who they are, why this breed, why this program, what they're looking for, when they could receive an animal, and what they're willing to commit to at this stage. It's the form you send every prospective buyer after first contact and before any deeper screening conversation.

What this document does:

It runs every prospective buyer through the same 5-section intake so you can compare new inquiries against each other and against your existing waitlist. It also includes a soft-commitment check that surfaces buyers who hesitate at standard waitlist expectations before you invest more time in them. The form doesn't collect deposits and doesn't create a binding waitlist position. It creates a structured first conversation.

What is included:

• 5 buyer-facing sections covering basic information, what they're looking for, timing and commitment, soft commitment check, and open notes.
• A breeder-only section for your screening notes, preliminary fit score, and next-action decision, so the intake form doubles as your initial screening record.
• A direct ask about prior waitlist experience to surface buyers who have ghosted other breeders.
• Soft commitment language that doesn't lock either side in, but does set expectations about the full application and screening to come.
• Specific timing fields. Earliest you can receive an animal, latest that still works, willingness to wait for a future litter.
• Preference fields covering sex, color, trait, and intended role, with explicit flexibility checks for each.

Format and how it works:

Includes a Word version for digital editing and a PDF version for printing. Send the Word file to applicants and have them type their answers, or send the PDF to applicants who prefer to print and write by hand. Save each completed intake by buyer name in your buyer file. Most working programs send this immediately after a first email or DM, before any phone conversation.

Why this version is different:

Generic puppy inquiry forms ask for name, email, and "tell me about yourself." This form is built around the operational realities of running a waitlist. Timing constraints, preference flexibility, soft commitment to the screening process, and pickup feasibility. The breeder-only section makes the intake form double as your initial screening record, so you're not duplicating data into a separate tracker.

Who this is for:

For breeders who want a consistent front door for their waitlist and a structured way to triage new inquiries. Especially useful for programs running high inquiry volume that need a way to qualify buyers before investing in a full Buyer Application conversation. Pairs naturally with the Buyer Screening Rubric (next stage) and the Buyer Application (the deeper screening stage from the Operations Kit).

Get the Intake Form on its own, or pair it with the rest of the Waitlist Kit at the kit price.