Doodles are very popular for a number of reasons.
These dogs tend to be good-natured, very cute, and some individuals don’t shed much either.
While there are plenty of doodle breeders in Colorado, you may prefer to rescue a doodle instead.
While there isn’t a doodle rescue specific to Colorado, there are several rescues that often take in poodle mixes.
Here are some of the best doodle rescues in Colorado for you to choose from.
1.) Retriever Rescue of Colorado
Retriever Rescue of Colorado strives to rescue all kinds of retriever breeds, including poodles and poodle mixes like goldendoodles and labradoodles.
Many people don’t realize that poodles were originally bred as retrieving dogs, but this is how they got their start, and poodles are still popular dogs as hunting retrievers, particularly when hunting water birds like ducks.
Retriever Rescue of Colorado has been in existence since 2006.
It was started by volunteers who had worked with rescues that only took a particular breed.
These volunteers wanted to specialize, but not so much as the breed-specific rescues.
Instead, they started a rescue focused on all retriever breeds.
There were not many volunteers and they didn’t have much money to work with, so they thought they would only rescue about 30 dogs every year.
In fact, they have saved over 2,000 retrievers and retriever mixes since 2006 and an average of 200 a year.
All dogs are fully vetted, spayed or neutered, and put into a carefully selected foster home before they are put up for adoption.
Foster homes are the backbone of Retriever Rescue of Colorado, and it’s also a great way for you to get acquainted with dog ownership before you decide to adopt a poodle or poodle mix.
Retriever Rescue of Colorado has fairly stringent requirements for adopters.
Adopters must have a fenced yard in order to adopt.
Sometimes senior or special needs dogs will be considered for adoption even if you don’t have a fenced yard.
Puppies will only be adopted to people who can be with them frequently.
Applicants must not plan to leave a puppy alone for more hours than the dog’s age in months.
An 8-week-old puppy cannot be left alone for longer than two hours.
In addition, you need to spend as much time with the dog as you have been away when you return.
Home visits are conducted for every adopter and all animals in the home must be spayed, neutered, and up-to-date on vaccinations.
Retriever Rescue of Colorado only adopts to people in the state of Colorado.
They do try to gauge potential adopters on a case-by-case basis, but in general, these rules are fairly strict.
If you are looking for a puppy, Retriever Rescue of Colorado is a great place to consider, as they often have puppies available.
Retriever Rescue of Colorado is willing to take owner surrenders, but they won’t take every dog they are requested to accept.
If you would like to surrender a dog to them, you will need to conduct an interview and submit pictures, vet records, and information about the dog’s behavior.
In an emergency, you can call the Retriever Rescue of Colorado hotline to see if they can help you with your dog.
- You can view their available dogs for adoption here.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: PO Box 416 Evergreen, CO 80437
- Website: https://retrieverrescueofcolorado.com/
- Social Media: Facebook | Pinterest
2.) Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR)
Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies rescues as many golden retrievers as possible.
They also rescue a lot of Goldendoodles, so if you are looking for a mix between a poodle and a golden retriever, this is a great rescue to consider.
Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies is primarily run by volunteers.
Some of the dogs they rescue are placed into foster homes.
They also have a home base at Phoebe’s Place in Arvada Colorado, where most of their dogs live until they are adopted.
This rescue was founded in 1996 and has rescued many dogs since it was founded.
They rehome about 300 golden retrievers every year.
They take dogs from shelters and often rescue dogs from puppy mill situations, particularly retired breeders.
Frequently, Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies accepts dogs from breeders that have issues such as a deformity they were born with.
Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies Rescues many golden retrievers from Turkey, where they were once a status symbol but are now often discarded on the streets where there are few rescue programs.
While it is relatively unlikely that you will find a golden retriever poodle mix from this situation, it is possible.
They are also very happy to take owner surrenders, even dogs with special medical or behavioral needs.
Once a dog is rescued by Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, they receive a thorough veterinary exam and get whatever medical care they need, including vaccinations and spaying or neutering.
If you are interested in adopting from Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies it’s a good idea to submit an adoption application even if you don’t see a dog available that you would like to adopt at this time.
Many times, dogs are matched with an existing application and adopted before they are ever placed on the website or on social media.
If Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies finds a good match for you, you will meet the dog by appointment after your application has been approved.
Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies encourages you to be as open as possible about the dog you want to adopt.
The greater the age range, gender, and special needs you are willing to consider, the more quickly you will likely be matched with a dog.
They rarely get puppies, so they encourage you to consider an adult dog.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: 15350 W. 72nd Avenue Arvada, CO 80007
- Phone: (303) 279-2400
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.goldenrescue.com/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
3.) Colorado Puppy Rescue
Have your heart set on a doodle puppy?
Colorado Puppy Rescue is a great rescue to consider.
They focus on the rescue of puppies and their mothers.
Puppies and pregnant mothers are often listed as only available to rescue organizations by county shelters, which means they may be at risk of euthanasia.
Colorado Puppy Rescue takes in puppies and their mothers from mostly rural shelters and rescues throughout Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.
Colorado Puppy Rescue places all of their dogs into foster homes which have been specially screened to provide the best possible care to mothers and puppies.
When adopting a puppy from Colorado Puppy Rescue, you can have some confidence that they have been well raised and socialized prior to becoming available for adoption.
Colorado Puppy Rescue has been rescuing dogs and puppies for over 16 years.
While they are not particularly likely to get doodle puppies, it is possible.
If you put in an application with Colorado Puppy Rescue you may be matched with the puppy you are looking for.
Applications stay on file for six months, so if you are willing to wait, there is a decent chance that a puppy that meets your needs will become available.
- View their available puppies here.
Adoption fees generally range between $350 and $450.
All puppies available from Colorado Puppy Rescue receive a full veterinary examination and have their vaccinations.
They also offer a complimentary free wellness check.
Adopting the mothers of these puppies is also a wonderful option.
Dogs who have been mothers are often great with other pets in your home and many people believe them to be particularly sweet and sensitive.
Colorado Puppy Rescue stands by its puppies for life.
If for any reason you would need to return your puppy to this rescue, they are more than happy to take them back and find the perfect home for them.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: 10021 E Iliff Ave Aurora, CO 80247
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.coloradopuppy.org/
- Social Media: Facebook
4.) Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue
Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue is a great option if you want to adopt a poodle mix puppy.
They take in a wide variety of mixed-breed puppies, including poodle mixes.
This rescue was founded by volunteers who participated in other rescues but found that the specific needs of puppies and their mothers often went unmet.
This is why this rescue was founded.
The rescue is made up of volunteers that rescue puppies from shelters as quickly as possible so they won’t be exposed to diseases or suffer behavioral deprivation in the stressful shelter environment.
Fosters who house the dogs after they have been rescued are key to his rescue.
Fosters carefully train, socialize, and generally prepare puppies for life in an adoptive home.
Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue works with a program known as Spay It Forward.
These spay and neuter clinics help rural county shelters to reduce the number of dogs that come in by providing low-cost spay and neuter programs so that fewer unwanted puppies will be born.
Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue doesn’t take animals from the public, so if you want to relinquish a doodle puppy, they probably are not the right option for you.
Instead, consider a breed-specific doodle rescue to surrender your doodle to.
Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue depends heavily on its foster program to provide safe homes for dogs before they are adopted.
If you have never owned a puppy before, fostering with Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue is a great idea.
You can learn what it takes to take care of a puppy to help you decide whether puppy adoption is right for you or whether you would be better off adopting an adult dog that may require slightly less care.
Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue fully supports their fosters and depends on them to save lives.
If you would like to adopt a dog from Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue, it’s a good idea to look at the dogs currently available and select two that you are particularly interested in meeting.
You will then fill out an adoption application and attend an adoption event to meet the puppies you are considering.
Keep in mind that Rocky Mountain Puppy Rescue adopts dogs out on a first-come-first-serve basis and does not hold dogs, so don’t get your heart too set on a given dog.
Having your paperwork done ahead of time makes it much more likely that you will be able to adopt the dog you want.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Website: https://www.rmpuppyrescue.org/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram
5.) National Mill Dog Rescue
National Mill Dog Rescue saves breeding dogs that have been discarded, typically from less than reputable sources like puppy mills.
