How Reserving a Puppy Works: First Deposit, First Served
We used to run a pick list: families paid a deposit to hold a place in line, then chose their puppy at five weeks in the order the deposits came in. We don't do that any more.
Here's how it works now, and it's much simpler: if a puppy is available and you place a deposit, that puppy is yours. Any age, any time. No list, no pick order, no waiting for a selection day.
Why we changed it
The pick list asked families to commit money months before they could see the puppy they'd actually bring home. That's a long time to hold your enthusiasm, and plenty of families drifted away before picks ever happened — not because they stopped wanting a puppy, but because the process gave them nothing to hold onto.
Picking a real puppy, by name, with photos in front of you, is a better experience. So that's what we do.
The five steps
1. Find your puppy
Every puppy we have goes up on our available puppies page individually, with photos, from the time they're posted. Browse them and pick the one you love. If a puppy is marked available, you can reserve that exact puppy today — whether they were born last week or they're nearly ready to go home.
2. Apply
Send us an adoption application for that puppy. It asks about your home, your experience with dogs, and your plans. Sara reads every one herself and gets back to you quickly — this isn't a queue you sit in for days.
It isn't a test with a right answer. It's how we match the right puppy to the right household, and how we spot the times a particular puppy won't suit a particular home.
3. Place your $500 deposit
Your deposit reserves that specific puppy. A few things worth being clear about:
- First come, first served. The first deposit we receive for a puppy takes that puppy off the market. We don't hold puppies while families think it over — if you're still deciding, another family may reserve them first.
- It's non-refundable, and it goes toward your puppy's total price. It isn't an extra fee.
- It can usually be transferred to another puppy or a future litter if life changes — case by case — but not once your chosen puppy reaches six weeks old. At that point there isn't enough time to find another family before go-home day.
4. Sign the agreement
Your puppy contract puts the important things in writing: our one-year health guarantee, the spay and neuter timeline, and our promise to take a dog back if you ever can't keep them. You can read the entire contract right now — before you apply, and long before any money changes hands.
5. Complete payment and come get your puppy
The remaining balance is due when your puppy turns six weeks old, two weeks before go-home day. Puppies go home at eight weeks.
What about litters that aren't born yet?
Our upcoming litters page shows what's on the way — the parents, expected sizes and colors, and rough go-home windows.
We don't take deposits on unborn litters. No spots, no places in line, no money down before there are puppies to reserve. When a litter arrives, every puppy is posted individually and can be reserved from that moment.
If you want to know the second that happens, join our notify list. It's free, it doesn't commit you to anything, and it's the fastest way to hear about a new litter. Since puppies go first come, first served, hearing early genuinely matters.
What if the litter is smaller than expected?
It doesn't affect you any more. Because nothing is reserved until there's a real puppy to reserve, a small litter just means fewer puppies get listed. Nobody is holding a spot that turns out not to exist.
What you get for the price
Every Country Lane Doodles puppy goes home with:
- A veterinary health exam, age-appropriate vaccinations, and deworming
- A microchip with registration information
- Poodle puppies: dewclaws removed and tail docked, done in their first few days
- Our one-year health guarantee
- 30 days of free Trupanion pet insurance, when activated within 24 hours of go-home
- A go-home bag — food, a blanket carrying littermate scent, records, and a care guide
- Early Neurological Stimulation, Early Scent Introduction, and socialization from day one
- Lifetime breeder support — we answer texts years later
Our pricing page breaks down what goes into the cost, and why.
Common questions
Can I reserve a puppy that's only a few days old? Yes. That's the whole point of the change. If they're listed and available, they can be reserved.
What if I want a puppy that's already reserved? Tell us anyway. Reservations occasionally fall through, and we keep a note of who asked. You'll hear from us first if that puppy comes back on the market.
Can I choose by color? You can choose any available puppy, of any color. Nobody is ahead of you in a line.
Can I visit the puppies? We don't do home pickups or visits to our house. We meet families at an agreed safe location in Salt Lake County, at the Salt Lake City airport, or arrange a flight nanny for families out of state.
What if nothing's available right now? Join our notify list. There's no cost and no obligation, and you'll hear about new puppies as soon as they're posted.
Still have questions? Ask Sara — she usually replies within a few hours.
