We don't have a kennel. We have a living room with a lot of baby gates.
Blue Pen Doodles started in 2017 with one goldendoodle named Penny, a blue pen we used to mark the whelping chart, and a conviction that puppies should be raised the way we'd want our own raised. Nine years and 140 families later, that's still the whole plan.
Why we do this.
Penny was supposed to be a family pet. She turned out to be the easiest, kindest dog any of us had ever known, and friends kept asking where to get one like her.
So we did the research. Health testing, temperament work, early socialization protocols. We talked to breeders we admired and a few we didn't. And we decided that if we were going to do this, we'd do it small and do it right. One or two litters at a time. Every puppy in our kitchen. Every family someone we'd actually talked to.
We've turned down more buyers than we've said yes to. Not because they weren't nice people, but because the match wasn't right, and a wrong match is hard on everyone, especially the dog.
We're not the cheapest. We're not the biggest. We're the breeder we wish we'd found when we were looking.
Every parent, every test, every time.
We'll send you the actual certificates before you send us a dollar. If a breeder won't do that, ask why.
- OFA hips and elbows, graded Good or Excellent, done after 24 months
- OFA cardiac by a board-certified cardiologist
- CAER eye exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist, renewed every year
- OFA patellas for our minis and poodles
- Embark full DNA panel covering 250+ genetic conditions and coefficient of inbreeding
- Puppy vet exams at 6 and 8 weeks, with a written report you take home
We only pair dogs where the DNA results guarantee no puppy can be affected by a tested condition. Carriers are fine. Affected is not.
Ethical, out loud.
Home-raised, always
Our dogs live in our house, sleep on our couch, and go on our hikes. Our moms have two litters at most, with at least a year off in between, and they retire to the couch for good by six.
No early go-homes
Puppies leave at 8 weeks, not a day sooner. Those last two weeks with mom and littermates teach bite inhibition and dog manners no human can.
Matched, not picked
You tell us about your life. We tell you which pups fit it. You still choose, but you choose with the temperament scores in front of you.
Vet-partnered
The same veterinary practice has cared for our dogs since 2017. You'll get their number and permission to call them about any of our parents.
Never a pet store, never a broker
Every Blue Pen puppy goes directly to the family who'll raise it. We meet you, in person or on video, before anything is signed.
Honest about the hard parts
Doodles need grooming every 6 to 8 weeks. Puppies cry the first few nights. We'll tell you the unglamorous stuff up front.
What's written into every contract.
2-year genetic health guarantee
If your puppy is diagnosed with a life-altering genetic condition before their second birthday, you choose: a replacement puppy from a future litter, or a refund of the purchase price. You keep your dog either way. We'd never ask you to give back a family member.
72-hour health check window
Take your puppy to your own vet within 72 hours of go-home. If they find a pre-existing health issue we missed, we cover the care or take the puppy back with a full refund. Your call.
Lifetime return promise
If at any point in your dog's life you can't keep them, for any reason, they come back to us. No judgment, no questions beyond what we need to rehome them well. No Blue Pen dog ends up in a shelter.
Deposits
Deposits are $500 and come off your total. They're non-refundable, because a held spot is a spot another family couldn't have, but they transfer to any future litter if your timing changes.
Support, forever
Training questions, grooming questions, "is this normal" questions at midnight. Text, call, or email for the life of the dog. We mean it, and our families will tell you we mean it.
The dogs behind the puppies.
Maple
The calm one. Maple would rather lie under the kitchen table than chase anything. Her puppies inherit the off switch. Second and final litter this fall.
Willow
Pure sunshine. Willow greets the mail carrier like a long-lost relative. First litter this winter, and she's turned out to be a natural.
Finn
Smart enough to open the pantry, polite enough not to. Finn brings the curly, low-shedding coat and the deep red color our families ask about most.
Come meet them.
Visits are by appointment, in person or on video. Bring your questions. Bring your kids. We'll put the coffee on.