Surprising Your Kids with a Puppy
(Planning for Their Big Day!)
Searching for the best ways to surprise your kids with a puppy? Whether you’re planning around a birthday, graduation, anniversary, Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, or simply an extra-special Gotcha Day, there are so many ways to make the big reveal unforgettable.
From choosing the perfect puppy and planning around Mother Nature to creative reveals when your puppy isn’t quite ready to come home, we’re sharing everything you need to plan a puppy surprise your family will never forget!
How to Surprise Your Kids With a Puppy
Puppies Can Be a Surprise for So Many Occasions
A Cream Puff Labradoodle puppy surprise doesn’t have to be reserved for Christmas morning! Over the years, we’ve helped families plan surprises around:
Birthdays
Graduations
Anniversaries
Christmas
Hanukkah
Easter
Other holidays
Gotcha Day (Every Gotcha Day is a special Occasion!)
We love occasions like Easter puppy surprises! An Easter egg hunt can easily become a puppy scavenger hunt, with the final clue revealing that a new family member is on the way. Scavenger hunts certainly aren’t limited to Easter either. You can incorporate one into almost any celebration!
Many families also plan around school, summer camps, work schedules, vacations, and other travel plans. Sometimes the perfect day to surprise your kids isn’t a holiday at all. Think about when your family will have the most time to enjoy the excitement and prepare for your puppy’s arrival.
Consider Allergies Before Planning Your Surprise
If anyone in your family has known or suspected dog allergies, explore this before making a puppy a surprise.
Our Multigenerational Australian Labradoodles are known for their allergy-friendly coats, and we have worked with families with allergies for many years. However, every person and every allergy is different.
We recommend consulting with an allergist ahead of time so you can better understand your family’s individual allergies before bringing a puppy into your home. We also offer personalized allergy visits with our puppies for families with allergy concerns. You can learn more about how these work in our Allergy Visits at Cream Puff Labradoodles blog.
Taking these steps before the big reveal allows you to plan your surprise with confidence!
Make Sure Your Kids Are Comfortable Around Dogs
If this will be your child’s first time living with a dog, spend some time seeing how they feel around dogs before surprising them with one.
While your future family member will still be a little puppy when they come home, it’s important to know whether your child feels:
Excited around dogs
Comfortable approaching them
Nervous or hesitant
Fearful around larger dogs
Dog parks and other dog-friendly public spaces can be a great way to gauge your child’s comfort level without giving away your plans. You may even get a glimpse of just how excited they’ll be to eventually have a puppy of their own!
Find Out What Your Family Is Interested In
Our Multigenerational Australian Labradoodles are known for their wonderful temperaments and allergy-friendly coats, but there is so much more to consider when finding the right puppy for your family!
We have black Australian Labradoodles, caramel Australian Labradoodles, chocolate Australian Labradoodles, apricot Labradoodles, and so many other beautiful colors and patterns. Are you interested in a mini Labradoodle? If so, would that be a mini chocolate Parti Australian Labradoodle, or do you have other preferences? Before choosing a litter, look into what your family is naturally drawn to; there are so many options:
Mini, Medium, or Standard?
Male or female?
Chocolate, caramel, black, apricot, or another color?
Solid or with markings?
Is there a particular look they always notice?
If you’re not sure what all of the different colors and markings are called, our Australian Labradoodle Colors and Coats blog can help you explore all of the possibilities.
You can have a lot of fun figuring this out without giving away the surprise. Show your kids different puppy photos, point out dogs you see while you’re out together, or casually ask what their dream dog would look like. Their answers might give you everything you need to help us guide you toward a puppy that feels like they were picked just for them!
What If Your Puppy Is Ready Before the Surprise?
Sometimes Mother Nature works a little faster than your calendar!
If your puppy is ready to go home before the birthday, holiday, graduation, or other occasion you’re planning around, talk to us! We’re happy to hold a puppy for a week or two when possible to help Gotcha Day line up with your big surprise.
This can be especially helpful for families trying to coordinate their puppy’s arrival with Christmas, a birthday, school schedules, or travel.
Just let us know what you’re planning. We love being in on the secret!
What If Your Puppy Isn't Old Enough to Come Home?
Our Labradoodle puppies do not need to physically be there to create an adorable puppy surprise.
We’ve had plenty of seasons when puppies weren’t old enough to go home exactly on larger holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah. Instead of changing your plans, make the announcement itself the surprise!
If your litter has already been born, you can show your kids photos of the puppies and announce that one of those little faces will soon be joining your family.
If you’ve already reached our six-week update, you may even have updated photos and videos of their soon-to-be puppy to include in the reveal.
A photo of an adorable puppy alongside their upcoming Gotcha Day can make an incredible gift. Plus, your kids now have another exciting date to count down to!
A Hanukkah Puppy 
My Cream Puff Labradoodles Birthday! 
Easter Australian Labradoodle Puppies
Get Creative With the Big Reveal
There are endless ways to announce that a puppy is joining your family.
