Adopt a Goldendoodle or Labradoodle in California — find your perfect rescue doodle
Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Aussiedoodles, Bernedoodles, and more — 2,800+ doodles have found their forever families through California Doodle Rescue. Yours could be next.
How the doodle adoption process works
Adopting from California Doodle Rescue is a thoughtful, relationship-first process — because finding the perfect match matters more than a fast one. Here's what to expect from application to homecoming.
Apply
Browse our available doodles and submit an adoption application for the dog (or dogs) that speak to your heart. Answer every question thoroughly — the more detail you provide, the better your chances of being selected. Applications are kept on file for six months.
Phone Interview
If your application rises to the top, someone from our team will call you directly to learn more about your home, lifestyle, and what you're looking for in a doodle companion. This is a conversation, not an interrogation — we want to find the right fit for you as much as we do for the dog.
Reference & Vet Checks
We'll reach out to your personal references and, if you have existing pets, your veterinarian. This step helps us understand your experience with dogs and confirms your home is ready to welcome a rescue.
Meet & Greet
Every adoption requires an in-person meet-and-greet between the doodle and your entire household — people and pets included. If an in-person visit isn't possible, you may be asked to share photos or video of your home and yard. This step is non-negotiable, and it's one of the reasons our placements are so successful.
Go Home!
Once everything aligns, it's time to celebrate. All adopters are required to personally pick up their new family member — we don't use commercial transport. That first car ride home? It's everything.
Meet our adoptable doodles
Every dog in our care has been vetted, loved by a foster family, and is ready to find their forever home. Filter by breed, age, size, or energy level to find your perfect match — and when you do, don't wait. Great doodles go fast.
Adoption fees & what they cover
Our adoption fees range from $350 to $1,500 depending on the doodle's age, health, and medical history. Every dollar goes directly toward the care of our dogs — in 2025 alone, we invested over $460,000 in veterinary expenses.
Senior Doodles
Our senior doodles have the most love to give and the most wisdom to share. Lower fees reflect their age, but their vet care is every bit as thorough. Seniors receive full medical evaluation, vaccines, parasite prevention, and any age-related treatments before going home.
Adult Doodles
Most of our adult rescues arrive with some history — and leave with a clean bill of health. Fees for adult doodles cover spay/neuter (if needed), vaccinations, microchipping, heartworm testing, and any treatment required during their foster stay.
Young Adult & Adolescent
Adolescent doodles are full of energy and ready to bond. Their fees reflect the higher cost of full vaccine series, spay/neuter procedures, microchipping, and the intensive foster care that teenage dogs often need to thrive.
Puppies & Special Cases
Puppies require the most medical investment — multiple vet visits, full vaccine protocols, and round-the-clock foster attention. Dogs with complex medical histories or special needs may also fall in this tier, reflecting the extraordinary care our team has invested in getting them adoption-ready.
Every adoption fee covers:
Voices from our rescue family
Every doodle has a story — and every adopter becomes part of ours. Here's what families across California and beyond have shared.
“We applied on a whim and honestly didn't expect to be chosen — there were so many applicants. When we got the call, we were over the moon. The meet-and-greet sealed the deal. The whole process felt thoughtful and personal, not transactional. Our doodle has been with us for eight months now and we genuinely cannot remember life before him.”
“I was nervous about adopting a rescue because I'd heard it could be complicated. California Doodle Rescue made every step feel manageable. The phone interview was relaxed and conversational, and the foster family gave us so much information about our girl's personality before we even picked her up. She was home in every sense of the word from day one.”
“We drove down from the Bay Area for our meet-and-greet and it was absolutely worth every mile. Our Goldendoodle is the best thing that has ever happened to our family. The CDR team clearly loves every dog in their care — you can feel it in how thorough and thoughtful the whole process is.”
“We had looked at several other rescues but nothing compared to CDR's level of care and communication. They knew our dog's quirks, favorite toys, and even which side of the bed she preferred. That's not a rescue — that's a family handing off a loved one to another family. We are so grateful.”
Adoption FAQs
Have questions about adopting a doodle in California? Here are answers to the questions we get most. For more, visit our full FAQ page.
Ready to find your perfect doodle?
California's only statewide rescue dedicated exclusively to doodle breeds — Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Aussiedoodles, Bernedoodles, Sheepadoodles, and more. With 2,800+ successful placements and counting, your forever doodle is out there waiting.