Free Breeder Tool

Puppy waitlist template

A clean spreadsheet layout for the season you're in right now: who's in line, who has paid, what they want, and where they stand. Free CSV for Excel or Google Sheets.

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Eleven columns cover what breeders actually need to know at a glance: who's in line, who has paid, what they're hoping for, and where they stand. Download the CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, or copy the table and paste it straight into a blank sheet. The three sample families show how to fill it in; delete them and add your own.

PositionFamily NameEmailPhoneDeposit DateDeposit AmountPreference (Sex)Preference (Color)Litter AssignedStatusNotes
1The Millersmillers@example.com555-201-44772026-05-02$500FemaleRedSpring litterDeposit paidWants moderate energy
2Sarah Chensarah@example.com555-318-99202026-05-14$500EitherAnySpring litterDeposit paidSecond dog, has GSD
3The Ortiz Familyortiz@example.com555-742-1103MaleBlackApplication approvedWaiting on fall litter

Suggested status values

Inquiry · Application received · Application approved · Deposit paid · Assigned to litter · Puppy picked · Balance paid · Gone home · Withdrawn / refunded

Using the template

Google Sheets: File → Import → Upload, or paste the copied table into cell A1. Excel: open the CSV directly and save as .xlsx. Sort by Deposit Date to keep pick order honest, and never delete a family: mark them Withdrawn instead so you keep the history.

The Full Version Lives in BreederBuddy

The waitlist that runs itself

A spreadsheet tracks the list. It can't email a family when their position changes, take a deposit, or attach an application. BreederBuddy's waitlist does.

Drag-and-drop pick order

Waitlists live per litter with picking order you reorder by hand, and deposit and balance amounts tracked on each family.

Automated family emails

Confirmations, waitlist placement, litter updates, and pickup instructions send automatically with each family's details merged in.

Everything on one record

The family's application, contract, invoice, and payments live on the same buyer record as their waitlist spot. Nothing to cross-reference.

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Waitlists are the core of BreederBuddy's buyer management. See waitlists & buyer management →

FAQs

Common questions about puppy waitlists

How does a puppy waitlist work?

Families apply, approved families pay a deposit, and deposit order usually sets pick order. When a litter arrives, families choose in sequence, pay their balance, and pick up at go-home. The two things that break waitlists are unclear pick-order rules and stale communication, so write the rules down and update families at every milestone.

What should I track for each waitlist family?

Contact details, application status, deposit date and amount (deposit date is your pick-order tiebreaker), sex and color preferences, which litter they are assigned to, current status, and notes from your conversations. If it is not written down, it did not happen, especially with deposits.

When does a spreadsheet waitlist stop working?

Around the point deposits, multiple litters, and buyer emails start overlapping. A spreadsheet cannot email a family when their position changes, collect a deposit, attach an application, or reorder picks without copy-paste errors. That is when breeders move to purpose-built software.

How does BreederBuddy handle waitlists?

Waitlists live per litter, with drag-and-drop picking order, deposit and balance tracking on each family, and automated emails for confirmations, placement, and litter updates. Applications from your website feed the list automatically, and the buyer's contract, invoice, and payments sit on the same record. See waitlist management

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