Spring puppy demand: waitlists, deposits and saying no well

Many families decide on a puppy after the holidays and start looking in late winter, hoping for a puppy that comes home when the evenings are light and the weather is kind for house-training — and for breeders that means a wave of inquiries at once, more than most litters can meet, so a clear, fair way of handling interest is what protects both your reputation and the puppies.

Why buyers look early, and how they look

When Mead and colleagues surveyed UK dog owners about the research they did before getting a dog, websites were the most common source of information (76%), followed by family and friends (70%) and online forums (51%). For breeders, that means your website and how you answer the first email do much of the work before anyone visits.

Buying patterns can also shift fast. Packer and colleagues compared UK puppy purchases in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and found that many risky behaviors that rose during the pandemic, such as collecting a puppy away from where it was born or not seeing the mother, had returned toward pre-pandemic levels, while others persisted into 2021. A later follow-up of pandemic puppies by Dale and colleagues examined how purchasing practices and early life related to health as the dogs reached 21 months. Careful, transparent breeders are the alternative those studies point to.

A waitlist that is fair

• Explain the order. First come, first served; matched by temperament and home; or a mix. Say which.
• Explain what the list is for. A place on the list is a place in the queue to be matched, not a promise of a puppy.
• Keep it realistic. If you expect six puppies, a list of forty helps no one. Close the list or offer a future litter.
• Update people. A short message at confirmed pregnancy, birth, and when matching starts saves dozens of anxious emails.
• Match, don’t hand out. Many breeders choose which puppy goes to which home once temperaments are clearer; see matching a puppy to a home.

Deposits: clear, fair and in writing

A deposit shows commitment and helps you plan. It also creates obligations. Before you take one, write down:

• what it secures (a place on the list, a puppy from a specific litter, or first choice of a sex),
• when it is due and how much,
• what happens if there is no suitable puppy, if the litter does not happen, or if the buyer changes their mind,
• whether and when it is refundable or can move to a future litter.

Rules on deposits and refunds differ between countries and states, so have your terms checked locally. Pricing, deposits and payment goes through the details, and puppy sales contracts and consumer law covers the contract itself.

Safe payment, for you and for them

Puppy scams are common, and careful buyers have been told to look for warning signs. The US Federal Trade Commission advises buyers to search a seller’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint” and warns that only scammers insist on payment by gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency or wire transfer. In the UK, Defra’s Petfished campaign tells buyers to see puppies at home with their mother, to check they are at least eight weeks old before they go home, and to ask for health records; a survey for the campaign found that only 43% of owners had visited the seller in the animal’s home when researching their last purchase.

That shapes how you should sell:

• Welcome checks. A video call or visit before a deposit, references, and your kennel name searchable online.
• Use traceable payment with a receipt, and put your terms in the receipt or contract.
• Show the mother and the litter where they live. In England, the UK’s “Lucy’s Law” rules mean puppies must be sold by the breeder; local councils such as the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk explain the licensing thresholds and that no puppy may be sold before eight weeks.

Saying “not yet” and “no” kindly

Some inquiries will not fit: the wrong home for the breed, a timeline you cannot meet, or a feeling you cannot shake. A kind, clear reply protects your reputation and the buyer’s feelings.

• Thank them, and be specific about the reason if you can do so without judgment.
• Offer something useful: a future litter, another breeder you trust, breed rescue, or an article that answers their question.
• Keep a short template, and write it when you are calm, not at midnight in the middle of the rush. Difficult questions from puppy buyers has more on hard conversations.

---

---

Sources & further reading

1. Mead R, Holland KE, Casey RA, Upjohn MM, Christley RM (2024) — UK dog owners’ pre-acquisition information- and advice-seeking: a mixed methods study. Animals 14:1033. doi.org
2. Packer RMA, Brand CL, Belshaw Z, Pegram CL, Dale F, Stevens KB, O’Neill DG (2023) — Is UK puppy purchasing suffering a long COVID effect? Ongoing negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon puppy purchase motivations and behaviours in 2021. Animals 13:2186. doi.org
3. Dale FC, O’Neill DG, Brand CL, Belshaw Z, Merritt BL, Pegram CL, Packer RMA (2026) — Sold a pup? Impact of purchasing practices, owner and dog demographics, and puppy early-life experiences on later canine health outcomes in the UK. Animal Welfare 35:e18. doi.org
4. US Federal Trade Commission (2024) — Getting a pet? Avoid scams. consumer.ftc.gov
5. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2021) — Don’t get “Petfished” this Christmas: Chief Veterinary Officer warns the public about deceitful pet sellers. gov.uk
6. Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk — Buying a puppy. west-norfolk.gov.uk

Where evidence is limited, recommendations rest on established practice and expert judgment, and may be updated as knowledge develops. Rules on deposits, refunds and selling puppies differ between countries and states; this is general information, not legal advice.

Next steps

• Read next: Pricing, deposits and payment.
• Related: Assessing puppy buyers · Matching a puppy to a home.
• Return to the guide: Puppy sales and the transition home.