It was founded in 2007 by Theresa Strader.
She became aware of the plight of breeding dogs when she rescued an Italian Greyhound from an auction in Missouri.
This dog had spent the seven years that she had been alive as a commercial breeding dog and was in very poor condition.
She had spent all of her life in a little wire cage, never exercised or socialized.
She had severe dental disease and was terrified of people.
Once Theresa Strader realized what many breeding dogs go through, she decided to start a rescue specifically for them.
National Mill Dog Rescue takes in a wide variety of dogs that have been deliberately bred.
Because doodles are so popular, there is a very good chance that you will be able to find a doodle at this rescue at some point.
Most of the dogs in this rescue are retired breeding dogs, although sometimes they are dogs that have been surrendered by their owners because of medical reasons or because the breeder went out of operation.
If you are considering rescuing a doodle from National Mill Dog Rescue, it’s very important that you understand that dogs in this situation are often under socialized and may have medical issues.
Many have been poorly bred and may have issues that will not go away, even with dedicated care.
National Mill Dog Rescue is extremely supportive of their adopters, providing one-on-one behavioral support, medical care, and whatever else the dog needs.
They will always take back dogs that are adopted out from their rescue.
Adoption fees range from $250 to $400.
National Mill Dog Rescue is willing to adopt out nationally, just as they rescue nationally.
However, you will need to travel to the rescue to pick up your dog.
They require fenced-in yards for many of their dogs and they require the other pets in the home to be spayed or neutered.
- View their available dogs to adopt here.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: PO Box 88468 Colorado Springs, CO 80908
- Phone: (719) 683-3334
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://nmdr.org/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
6.) Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue
If you have your heart set on a goldendoodle, Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue may be the rescue for you.
While they focus on rescuing golden retrievers, they also take in mixes, including golden retriever poodle mixes.
Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue has been in existence since 2001, and they have rescued and rehabilitated over 4,000 golden retrievers and mixes in that time.
They are entirely run by volunteers.
All of their dogs are placed in foster homes prior to being adopted out.
Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue takes in dogs from a variety of situations, including from shelters.
They also take owner surrenders for those who can no longer take care of their dog.
Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue only adopts out dogs within Colorado.
They require that dogs be kept inside as a member of the family and exercised daily, not kept in a yard.
Homes must have a fenced yard to adopt any dog younger than 8 years of age.
Most of the dogs available from Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue are adults, but puppies are occasionally available as well.
It’s a good idea to fill out an application even if you don’t see a dog you want to adopt available at the time that you fill out the application.
Dogs are often matched with an applicant before being placed on the website or on social media.
If you are not sure whether owning a goldendoodle is right for you, it’s a great idea to foster for Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue.
Fostering enables you to decide whether this breed is a good match for you and also helps Golden Retriever Freedom Rescue to save dogs in need.
- View their available dogs for adoption here.
Rescue and Adoption Details
- Address: PO Box 103130 Denver, CO 80250
- Phone: (303) 749-8499
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.goldenretrieverfreedom.com/
- Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
What Does Your Doodle Rescue Need From You?
Doodles tend to be very sensitive and people-centric dogs.
Being mistreated or abandoned can be particularly hard for this breed, but many individuals can also bounce back very well.
Depending on what your doodle’s life was like before they came to live with you, your individual dog will have different needs.
Doodles that came from a puppy mill may have serious medical and behavioral disabilities as a result of having lived in neglectful conditions without much human interaction throughout their lives.
Doodles that have been abandoned by their owners may have separation anxiety.
Some Doodles may have been loved by their previous families, but not given the kind of structure and training that they need, which can make them a handful.
Your doodle needs you to be patient, consistent, and always loving and supportive as they adjust to living in your home.
Often, they need help getting used to the significant grooming that the doodle breed requires.
If you can’t take care of your doodle’s grooming needs at home, it’s a good idea to take them to a professional groomer who is willing to be patient with your rescue.
Adopt Your Perfect Doodle In Colorado From A Rescue
Finding the right doodle for you in Colorado can be time-consuming, but if you are patient and diligent about contacting the rescues on this list, there is a very good chance that you will find your perfect doodle in time.