How Our Four Step Pairing Process Works

At Cockapoo Joy, pairing puppies with families is a thoughtful, collaborative process balancing your agency with our experience—never a race or a transaction.

We take the time to get to know our puppies as individuals and our families as people. Rather than asking you to “pick” a puppy based on early observation, we focus on guiding families to the puppy that is most suited to their household, lifestyle and expectations at a point where we have observed each puppy’s temperament and personality longer, around 6-7 weeks.

Our puppies are raised with care, early stimulation, socialisation, and intention. When it’s time for them to leave us, we want that foundation to carry forward into a home where they can thrive.

This process is built on conversation, trust, and shared excitement. We’ll guide you, answer questions honestly, and help you understand which puppy is most likely to suit your family—not just now, but long-term—before you make a final selection.

We hope to have each puppy thoughtfully placed with a family by around weeks 6–7 after birth, though this timing can vary depending on interest and individual circumstances. What matters is that every family has time to feel comfortable and confident in their choice, ideally 1–2 weeks before each puppy is entrusted to their forever home.

Our goal is simple: A confident Cockapoo settling joyfully into a family who feels prepared, supported, and secure with their choice.

Step 1: Enquiry

If you’re interested in a puppy, please get in touch, and tell us a little about yourself, your household, and what’s drawn you to Cockapoos. This helps us understand your situation and share relevant information early on. We’ll then send you a Puppy Questionnaire so we can continue the conversation.*

Step 2: Visitation (from week four)

From around four weeks after whelping, we invite suitable families to visit. This is an opportunity to:

Meet Caramel
See the puppies in their home environment
Ask questions
Get a feel for whether this is the right decision

There is no obligation at this stage.

Step 3: Reservations and Choosing Your Puppy

After visits have taken place, families who wish to proceed are invited to place a £350 deposit, which reserves their place in the Puppy selection timeline.

The deposit secures your place in the reservation order, rather than a specific puppy at that stage. This ensures the process remains fair, unhurried, and based on informed choice rather than first impressions early on.

From around week 5, when the puppies’ individual temperaments, confidence levels, and energy begin to emerge more clearly, families are invited—in reservation order—to choose from the puppies available. If desired, and where scheduling allows, we will do our best to accommodate a second visit or video call.

We will always share our observations and answer questions honestly, but the final choice rests with each family. Our role is to support thoughtful decisions, not to assign puppies.

We don’t accept deposits before visits, since meeting the puppies and seeing how they are raised is essential to making a confident, informed choice.

Step 4: Entrusting

Puppies are ready to go to their new homes at around eight weeks old. The collection appointments are arranged carefully to ensure a calm, positive transition.

Each puppy goes home with a thoughtfully prepared puppy pack and ongoing support.

A Word of Reassurance

Our priority is always the wellbeing of the puppies and the long-term success of each placement. We value openness, patience, and doing things properly over speed. Our Puppy Questionnaire is primarily designed to assist prospective first-time puppy owners in gaining a well-informed understanding of the lifetime commitment they are making to a puppy that is likely to be with them for 12 to 15 years.

*We didn't refuse any applicants for Caramel's first litter; however, one person withdrew based on advice from their Vet about how an adult dog they already have might react to a new puppy and another realised their work commitments were not well suited to a puppy at this point in their life. We will gladly welcome both families back if these circumstances have evolved..

**Deposits are non-refundable, but there are exceptions that will be communicated before we accept a deposit. The main one is an unsatisfactory Vet health check. We obtain one from our Vet and you will also need to have a Vet of your choice examine your puppy and report any concerns back to us.