AKC Sending Puppies to Homes During the Holidays - Article

Sending Puppies to Homes During the Holidays

By Hilarie Erb | Published: Nov 15, 2024

Sending puppies to their new homes is a big undertaking at any time of the year. But while we all agree that puppies should never be given as gifts to other unsuspecting adults, with proper planning the holidays can be a good time for a household to welcome its newest member. After all, many people have time off work, and the children are out of school for a couple of weeks, giving families more time to spend helping the new puppy adjust.

Here, we offer tips and reminders that will help you make it work for your puppies and your buyers.

• Holiday Plans: Find out what puppy buyers’ holiday plans are. If they are busy and can’t fully focus on their new puppy, arrange for a better time. A house full of company will add stress to a puppy’s transition to a new home.
• Puppy Proofing: Make a tip list for your buyers on puppy-proofing their home. This is always important and seems like a given, but there are many more dangerous and tempting things, such as decorations and treats meant for humans, in homes during holidays. Take care throughout the season that the puppy can’t access dangerous ornaments, gifts that can be ripped open, chocolate, fatty foods, etc.
• Puppy-safe zone: Remind them that they only need to designate one or two rooms as puppy-safe and should use baby gates and a crate.
• Guests in the Home: On the big days, such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, a puppy should not be passed around all the visitors. Remind buyers that this is a baby going through a big transition and care must be taken not to add additional stress.
• Right Supplies: Make sure the new owners have the supplies necessary to keep their puppy safe and comfortable: crate, ex-pen, leash and collar, appropriate chew toys to start. Educate them on the importance of establishing a routine for the puppy and on how children should be taught to interact with the new family member.
• Supervision: Vigilant supervision and confinement to a puppy-safe area when that isn’t possible will eliminate opportunities for the puppy to have accidents or to get into trouble.
• Alone Time: Puppies must learn how to be alone. Just because the owners are home doesn’t mean the puppy has to be with them. With the owners having holiday vacation time, the puppy can learn to be in a crate or pen for appropriate periods and that it doesn’t always mean that they are away from the house.
• Resuming Regular Schedule: Offer tips to help the new owners transition their puppy to when they will resume their normal schedule after the holidays.
• Plan Ahead for Vet Visits: During holidays, veterinarians may be especially busy. Remind buyers to make appointments for the first puppy visit well ahead of time, even before they pick their puppy up.

Training: When should the new owners start training? Right away, since they are off for the holidays! A perfect place to start:  Teach Your Puppy These Five Basic Cues. Training is the best way for owners to bond with their new best friends and to give pups a sense of security and purpose. Bringing a puppy into the home during the holiday season can be a positive experience that will get the new family member off to a great start. Your buyers should consider opting into the AKC GoodDog Helpline – a seven-day-a-week telephone line staffed by professional dog trainers who can advise your buyers when they have questions: AKC GoodDog Helpline.