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A valley, not a kennel
Our dogs live beside us in the Tamar Valley — in the house, the garden, and the quiet rhythm of a country home. There are no rows of runs. There is a hearth, a lawn, and people who know every temperament by heart.
Tamar Valley, Tasmania
Riverdell
Doodles
Raised in the Tamar Valley. Bred to become part of the family.
Cavoodles and Shipoos, home-raised in Tasmania on an advanced service, therapy and emotional-support curriculum. Interstate shipping available.
The Riverdell way
There are breeders, and then there are homes.
We raise Cavoodles and Shipoos as if they will one day sit at your hearth — because that is precisely where they belong.
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Parents chosen with care
A lovely puppy begins with a lovely pairing. We plan litters for health, coat, and the gentle, companionable nature that makes Cavoodles and Shipoos such devoted family dogs.
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Raised the Badass Breeder way
We follow the Badass Breeder curriculum — an intentional programme designed to raise puppies with the confidence and steadiness wanted in service, therapy and emotional-support homes.
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Matched, never merely sold
Around seven weeks we evaluate each puppy so their voice is heard. Placement is about honouring who they are, and finding the household where they will truly belong.
Our breeds
Two cottage companions
We specialise in Cavoodles and Shipoos — the gentle, people-hearted crosses that belong on a garden path and at the end of a sofa.
Cavoodles
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel × Poodle
Velvety, companion-hearted and keen to be near you. A well-bred Cavoodle is the sort of dog who learns the shape of a household and settles into it as if they had always been there — affectionate without being frantic, clever without being sharp.
Best suited toFamilies, quieter companions, and homes hoping for a devoted lap-and-life dog.
Shipoos
Shih Tzu × Poodle
Compact, bright and cottage-sized. Shipoos carry a little more sparkle in the eye — playful, people-oriented, and perfectly scaled for a Tasmanian cottage, a city apartment, or a lap on a winter afternoon.
Best suited toSmaller homes, first-time doodle families, and anyone who wants a portable cloud of devotion.
How we raise them
An advanced curriculum, lived quietly at home
We follow the Badass Breeder curriculum — purposeful work in the first eight weeks, so each puppy leaves us confident, kind, and ready for a life of companionship.
Before they arrive
It begins with the parents
Health, manners and temperament come first. Our parent dogs are family members — well-mannered, carefully chosen, and paired so each litter has the best chance of becoming the dog you have been waiting for.
Days 3–16
Early foundations
From the third day we begin early neurological stimulation and early scent introduction, with gentle handling and daily weights. These quiet rituals are known to support resilience, confidence and a steady nervous system.
From 3 weeks
A richer world
Daily handling and a ten-step puppy massage, then textures, sounds, things to climb and puzzles to solve. We empower rather than enable — setting puppies up to conquer small challenges so nerve strength and problem-solving grow together.
The first 8 weeks
A stable, stimulating home
The most important education a puppy will ever receive happens before they leave us. They are raised in a living household: voices, footsteps, garden weather, kindness, and the ordinary music of family life.
Around 7 weeks
Honouring who they are
Each puppy is evaluated so we can match temperament to lifestyle — not as a ranking, but as a conversation about who this little soul is, and which home will let them flourish.
These puppies are raised as strong foundations for service, therapy and emotional-support homes. We do not send home finished, certified service dogs — we send home an exceptional beginning.
Under the roses
Available puppies
Three little Shihpoos from the 16 July litter, already loved here, and waiting quietly for the families who will call them their own.
Lilo
Shihpoo (Shih Tzu × Poodle) · Girl · Black with white markings
Born 16 July
Soft-eyed and steady — a little shadow who will want to be wherever you are.
Stitch
Shihpoo (Shih Tzu × Poodle) · Boy · Black with white markings
Born 16 July
Bright, compact and already convinced the garden belongs to him.
Baker
Shihpoo (Shih Tzu × Poodle) · Boy · Cream
Born 16 July
Pocket-sized devotion with a clever mind and a cottage-ready coat.
The ones who began it
Our dogs
Our mamas live in our home, and ramble through the garden when the day is soft — health-tested, family-raised, and the gentle hearts from whom every Riverdell puppy begins.
Winnie
Red standard Poodle dam
Health-tested · family-raised · the gentlest of hearts
Rosie
Chocolate Cavoodle dam
Health-tested · family-raised · bright, biddable and kind
Mochi
White Shih Tzu dam
Health-tested · family-raised · compact joy in a silk coat
The Riverdell family
A home in the Tamar Valley
The Riverdell family are experienced breeders, raising Cavoodles and Shipoos among the river flats and cottage gardens of Tasmania's Tamar Valley — a landscape that still feels like an English country lane, a world away from hurried breeding.
Our dogs are not stock. They live beside us, sleep in the house, and raise their puppies in the same rooms and garden paths. We chose the Badass Breeder curriculum because we wanted more than a pretty litter: we wanted puppies prepared for real lives — family sofas, therapy visits, and the quiet work of keeping someone company.
If you have been looking for a breeder who treats the first eight weeks as sacred, you have found us. We are small on purpose. Quality is the whole point.
From our door to yours
Welcome home
Local pickup in the Tamar Valley, or interstate shipping across Australia. Either way, a Riverdell puppy travels as carefully as they were raised.
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Enquire
Tell us a little about your household, the breed that calls to you, and when you hope to welcome a puppy.
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A conversation
We write back. We talk through temperament, timing, and whether a Riverdell puppy is the right match — for you, and for them.
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A reserved place
When the fit is right, your place is held. You will hear from us as the litter grows, so the puppy who comes home already feels a little known.
What goes with them
- Raised on the Badass Breeder curriculum
- Thorough worming and first vaccinations
- Veterinary examination before going home
- A scent blanket from mum and littermates
- Go-home notes for the first weeks together
- Lifetime breeder support from the Riverdell family
- Local pickup in the Tamar Valley
- Interstate shipping available across Australia
Happy words
From our families
A few letters from homes that have already welcomed a Riverdell puppy.
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She's settled into her new home and very loved already. We appreciate everything you did. She's going really well and super playful. Everyone's smitten with her. We would love to get another pup off you!
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He has just fitted in so well with us and extended family. He sleeps through the night and plays a lot with my granddaughter. Thank you for choosing me as Teddy's home!
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Thank you so much! I just love this dog! She is a dream.
A letter to the valley
Enquire about a puppy
Whether you are local to the Tamar Valley or waiting interstate, begin with a short note. We keep a waitlist when no litter is available, and we write back personally.