Part of pricing a puppy and the cost of breeding extends long after we send our puppies off to live with the amazing individuals and families that we select. Part of this process is seeing needs and even wants while these great people are focused on the joy of welcoming these puppies into their family. It is our job to guide and assist long after when puppies go home and to me part of that is what we send home with each puppy that leaves us.

Often called a go-home bag or a go-home package some breeders don’t technically put it all in bag (some items also aren’t physical), but I’m going to go through a list of all the standard items/services that we always include when puppies go home and the items we have included or will include when they are available. Fair warning! I made this list after the fact of years of this and of my most recent Tamaskan litter (Fall 2019, PT Boat Litter). We offer a variation on this for our dogs with Sundog Training, so it is constantly changing, improving and modified to fit the needs of the dog(s) we have in front of us.

I also throw things in the bags in the moment when puppies go home. For example we include a chew treat and a toy by default, but if I have extra chews left at go home or they didn’t destroy the number of toys I expected I’ll include more in their go-home items. If a friend comes over and makes 2 lbs of treats and I don’t need them all we will send home extra training treats. I think you get the idea. I just don’t like to highlight or promise that because the next litter may get shampoo or fur tugs. The PT Boat litter went home with paw print ornaments because we had them for Christmas – maybe the next litter will get life vest because they go home in the middle of the summer. I can’t know and I hate to generalize when I pride myself on customizing the entire process of welcoming one of my puppies and helping them start off with what they need the most – not just things to check off boxes.

Ok to the meat of this post! There are three categories below. Items that are permanent items. These are things that will always be in included when puppies go home. If they are removed it is because they are being replaced with a better option or improved. So something fair/comparable will be included in any litter/with any dog I have a vested interest in raising; this includes if I assist another breeder I mentor or raise for. The second category is items we have included when puppies go home, but that aren’t ours to guarantee – specialty items. These are likely promotional products or items that we were given or made arrangements to get but that are not permanent. Think bandanas, Christmas scarves, pawprint ornaments, food scoops, zippable bowls, that may or may not have company logos on them etc. The last category is customized for each dog at the discussion/arrangement of myself and the new family. Some things may be included when puppies go home in co-owns or guardian homes, others may be items I include to make sure travel home is safe and comfortable, and others are open offers that I make to the entire litter but that they either can elect or pay for themselves (either in full or in payments per our agreement) It is just to broad and encompassing to say it is always included or uniform when puppies go home. Examples are an airline crate being included for a puppy flying home cargo, an Impact Crate with that dog that stays longer for training, Fitbark GPS subscription because I will be taking the dog off and on over the next 3~ years and use it on all my personal dogs, a Dremel micro or a scent kit because I know the dog and family can use these tools and will benefit from having them from day one, we are making a bulk order of toys and everyone can opt into those orders to pick it up with their puppies and know it was safe, clean, and wont be a risk to their puppy or will make those first few weeks easier, etc.

Permanent Items:

• Deposit Items:
• Puppy Culture Voucher
• Deposit Contract
• Access to Sundog Pack Facebook Learning & Discussion Group

• Go Home Day Gear:

• Bag (typically a backpack or over the shoulder bag)
• Binder

• Contact Info Sheet (files, groups, breeder contact info, emergency info, etc.)
  • Customizable puppy page on the Sundog website
  • Sundog Puppy Group
  • Summaries & updates of raising protocols, videos, custom photo albums, continuing training, education, enrichment units, support for sports education, gear lists, grooming, etc.
  • Full Access to Sundog Training & Sundog Sport Services
  • Poop School, 1 month membership
  • I will pay for different titles and health testing for the life of my dogs. There are a set of pages included in the binder where you can put titles/accomplishments, date earned/tested, notes, and where I state what I will cover on your behalf or reimburse.
• Puppy Care files/documents
• Breeder Contact Info & Emergency Contact info
• Training & Care Groups/Websites
• Customizable forms. Track vet info, sports, titles, health testing, etc. for the life of the dog
• Rewards/Breeder Support Check list
• Product Handouts & Samples
• This can be everything from treats, stuffers, nutritional supplements, discount codes and gift cards for a massive variety of dog gear a few examples of past inclusions are foldable bowls, microfiber towels, bandanas, lip balm, paw cream, Nupro supplements, USA made treat samples, food scoops, codes for human and dog gear discounts, puppy boots, etc.
• Milestone Charts
• Achievements, growth etc. provided in graphs and charts
• Pedigree
• Full pedigree on both sides for 5+ generations
• Contract
• Registration documents
• TDR
• AKC Canine Partners
• IABCA
• Additional based off need/breed standing
• Health Testing Documents
• Nomograph
• Vaccination Info
• Health Certificate
• De-Worming Schedule
• TDDP Genetic Report
• Parentage Verification
• Embark Results
• Parent's Genetic Reports & Litter Mock-Up
• Microchip Information & Registration
• Trupanion coverage for 1 month
• Pawprint Mat
• Adoption Certificate
• "Puppy Fitness" Book (Puppy Culture)
• “Spay/Neuter” Book (Puppy Culture)

• Toys

• Enrichment Toy (Kog, Topple, etc.)
• Comfort Toy (Lamb chop)
• Puppy’s Pick (1-3 of their favorite age appropriate toys

• Training Gear

• Fitbark GPS (US or serviced area, other countries receive the Fitbark 2)
• Poop Bags and Dispenser
• Treat Bag
• Clicker
• Training Treats & Snack Pouch(es)
• Travel bowl
• Collar
• Leash
• Bandana

• Oops! Gear (in a quart ziplock for easy air travel)

• Hand Sanitizer
• Alcohol wipes
• Iodine wipes
• Adaptil travel bottle
• Baby wipes
• Potty pads
• Extra ziplocks

• Bag of Food/Custom Meal plan for intended transition (raw, dehydrated, etc.)

Examples of specialty inclusions:

• Fairleads Rope Lead
• Embark Collapsible Bowl
• Embark Bandana
• Embark Lip Balm
• Embark ID Tags
• Blue Buffalo zippable bowl
• Blue Buffalo food scoop
• Blue Buffalo microfiber towel
• Earthrated Bandanas
• Pawprint ornament
• Custom ID Tags

Custom Inclusions:

• Adult Crate
• Travel crate
• Bedding
• Puppy Boots
• Underwear (for bitches to learn to wear them continue that training)
• Puppy litter
• Potty box
• Fitbark GPS Subscriptions
• Grooming supplies (brushes, combs, detangle, etc.)
• Dremel Micro
• Blue-9 Gear
• Any requested gear that Sundog Training/Rugged Mutts can stock or that we are approved to purchase
• Any items may be delivered after deposit is given for your puppy to go home with your puppy.