Helping deserving families bring home a well-bred companion when finances stand in the way.
At Stokeshire, we believe deserving families, children, and Veterans should have access to the deep bond of a well-bred companion dog. The Red Fern Scholarship, inspired by Where the Red Fern Grows, exists to help make that possible. Every reduction in the price of a Stokeshire puppy or program is counted as a Red Fern scholarship award, from need-based essay awards to our published service award.
151 orders, November 2020 through November 1, 2026. This total names every code, including $14,375 on refunded or cancelled orders and payment entries. See every line.
We believe in the companionship and steady love that dogs offer. Inspired by Where the Red Fern Grows, we work to make the joy of a loyal friend accessible to more families. Our mission encourages literacy, empowers individuals to pursue their aspirations, and honors the values of hard work and determination.
Dogs have a remarkable ability to comfort and encourage the people around them. Our dedication is to make that companionship possible for as many families as we can, while preserving the ethical, purpose-driven placement standards at the heart of everything Stokeshire does.
“I thought of the prayer I had said when I asked God to help me get two hound pups. I knew He had surely helped, for He had given me the heart, courage, and determination.
Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows
Scholarship awards are funded by Stokeshire. Every reserved puppy helps support the program, and non-refundable deposits from changed plans help fund awards for other families.
A few of the families behind the program. Each story links to the full post on our blog.
Shannon Popham, a special-education teacher, applied for a Red Fern award to bring a dog into her classroom. Scout, from Stokeshire's Mozzi × Waldo litter, now greets her students at school each morning.
Read Scout's story
An Army Veteran wrote to us about holding on to his home through hard years, and about the puppy he hoped to bring into it. A Red Fern award helped bring Angel home.
Read his essay
Destiny, a single woman raised on a farm, wrote about faith, service, and the next chapter of her life with a dog by her side. She received a Red Fern essay award.
Read Destiny's essay“Through the toughest challenges, one dream has kept me going: welcoming my companion, Angel, into my life. Thanks to Red Fern, this isn't just a wish; it's within reach. Angel isn't just a puppy; she's the promise of brighter days, my adventure buddy, and my reason to keep pushing forward.
U.S. Army Veteran
“I was so nervous for our dog's first day at school as a therapy dog. After all the time, love, and training we put into preparing him, it suddenly felt real. Watching him walk through those school doors with calm confidence, ready to share his gentle spirit and comfort, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude.
Shannon Popham
The families named in these stories received Red Fern scholarship awards. Individual outcomes vary. Any therapy, comfort, or service role a Stokeshire dog grows into reflects that family's continued professional training, evaluation, and certification after placement, and is not an outcome Stokeshire promises or provides.
Read all Red Fern essays on our blog
Photos shared by Stokeshire families. Red Fern marks an award recipient.
Red Fern essay awards were created for those who show compassion, determination, and a desire to grow through the love of a dog. We welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds.
Each applicant is evaluated with care. Our goal is to match every deserving person with the right puppy at the right time, honoring both our mission and the dogs we raise. Service, guardian home, family, seasonal, training, and individual awards follow their own terms, described below.
Every Stokeshire puppy is raised with intention and care. This clarity preserves our standards and helps essay awards reach families who truly need them, while giving every puppy a real path home.
Please read, listen to, or watch Where the Red Fern Grows. Thoughtful use of quotes or themes from the book strengthens an application. Write a 500 to 1,000 word essay on one of the topics below. Parents may assist. You may change specific details if they feel too personal.
Tell us how you worked hard to achieve something. What made it difficult? How did you overcome those challenges? How will caring for a dog be similar?
Describe a time you felt lonely, afraid, or bullied, or when you befriended someone who was. How did you respond, and how could a dog support you and help you grow?
Share what motivates you: your faith, your drive, or your sense of service. How do you find encouragement, and how do you help or inspire others?
Tell us how a puppy would improve your life. What role will your dog play, and how will the experience shape you as a person?
How does Where the Red Fern Grows connect with your experiences after service? Reflect on challenges, your path forward, and how caring for a dog could support that process.
Red Fern essay awards help make bringing home a companion more accessible, but some fees and services are not covered. Please plan accordingly.
