A beautiful puppy photo is not a health record. Families who are ready for a Mini Goldendoodle or Mini Bernedoodle should ask for documents, not just descriptions, before they pay a reservation. This checklist is the same standard we publish for our own program at Designer Mini Doodles, and it is the standard we want you to use with us. We have raised puppies since 2009, and the useful part of that history is the habit of paperwork, not a slogan.

Our about page is deliberately direct on this subject. Request the sire and dam’s identities, actual tests and dated results, with laboratory or registry links where available. Request the puppy’s examination, vaccination, and deworming records. Read the written health guarantee: duration, exclusions, claim process, and remedies. Confirm full price, reservation payment, balance, and delivery charges. DNA screening does not replace orthopedic, cardiac, or eye examinations, and testing cannot rule out every illness.

Start with the parents, by name

You should be able to find out who the sire and dam are. Names, breeds, and sizes help you understand the puppy you are considering. For example, Finn and Tucker are listed with a 9.5-pound show Toy Poodle dad and a 72-pound AKC Bernese Mountain Dog mom. That information does not replace test results, but it is the beginning of a real conversation. If a listing does not include parent details, ask. A serious program can talk about the dogs behind the litter.

When results are available, ask for the actual dated reports or for links to the laboratory or registry, not only a sentence that says the parents were “health tested.” Different tests look at different problems. A DNA panel can be useful and still miss conditions that are evaluated by orthopedic, cardiac, or eye examinations. No combination of tests can rule out every illness a dog might develop later.

If you have medical questions about what a result means for your household, take the documents to your veterinarian. A breeder can share records and explain what was done. A veterinarian can help you interpret risk. That division of roles is a feature, not a brush-off.

Then ask for the puppy’s own records

The puppy should have its own examination notes and a record of vaccinations and deworming appropriate to its age. Ask what has been done so far and what will be due after the puppy goes home. If you are flying, driving a long distance, or using puppy nanny delivery, ask whether a health certificate or travel exam is part of the plan and who arranges it.

These records should match the puppy in front of you, not a generic litter description. When you look at available puppies, pick a specific dog — a Mini Bernedoodle such as Buster or a Micro Mini Goldendoodle such as Dakota — and ask for that puppy’s file. It is a reasonable request, and it is one we expect.

Early care in the home also matters, even though it is not a laboratory test. Ask what handling, socialization, housebreaking, and crate work have actually been completed. No puppy is guaranteed fully house-trained, and no puppy is guaranteed allergy-safe. Those are honest limits, and they belong in the same conversation as health records.

A short request list you can text us

• Sire and dam identities, breeds, and weights.
• Dated parent test results, with laboratory or registry links where available.
• The puppy’s examination, vaccination, and deworming record.
• The written health guarantee and the purchase or reservation contract.
• A recent video, or a live video visit, of the specific puppy.

Read the written health guarantee like a contract

Many current Designer Mini Doodles listings mention a health guarantee, including a two-year genetic health guarantee on puppies such as Buster, Peaches, Mia, and others. A mention on a product page is a starting point. The document is the thing that counts. Read how long coverage lasts, what conditions are included or excluded, what you must do to keep the agreement in force, and what remedy is offered if there is a covered problem.

Ask how a claim is started and what veterinary documentation is required. Confirm whether the guarantee is limited to genetic conditions, and what is not covered. This is not unfriendly behavior. It is how adults buy something as important as a family dog. We would rather you read the terms now than be surprised later.

The same careful reading applies to refunds, returns, pickup, and delivery charges. Review those sections before any payment. Our reservation guide covers the process, and our program overview since 2009 explains the context around these documents.

Keep your veterinarian in the loop after you go home

Plan a veterinary visit shortly after arrival, at the timing your veterinarian recommends. Bring the records you received. Continue parasite prevention and vaccine schedules as advised. Keep receipts and reports in one folder, digital or paper, so you are not hunting later if you need them.

Health is also daily care: appropriate food, a safe home for a small or compact doodle, grooming that prevents matting, and training that keeps the dog from risky habits such as jumping from high furniture. See our guides to bringing a Micro Mini Goldendoodle home and grooming for those pieces.

Designer Mini Doodles is a home-based program, not a public storefront. When you text or call, you can ask for records on a current puppy from the Mini Goldendoodle, Micro Mini, or Mini Bernedoodle listings. Since 2009, the families who seem most confident at pickup are the ones who already read the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does DNA testing mean a puppy will never have health problems?

No. DNA screening can provide useful information and still cannot rule out every illness. Ask for the actual results and talk with your veterinarian if you need help reading them.

What if a listing mentions a two-year genetic health guarantee?

Ask for the written guarantee and read the duration, exclusions, and claim process. Do not rely on a short phrase on the puppy page alone.

Can I review records before I place a reservation?

Yes. That is the right time to review them. Contact us via text or phone and name the puppy you are asking about.

Contact us via text or phone 609-827-2645 to ask about a current puppy, request a live video visit, or talk through your questions. You can also use our contact page.