Puppy Adoption Process

We thoughtfully evaluate each potential home to ensure our puppies are placed with loving, responsible families. The adoption process begins by filling out an application. After reviewing your submission, if we believe it’s a good match, we’ll reach out with instructions for placing a deposit. Puppies are then ready to join their new homes at 8 weeks old. Below, we’ve outlined additional details to help you better understand each step of the process.

Step 1: Apply and Deposit

Puppies are available exclusively to approved depositors. To begin, simply complete our Puppy Application. We typically review applications and respond within one business day.

Once approved and your $200 deposit is placed, you’ll have a few options:

  • Adopt an Available Puppy: While it’s rare to have immediate availability, occasionally puppies become available if previously offered puppies are passed on by earlier depositors. These will be listed for newly approved families.

  • Join the Master Depositor List: After your deposit is received, your name is added to our Master List of Depositors. This gives you the opportunity to select a puppy from future litters based on your position on the list.

Please note that deposits are fully refundable (minus an 8% processing fee) anytime before you select a puppy. If you’re on the master list and decide to adopt elsewhere, simply send us an email and we’ll process your refund within two business days.

Step 2: Wait for Litter Anouncement

When a new litter arrives, we notify all approved depositors via email. This announcement will include a link with details about the litter and a form to request placement on that specific litter’s picking list. Please note: applying for a picking spot does not guarantee selection—spots are awarded based on seniority on the Master List.

If you’re not interested in a particular litter, you can simply wait for future announcements. Many of our depositors have preferences for certain colors, genders, or parent pairings, so even if you’re lower on the Master List (e.g., Position #20), you may still have a chance to be selected if those ahead of you choose to pass.

Each time you pass on a litter and others ahead of you make selections, your name moves up on the Master List—improving your chances for an earlier pick in future litters.

Example:
Let’s say a litter has 4 puppies and depositors #2, #6, #8, #11, and #15 apply. The first four (based on seniority) will be placed on that litter’s picking list in order. Depositor #15, however, won’t make the cut for that litter—but will move up four spots on the Master List, improving their chances for the next opportunity.

Step 3: Review 6 Week Pictures, Video, and Aptitude Test

When choosing your Doodle puppy, it’s important to consider more than just appearance and gender—personality and temperament matter just as much. That’s why, at 6 weeks of age (when your puppy’s brain is fully developed), we provide a Puppy Aptitude Test Result for each puppy to help guide your decision.

Everyone on the litter’s picking list will receive an email with updated 6-week photos, a video, and the aptitude test report. This gives you a full picture of each puppy’s unique traits before selection day.

Be sure to review the test results and watch the video closely—it’s designed to help you find the puppy that best fits your family and lifestyle.

Step 4: Puppy Pick Day at 6 Weeks and 1 Day

Our committed depositors will choose their puppies once they reach 6 weeks and 1 day of age. We ask that the first person picking their pup give us their choice by 10:00 am (Mountain Time Zone), then we’ll proceed to the #2 depositor and so on. Usually most of our depositors are ready to give us their choice right away, so the process is usually done within a few hours. We require that all picks be confirmed by email so that there is no confusion. 

So, once it’s your turn to pick, please email us your puppy pick and we will immediately post your choice on the litter page. If the puppy you were hoping for gets chosen, you have the option of either choosing another puppy from that litter or placing your name back on our waitlist.

Please keep in mind that once you choose a puppy, we assume you are fully committed and your deposit becomes non-refundable. If you do choose a puppy and then change your mind, we can put you back on the waitlist for a $200 transfer fee.

Step 5: Final Payment

Once everyone has selected their puppy, it’s time to take care of the final balance. We’ll send you an email with your puppy agreement and an invoice that reflects the total cost minus your initial deposit as well as any additional charges for optional obedience training or transportation services.

You can pay the remaining balance via Bank Transfer, Credit Card (we add 3% to cover processing fees charged by our online merchant – Paypal or Venmo), Cash, or Check. When sending a check, please mail the check right away so that we can receive and process your check prior to shipping if applicable. Please note, all payments must be made before your puppy is ready to go home or begin training.

 

Step 6: Puppies go Home or Begin Training at 8 Weeks

Our sweet little puppies are ready to go home or begin obedience training at 8 weeks of age. Please keep in mind that we are not able to let our puppies go home sooner than 8 weeks of age. It is important that all puppies have the opportunity to spend the first 8 weeks of their life with their mom and siblings and that they have a chance to be properly weaned between 7-8 weeks of age.

We do try to send our puppies to their new homes within 7 days of the “go-home” or graduation date and we are happy to continue boarding your puppy past that date. However, we do charge a $50/day boarding fee after those first 7 days of boarding.