At Have-a-Doodle Hill, we believe raising exceptional dogs starts with intentional choices from the very beginning. We focus on preventative care, thoughtful nutrition, responsible health testing, and practices that support the long-term well-being of our dogs and puppies. Because the only thing we want your new puppy stressing about is deciding which toy to destroy first.

We take a balanced approach to wellness, combining modern knowledge with natural care practices that support our dogs in a safe and responsible way. Every decision we make is centered around helping our dogs live healthy, comfortable, and fulfilling lives.

Our dogs are raised with opportunities to experience a variety of environments, encouraging confidence, curiosity, and adaptability. Through guidance, training, and daily interaction, we help them develop important life skills while allowing their individual personalities to shine.

We believe the best companions are not simply raised, they are nurtured. Our goal is to raise healthy, well-adjusted doodles who are ready to become loving members of their future families.

We don't believe it has to be natural or veterinary medicine, we believe the best care often includes both. Our goal is simple: make thoughtful decisions based on what each dog needs, not what's trending on the internet.

Just as we carefully chose the dogs in our breeding program, we were equally picky about choosing the veterinarian who partners with us. We wanted someone who values prevention, respects our holistic philosophy, and isn't afraid to say, "Yep...that puppy definitely needed to eat that leaf to learn a life lesson." (Spoiler: the puppy did not learn.)

Whenever possible, we focus on prevention and gentle, natural support to help keep our dogs healthy in the first place. But if a dog needs diagnostics, medication, surgery, or specialized care, we're all in. Being holistic doesn't mean avoiding veterinary medicine, it means knowing when each approach is the right one.

Our philosophy looks something like this:

• Prevention First – We work hard to build healthy dogs so they're less likely to need medical intervention in the first place.
• Natural Support When Appropriate – Gentle remedies are often our first choice for minor concerns, when it's safe to do so.
• Veterinary Expertise When It Matters Most – From pregnancy and puppy care to diagnostics and medical treatment, we rely on our trusted veterinarian whenever advanced care is needed.
• The Best of Both Worlds – We don't see natural wellness and modern medicine as competitors. We see them as teammates with the same goal: healthy, happy doodles.

At the end of the day, our dogs don't care who's right, they just want to feel better... preferably before someone pulls out the dreaded thermometer. And honestly, we can't blame them.

We believe not every itchy ear, funny tummy, or mysterious "I probably shouldn't have eaten that" moment needs an immediate trip to the medicine cabinet. Whenever it's safe and appropriate, we like to start with gentle, natural remedies that support the body's ability to do what it was designed to do. (Let's be honest, if doodles had their way, mulch, bugs, and mystery sticks would all be considered food groups.)

Sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones,  and sometimes they're already sitting in our pantry.

For Happy Tummies

• Pumpkin for digestive support (and yes, it's more exciting than it sounds.)
• Bone broth to encourage hydration and soothe sensitive stomachs.
• Slippery elm to help calm occasional digestive upset.

For Healthy Skin & Shiny Coats

• Coconut oil to nourish dry skin and support a healthy coat.
• Fish oil and sardines because a glossy doodle coat is always in style, even if fish breath isn't.

For Everyday Wellness

• A nutrient-rich, whole-food diet as the foundation for overall health.
• Fresh goat's milk from our local farmers

Natural remedies aren't about replacing modern veterinary care, they're about supporting our dogs in thoughtful, practical ways whenever possible. We believe a balanced approach, a little common sense, and paying attention to each dog's individual needs go a long way toward raising healthy, happy companions.

We believe great dogs start with a great foundation, and that foundation begins with what’s in their bowl, (and the bowl actually :) We use stainless steel, glass, or other plastic alternatives for food and water whenever practical..

 Nutrition plays a big role in raising healthy, happy, thriving doodles, which is why fresh, thoughtfully prepared raw food is at the center of our feeding program.

We aim to feed our dogs in a way that honors their natural needs while still preparing them for the wonderfully unpredictable world outside our home. Because let’s be honest, not every forever family has a fully stocked raw food kitchen, and some doodles have important appointments like road trips, vacations, and supervising their humans’ daily activities.

For that reason, we include high-quality kibble as part of their routine through training rewards and occasional meals. This helps our puppies become comfortable with different food options and makes transitions to their forever homes smoother.

Our feeding approach is approximately 80% raw and 20% kibble, giving our dogs the benefits of fresh nutrition while also creating flexibility for  future-life situations.

A well-balanced raw diet supports:

• A strong immune system and overall wellness

• Healthy digestion and efficient nutrient absorption

• A balanced gut microbiome with naturally occurring nutrients and 

beneficial components
• Less reliance on unnecessary fillers and heavily processed ingredients
• Healthy skin, a shiny coat, and that “yes, I know I’m adorable” doodle confidence

• Cleaner teeth and fresher breath (because puppy kisses are much better that way)

• Smaller, firmer stools (a very underrated topic among dog people, but an 

important one!)

• Consistent energy for playtime, adventures, and daily doodle activities

• Healthy growth and development throughout puppyhood

Our goal is simple: provide our puppies with a strong nutritional start while creating adaptable dogs ready to thrive in their forever homes. We believe good nutrition, thoughtful care, and a little bit of common sense go a long way, because raising doodles is part science, part dedication, and occasionally part negotiating with a dog who believes the kitchen floor is a five-star buffet.

We believe a healthy home starts with the little things. We can't control everything our dogs will encounter once they leave the Hill, but we can be intentional about the environment they're raised in.

Our goal isn't perfection, it's making thoughtful choices whenever we can. We prefer simple ingredients, cleaner products, and everyday habits that support the well-being of our family, our dogs.

Here are a few ways we keep things a little cleaner around the Hill:

• Gentle Cleaning Products – We choose cleaning products that get the job done without turning our home into a science experiment.
• Fewer Harsh Chemicals – Whenever there's a safer alternative, that's usually the direction we head.
• Wholesome Food & Treats – We stick to simple, nourishing ingredients and save highly processed treats for... well... pretty much never. The dogs have filed several complaints, but so far they've all been denied.

At the end of the day, we believe wellness is built one choice at a time. None of these decisions are complicated on their own, but together they help create an environment where our doodles can do what they do best, run, explore, and somehow still convince us they deserve another cookie.

Because if there's one thing we've learned, it's that raising healthy doodles isn't about being perfect. It's about being intentional... and occasionally reminding someone that flower beds are not an approved digging zone.