Our Adoption Process

Our Adoption Process

The first step in our adoption process is to complete our Adoption Application. Once your application has been reviewed, we will contact you via email, phone, or text to discuss whether a Poodles of Piedmont puppy is the right fit for your home and lifestyle.

Approved applicants may then place a $300 non-refundable deposit to secure a position on our Master Waitlist for future Standard Poodle litters. This deposit is applied toward your puppy's total purchase price once a specific puppy is selected. Pricing is set per litter — visit our Current & Upcoming Litters page to see each litter's price. Sales tax applies to all purchases.

Purchasers are placed on the Master Waitlist in the order in which both a signed agreement and the deposit are received. Because breeding timelines, litter sizes, gender distribution, and availability are determined by nature, specific timeframes and outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

Once a litter is born and the puppies are thriving — typically around 2 weeks of age — families on the Master Waitlist are contacted in order of their placement and given the opportunity to commit to the current litter or pass and remain on the Master Waitlist at their current position for a future litter.

If you originally indicated no gender preference on your application and decide to commit to a litter, you will be asked to select a gender preference at that time — either male or female. Gender selection is made in waitlist order, so responding promptly when we reach out is important.

We provide photo updates at 2, 4½, and 7 weeks of age. At 4½ weeks, each puppy receives individual photos and a dedicated webpage. Between 6 and 7 weeks of age, we conduct temperament testing, and the results are posted to each puppy's page to help guide your decision.

Please note that the Breeder always reserves the right to the first pick of any litter, should we choose to exercise it for our breeding program. If we retain a puppy, our selection is made before family selections begin, and the waitlist then proceeds in order as usual.

Puppy selection takes place at approximately 7 weeks of age, in the order of the waitlist, for families who have committed to a litter. Each family selects their own puppy — we are happy to share our observations on each puppy's temperament and personality to help guide you, but the final choice among available puppies is always yours. Selections may be made in person by appointment, by phone, or via video chat.

Puppies are ready to go to their forever homes at 8 weeks of age.