FAQs
When are you expecting puppies?
Check out our Current Litters page and our Upcoming Litters page for more information. Those pages and our social media channels are kept up to date.
How much is a puppy from Sunny Heart Doodles?
Our puppies are $3,200 plus tax. A non-refundable $500 reservation fee, which is subtracted from your final payment, is required to join our master list and the remaining balance of the puppy price plus tax ($2,912) is due at 6 weeks. If your litter is older than 6 weeks old at the time you are reserving a spot, the entire puppy price plus tax ($3,412) is due. We sell all our pets on spay/neuter/non-breeding agreements.
HOW DO I RESERVE A SPOT ON YOUR LIST?
Send in your application and $500 non-refundable reservation fee (which is deducted from your final balance) to secure a spot on our master waitlist if your litter is younger than 6 weeks old. If your litter is older than 6 weeks old, the entire puppy price plus sales tax is due to reserve a spot for a puppy. More information about our waitlist is below. IMPORTANT: While protection and support are always a good idea, there are some people who want to opt out of Good Dog’s Protection and Support offerings. If that is the case for you, when making your reservation on Good Dog, the payment platform we use, you will enter the payment amount and then enter your payment details. Below the payment method, there will be a summary of your fees. To OPT OUT of the Protection and Support fee, hover your mouse over the “i” next to Protection and Support. In the pop-up box, click “Learn more.” Scroll all the way down on the next page and click “Change to friends and family payment.” After clicking that, select the second payment type, “Friends and Family (not protected).” You can read about our entire puppy process here. If you are offered a puppy from a litter and find that the timing isn’t right at that time, you may keep your reservation fee on the master list and wait for a later litter.
Are your puppies allergy-friendly?
Yes, multigenerational Australian Labradoodles are typically allergy-friendly. Most Australian Labradoodles have very little, if any, shedding. Their non-shedding coats make them a great candidate for people with allergies. If allergies are a factor, we suggest you meet a variety of Australian Labradoodles before starting the process of bringing home a puppy.
are your puppies hypoallergenic?
We do not use the term hypoallergenic. There is no dog breed that is truly hypoallergenic. While it is true that our Australian Labradoodles don’t shed, it is possible for people to have allergic reactions to skin cells or saliva. That said, our puppies elicit very few allergy symptoms and are well suited for allergy-sufferers.
CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE reservation fee?
Visit this link to place your $500 reservation fee. Please note that your reservation fee is non-refundable. IMPORTANT: While protection and support are always a good idea, there are some people who want to opt out of Good Dog’s Protection and Support offerings. If that is the case for you, when making your reservation on Good Dog, the payment platform we use, you will enter the payment amount and then enter your payment details. Below the payment method, there will be a summary of your fees. To OPT OUT of the Protection and Support fee, hover your mouse over the “i” next to Protection and Support. In the pop-up box, click “Learn more.” Scroll all the way down on the next page and click “Change to friends and family payment.” After clicking that, select the second payment type, “Friends and Family (not protected).” Once you submit the fee, you will receive an official welcome email within 2 business days. The welcome email will let you know what you can expect over the next weeks or months. Please add sunnyheartdoodles@gmail.com to your address book and be sure to check spam/junk in case our correspondence is filtered. When your puppy balance is due when your litter is 6 weeks old, the amount will be the total puppy price plus NJ tax MINUS your $500 reservation fee.
How does the waitlist work?
We reserve the right to retain a puppy from each litter for breeding and we work off a master list. We can always tell you what number on the master list you are but as we are at Mother Nature’s mercy, we work down the list as puppies are born. We can give estimates as far as what litter you will place on but until we have puppy counts, we cannot make guarantees. If a mama has fewer puppies than we are expecting, you would be moved to a later litter in the order in which reservation fees are received. If it is your turn before you are ready, you can defer to a later litter.
what happens once i am placed in a litter?
When it’s your turn on the waitlist to be placed onto a litter, we will let you know. You will receive an emailed birth announcement when the puppies arrive and be added to a families-only Google photo album so you'll receive high-resolution portraits of the puppies each week. We share Stories all throughout our days to Facebook and Instagram so you can see what the puppies are up to with regards to our puppy-raising curriculum (Puppy Culture), feedings and, of course, cuddle sessions. My favorite part of the day, which I try to share to Stories, is nighttime. Each evening, I hold WCT (Weigh-ins, Check-ins, Tuck-ins). I weigh each puppy, have an individual 1:1 check-in with each puppy where we “talk” about the day (once they’re old enough to be separated from their siblings for any length of time), and give each puppy a kiss on the head before bed. Although I’m with the puppies all day long, the slow and quiet time each night is a time that I cherish. At 6 weeks, the balance of your puppy price is due; you will receive an emailed bill. At about 7 weeks, the puppies have their vet check. The vet checks the following categories: Attitude/Appearance, Ears/Nose/Throat, Lymph Nodes, Nervous System, Pulmonary, Urinary/Genitals, Eyes, Mouth/Teeth/Gum, Coat/Skin, Musculoskeletal, Cardiovascular, GI Tract/Abdomen, and Pain. Vital signs are noted as are weight and body score. At that time, the puppies receive their first vaccination and their microchip is implanted. At about 7 weeks, I do my puppy assessments. I assess traits such as Assertiveness, Confidence, Motivation Level, Nerve Strength/Resiliency, Touch Tolerance, Energy Level, Sound Sensitivity, Sight Sensitivity, Prey Drive, Tenderheartedness, and Dog Friendliness. Shortly after the vet visit and assessments, we start our matching process. Families don’t “pick” in a particular order. Instead, each family gets the opportunity to meet the puppies via video chat and, together, we discuss which options would be best for you and for each pup. After meeting with the families, I assess all information to make matches. Families will receive match information about their newest family member by email! Once the matches are made, we sign contracts, coordinate Gotcha Day logistics and tie up any other loose ends. For more information about our process, read through our Our Process page.