Try surprising your kids with:
A framed photo of their puppy
A wrapped collar or leash
A puppy toy
A new dog bed
A stuffed Labradoodle
A countdown to Gotcha Day
A scavenger hunt ending with their puppy’s photo
A card announcing their puppy’s arrival date
If your puppy is already old enough to come home, the puppy themselves can even be waiting at the end of the surprise!
Just remember that Gotcha Day is also a huge day for your puppy. Keep their introduction exciting but comfortable while they adjust to their new family and surroundings.
Let Your Kids Help Prepare
Once the surprise is out, preparing for your puppy can become part of the fun!
Let your kids help:
Pick out puppy toys
Choose a collar
Prepare the puppy’s space
Learn about puppy training
Help choose a name
Count down to Gotcha Day
Instead of having one exciting surprise, your family gets to enjoy the anticipation leading all the way up to the day your puppy comes home.
Don't Worry About the Perfect Date
When you’re working with puppies, Mother Nature ultimately makes the schedule. Due dates can change, litter sizes can vary, and puppies may not be ready to go home on the exact holiday or birthday you originally imagined.
That doesn’t mean the surprise has to be any less special!
Your kids might meet their puppy on Christmas morning, discover their photo at the end of an Easter scavenger hunt, or find out on their birthday that Gotcha Day is only a few weeks away.
However you decide to reveal the news, finding out that a puppy is joining the family is the part they’re going to remember.
Let Us In on the Secret!
At Cream Puff Labradoodles, we absolutely love helping families plan puppy surprises. If you have a birthday, holiday, graduation, anniversary, or another special day in mind, let us know!
We can help you navigate Mother Nature’s timing, upcoming litters, Gotcha Day, and the different ways you can make the surprise work. Whether your puppy is ready to come home on the big day or you’re surprising your kids with the news that their future best friend is on the way, there are so many ways to make the experience unforgettable.
FAQs: Bringing a Puppy Home As A Surprise
Is it a good idea to surprise your kids with a puppy?
Absolutely! As long as you’ve considered allergies, your children’s comfort around dogs, and your family’s schedule, a puppy surprise can make an already special moment even more memorable.
How do you surprise your kids with a puppy?
Try a scavenger hunt, wrap a collar or puppy toy, reveal a puppy photo, or create a countdown to Gotcha Day. If the timing works, you can even keep the secret until your puppy comes home!
What if the puppy isn't ready on the day of the surprise?
That’s okay! Surprise your kids with photos or videos of their future puppy and let them know when their Gotcha Day will be.
Can you surprise kids with a puppy for Christmas or their birthday?
Of course! Even if your puppy isn’t ready to come home on the exact day, revealing that a puppy is on the way can be just as exciting.
How can I find out what kind of puppy my kids want without ruining the surprise?
Casually show them different Australian Labradoodles or ask what their dream dog would look like. You can quickly get an idea of the size, gender, color, and markings they prefer without giving away the surprise!
Can we hold a puppy until a birthday or holiday?
Every breeder is different. At Cream Puff Labradoodles, we’re happy to hold a puppy for a week or two when possible to help Gotcha Day line up with your special occasion.
Is it okay to bring a puppy home during the holidays?
Of course! The holidays are such a special time to bring home your puppy and create moments your children will remember forever.
Should we bring a puppy home if we are traveling over the holidays?
If you’ll be traveling, it’s better to wait; your puppy needs to adjust to their new home first before you take them to new places. We can coordinate a go-home date that works for your schedule. Learn more about getting a puppy in the new year.
Should we wait until after the holidays to bring a puppy home?
This is a completely personal choice. While lots of people want to take their puppy home in time for those big special moments, some people do prefer to wait until routines have gotten back to normal.
What supplies should we have ready before our puppy arrives?
Cream Puff Labradoodles has a Puppy Supply List detailing all of our recommendations.
How can we help our kids adjust to a new puppy?
Encourage gentle handling, short play sessions, and celebrate training milestones together. Plan a calm, quiet space where your Cream Puff can adjust to their new environment. Dogs are naturally den animals, so we recommend getting a crate.
FAQs About Cream Puff Labradoodles
What makes Cream Puff Labradoodles special?
Each puppy is bred for health, temperament, and allergy-friendly coats. We raise them in a loving, family-centered environment.
Are Cream Puff Labradoodles good with kids?
They are the best! They’re affectionate, intuitive, and gentle, perfect for families with children. Australian Labradoodles make excellent support dogs too.
How Will I Know Which Coat Color Is Right For Me?
We have all of our coat colors listed on our Australian Labradoodle Colors and Coats page. While we do list the different types of Australian Labradoodle coats for labradoodle breed info, however, we mainly breed for wavy fleece coats, as these are very allergy-friendly.
Where is Cream Puff Labradoodles located?
In Hillsborough, NJ. We are within commuting distance of NYC.
What if we can’t bring our puppy home right away?
When you apply to take home a Cream Puff, we ask you when you are looking to take them home. This ensures we can match you to your perfect puppy at the perfect time..
How can we reserve a puppy?
Fill out our Puppy Application. Once we receive it, we will reach out and begin our puppy matching process with you.