Third-party financing such as Klarna may be available at checkout. Terms, eligibility, and rates are set by the lender, not by Stokeshire. Please review the lender's terms before committing. Learn more
The steps below apply to Red Fern essay awards.
Scholarship puppies are covered by Stokeshire's standard 3-Year Health and Wellness Partnership Guarantee, which applies to qualifying genetic conditions as defined in the written guarantee. Genetic health screening of parent dogs is completed prior to breeding. The guarantee does not cover routine illnesses or parasites, and no representations are made regarding temperament, size, coat type, or suitability for any specific role. Read the Health Guarantee
Awards are discretionary and made solely by Stokeshire Designer Doodles. An award may be declined, adjusted, or revoked if the program is misused or if an applicant attempts to manipulate the process. A scholarship creates no obligations beyond those in Stokeshire's standard purchase agreement, and all placement terms, including the purchase agreement, Health Guarantee, Returns and Reservation Policy, and dispute resolution provisions, apply equally to scholarship placements. For guardian home awards, the agreement's Guardian Home Agreement terms also apply.
As a matter of policy, Stokeshire does not discount its puppies, in the same way a luxury house does not put its pieces on sale. When we reduce the price a family pays, for any reason, we record the reduction as a Red Fern scholarship award.
The table below counts every checkout code since November 2020, including codes on orders that were later refunded or cancelled and codes that recorded a payment rather than an award.
| Award type | Orders | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship awards | ||
| Red Fern essay awards and partner placements, including Make-A-Wish Wisconsin | 16 | $22,425 |
| Service awards | 61 | $15,425 |
| Guardian home awards | 6 | $15,500 |
| Family awards: more than one puppy, returning families, referrals | 16 | $12,500 |
| Seasonal and training awards: limited-time awards offered to all buyers during a set period; Doodle School, Bootcamp, and transport credits | 21 | $10,700 |
| Individual awards made case by case | 24 | $55,350 |
| Awards | 144 | $131,900 |
| Not awards, listed so the total is complete | ||
| Payment entries: codes that recorded a payment made another way, such as cash or a deposit already paid | 5 | $4,250 |
| Internal test order, refunded | 1 | $2,000 |
| Duplicate order, refunded in full | 1 | $1,000 |
| Total, every checkout code | 151 | $139,150 |
Of the 144 awards, 16 orders totaling $7,125 were later refunded or cancelled. They remain in the rows above. Amounts are before sales tax.
The Red Fern Scholarship is how Stokeshire records every reduction in the price of a puppy or program. As a matter of policy, Stokeshire does not discount its puppies, so each reduction is recorded as a scholarship award. Award types include Red Fern essay awards and partner placements, service awards, guardian home awards, family awards, seasonal and training awards, and individual awards.
From November 2020 through November 1, 2026, Stokeshire applied $139,150 in scholarship codes at checkout across 151 orders. That total includes $14,375 on refunded or cancelled orders and payment entries. Every part is itemized on this page.
As a matter of policy, Stokeshire keeps one listed price for each puppy and program. Any reduction a family receives, for any reason, is recorded as a Red Fern scholarship award and counted on this page.
A Red Fern essay award provides a full or partial reduction in placement fees for puppies unchosen after Match Day. Recipients are responsible for the deposit, transportation, training, priority selection fees, and any other costs not covered.
Families or individuals who have demonstrated responsibility, perseverance, or service to others; children and students; Veterans; and applicants with limited financial means. Each application is evaluated with care.
No. Essay awards apply only to puppies unchosen after Match Day. They are not a waitlist bypass or a way to select a specific puppy, and placement depends on availability.
Submit an online application, including financial information, with a 500 to 1,000 word essay on one of the topics on this page. An approved application and a scheduled interview are required.
No. Stokeshire Designer Doodles is a for-profit business, and the Red Fern Scholarship is a Stokeshire program. Awards are reductions in purchase price, not cash grants or charitable contributions.
Yes. Scholarship puppies are covered by Stokeshire's standard 3-Year Health and Wellness Partnership Guarantee, which applies to qualifying genetic conditions as defined in the written guarantee.
Red Fern Essay Awards
The application form is just below. If you have questions before you start, write to hello@wisconsindesignerdoodles.com.
Red Fern Mission
Heart, courage, and determination for every family that needs it.