what factors influence matching?
When we start the matching process, I tell families which puppies match the temperament they’re looking for in their new addition. Since these babies don’t have a voice and since temperament is the leading factor of success in a home, being my puppies’ advocate and working hard on the best possible matches is a responsibility that means a lot to me. All matches are driven by temperament first. If a family has requirements outside of temperament and decides that the puppy options aren’t suitable, you can decide to defer to another litter. Since I want ALL families to feel fantastic about matching, the choice to wait for more options is always a possibility. All SHD puppies are raised with the same amount of time, effort and love so please keep an open mind!
what is your puppy-raising curriculum like?
We use the Puppy Culture system of raising all puppies at Sunny Heart Doodles. Puppy Culture is a series of films, books, checklists, guidelines, worksheets and recording charts. Puppy Culture starts with the Prenatal Period which guides us through ovulation, breeding, pregnancy and labor. The birth of the pups starts the Neonatal Period. This period lasts from approximately 0-14 days old and includes Early Neurological Stimulation exercises for the puppies, puppy handling, cuddle sessions, twice daily weigh-ins, nail clippings and, very importantly, lots of care for the mama. Everything we do during puppy-raising is to support our mama dogs but during the Neonatal Period especially, we are attentive to her needs 24/7. The Transitional Period is from approximately 14-21 days old. During this period, we start exposures to tactile toys and at least one new experience each day. The eyes will open at this point and the puppies will likely start lapping liquids and toddling about. Weeks 3 through Gotcha Day fall into the Socialization Period. Socialization includes introduction of sounds (blow dryers, vacuums), soft obstacles (yoga blocks, small stuffed toys), classical music, activity mats, low climbing objects, food toys, and much, much more! I do my best to show the daily experiences and new exposures in Stories. Each day is exciting and it’s so much fun to see the puppies grow and learn through the curriculum!
How big will the puppies get?
We are committed to breeding miniature Australian Labradoodles. We don’t expect our puppies to grow larger than about 25 lbs due to the sizes of our parent dogs but there are no guarantees in matters of size. While there can be outliers, adult size is often determined by the lineage of your litter so a good indicator of possible size range is to look at the sizes of your litter’s parents’ sizes. We select our breeding dogs from miniature lines.
Can i come visit the puppies?
For the health and safety of our puppies and parent dogs, we do not allow drop-in visitors. Visitors can unknowingly bring debilitating diseases onto the property, which would be harmful to our puppies, adult dogs, and breeding program as a whole. We are an in-home breeder and don't take chances with health and safety. Additionally, there is an emerging canine respiratory virus that has sparked concern. We are taking every measure possible to ensure that our puppies and parent dogs remain healthy. We think you’d want these same precautions in place for the benefit of your puppy when the time comes!
what is your spay/neuter requirement?
All of our pet puppies are sold on a strict spay/neuter agreement. We require that your puppy be spayed or neutered by a veterinarian of your choice before or at 6 months of age, and provide Sunny Heart Doodles with proof of the procedure before or at 6 months of age by emailing a picture of the spay/neuter certificate to sunnyheartdoodles@gmail.com. Failure to provide proof of spay or neuter by 6 months from the puppy’s date of birth will result in all health guarantees becoming null and void, at which point the puppy must be returned to Sunny Heart Doodles or a sum of $5,000 must be paid to Sunny Heart Doodles as a breach of contract for a pet sale.
do you provide your families with a puppy supply list?
When the puppies are 5-6 weeks old, I email families a recommended shopping list of items that Sunny Heart Doodles recommends. The list includes goodies such as crate, crate pads, toys, chews, grooming tools, dental hygiene items, beds, cleansers, car latches, stuffies and food. I am happy to offer my insight or opinion on any items that aren’t on the list. I love helping other people shop!
what is included in puppy go home bags?
blanket that smells like mom and littermates
small container of food
sampling of treats
favorite stuffed toy
chew toy
toothbrush
leash and collar
At what age do the puppies go home?
Your puppy will stay with Sunny Heart Doodles for 8-9 weeks. Your puppy’s expected Gotcha Day will be included in your litter’s birth announcement to give you time to prepare for your new family member. You may pick up your puppy or we can arrange for delivery of your pup to you depending on your location and our availability.