BUYER BEWARE! Do NOT purchase a puppy from Boise Doodle Co..
We purchased a mini Bernedoodle in February 2026 for $3,200 (advertised as “special pricing,” normally $4,500). Within days of bringing her home, our veterinarian diagnosed lice, Giardia, and hookworms. Multiple veterinarians told us these infections were present prior to pickup and consistent with exposure at the breeder’s facility.
Within the first two months alone, our veterinary bills have already far exceeded what we paid for her. Nearly three months later, she is still battling Giardia and hookworms, which has been extremely difficult on such a young puppy.
We knew within 24 hours that something was wrong — she was intensely itchy (later confirmed as lice) and clearly unwell. Giardia symptoms (soft stool, sometimes with green mucus) also appeared very quickly.
The breeder initially told us that none of her other puppies had issues. Later, she shared a video of another puppy from the same litter where lice were visibly present and also told us that other puppies had lice. This indicated to us that the issue was not isolated to our puppy.
Additional concerns from our experience:
* A scheduled visit was canceled at the last minute, so we were unable to see the environment in person
* The breeder told us there were 25+ dogs on-site
* When we informed her of the lice and Giardia, she offered to cover medication costs only — not the significant veterinary visits and ongoing care required
* She told us Giardia was “not a big deal” and that puppies get it often, and also said there was no way to determine where it came from, even though our puppy had not been exposed to other environments
* At the time of our purchase, a “Valentine’s Day Special” was being offered with discounted puppies
The impact has been ongoing and significant. Because our puppy has not been able to clear these infections, we have not been able to safely enroll her in puppy classes, socialize her properly, or take her to a groomer. Managing these parasites has also required constant cleaning and sanitizing of her bedding, toys, and living area to prevent reinfection.
Most importantly — we absolutely love this dog and are doing everything we can to get her healthy. But the reality is that the first three months of her life with us have been filled with nonstop vet visits, antibiotics, probiotics, medications, and extremely challenging care. It has completely overshadowed what should have been a joyful, fun puppy phase.
Taken together, the health issues, confirmation of illness in the litter, and lack of transparency raised serious concerns for us about the conditions the puppies were coming from.
This breeder is also listed on Good Dog, and they have been notified.
We are sharing our experience so other buyers can make a fully informed decision. This has been extremely costly, stressful, and heartbreaking for our puppy and family.