Visit
Stokeshire.
Every visit is intentional, by-appointment, and designed to protect our puppies while giving your family the space this moment deserves.
Explore the property from above so you know exactly what to look for on arrival. Text your ETA to 715-570-5718 and we'll meet you at the designated entrance.
Why are you visiting?
Choose your visit type and the page will show you exactly what to expect.
You chose to be here
for this moment.
A Pick of the Litter visit isn't just a logistics decision. It's a choice to experience the beginning of something, in the place where it began.
When you come to Stokeshire in person, you're not just picking a puppy. You're meeting the litter in the space where they've lived every day since birth. You're seeing how they move, how they interact, how they respond to your family's specific energy. No screen can replicate that.
In-person Match Day visits are available exclusively to Pick of the Litter families. All other selections are conducted virtually via Google Meet.
Before you book: Confirm your POL position is on file with our team. In-person visit dates are coordinated with the broader Match Day schedule, so reach out before booking to ensure your preferred date aligns.
How the visit unfolds.
Arrive & Connect
Text your ETA to 715-570-5718 before arriving. You'll be met by the Stokes family or a trained team member. Plan a few minutes to settle in. We want this to feel unhurried from the first moment.
Meet the Litter
We'll introduce you to the available puppies in a calm, structured setting. You'll have time to observe them naturally: how they move, who approaches first, who hangs back. This is where weeks of observation data becomes visible in real life.
Guided Selection
We'll walk through our temperament observations, Volhard assessment findings, and daily behavioral notes for each puppy. Then we'll share our recommendation directly and help you make a decision grounded in real information, not just the moment's emotion.
Confirm & Checkout
If you're ready, checkout can begin the same day. Your 72-hour checkout window starts at the appointment. If you need time to think, that's available; just remember the window is running. Training and transport decisions are confirmed at checkout.
Stay for the Northwoods
Many POL families turn the visit into a full day or overnight. The Medford area is worth the trip on its own. There's no rush to leave the moment you've finished. We'd rather you leave slowly and well than quickly and overwhelmed.
Book your in-person visit.
Contact our team first to confirm your POL position is on file and to coordinate timing with the broader Match Day schedule. Then use the scheduler to book. If you have special circumstances, a therapy professional joining, accessibility needs, or international travel logistics, let us know when you reach out and we'll plan accordingly.
See where your puppy
will be raised.
In-person time at Stokeshire is normally part of Match Day. For families who already hold a reservation and want to see Stokeshire sooner, we offer a guided Pre-Match Day Visit.
This is not a selection visit. Nothing you see reserves a puppy, and your place in the match order stays exactly where your deposit date set it.
Your litter may not be ready for visitors. It may not be born yet, and puppies can be visited only after their first parvo vaccination. Most of our dams live with guardian homes, and our puppies are whelped in our home. If a litter on site is old enough for visitors, you are welcome to meet a select few of those puppies.
Four steps to your visit.
Confirm Your Reservation
Have your reservation deposit on file and your puppy application submitted before your visit. It tells us about your home so the time is useful to you.
Purchase the Visit
Check out on the Pre-Match Day Visit page. The fee covers the visit and is not applied to your puppy's price.
We Confirm a Time
We email you within one business day to set a weekday date and time around our litter schedule. Requested dates are not held until we confirm them.
Arrive Prepared
Follow the health and safety requirements below, and text your ETA to 715-570-5718 on the day. You will be met by the Stokes family or a trained team member.
Book your Pre-Match Day visit.
If allergies are the reason for your visit, the On-Site Allergy Sensitivity Visit is built for that question. Everything else about how matching works is on our Match Day page.
Today your puppy
comes home.
Every day of preparation, the health testing, the genetics, the training, the temperament work, has been in service of this handoff.
Your puppy has been nurtured, socialized, and gently prepared for this transition. By the time you arrive, they already know structure, routine, and calm. The transition will still take adjustment, since every puppy needs time to settle, but they're arriving with a foundation most families never have access to.
We want this day to feel calm, meaningful, and unhurried. Arrive at your scheduled time and text your ETA to 715-570-5718. You'll be met by the Stokes family or a trained team member, and we'll walk through everything before you leave.
How pickup day unfolds.
The handoff is designed to be calm and complete, not quick. Plan for at least an hour on-site; many families allow more. Many also arrive the evening before and stay nearby in the Northwoods for a quieter morning and a calmer first day for the puppy.
Arrive
Text your ETA · Be greeted at the doorText 715-570-5718 with your ETA before arriving. You'll be met at the designated entrance by the Stokes family or a team member. Remove shoes at the door; parvo precautions remain in effect even on pickup day.
Final Walkthrough
Care notes · Feeding · First week guidanceWe'll walk through your puppy's current feeding schedule, sleep routine, training progress, and what to expect in the first 72 hours home. If your puppy completed Doodle School, we'll debrief everything they learned and how to maintain it.
Paperwork & Records
Vet records · Health guarantee · Welcome packetYou'll receive complete veterinary documentation, vaccine records, the Stokeshire health guarantee, and your welcome packet. If you have any questions about the records before your first vet visit, this is the time to ask them.
The Handoff
The moment itselfThere's no script for this part. We've placed hundreds of puppies, and this moment still matters every time. Take your time. Let your kids have their moment. Take photos. Your puppy knows you already; they've been hearing your name.
The Drive Home
Keep it calm · Keep it warm · Keep it directPuppies regulate best when movement is steady and quiet. Use the crate or carrier, not a lap. Keep the temperature comfortable. Plan simple rest stops at quiet areas. Never leave your puppy unattended in a vehicle. Most puppies sleep for much of the first drive; that's normal.
These requirements
protect every puppy here.
Young puppies are highly vulnerable to illness, particularly Parvovirus, which can be carried on clothing, shoes, and skin without any visible sign of contact. A single exposure can put an entire litter at risk.
These aren't precautions we ask lightly. They're the standard every family before you has honored, and what we ask of you in return.
Avoid high-risk environments for 2 to 3 weeks prior
Dog parks, pet stores, boarding facilities, daycares, shelters, and grooming salons. This applies to everyone attending, children included.
Remove shoes at the door
Before entering the studio. Use the bleach mat if provided. This is the single most effective transmission prevention we have.
Wash or sanitize hands before handling any puppy
Sanitizer is available on-site. Please use it before and after any direct puppy contact, and remind children to do the same.
Supervise children at all times
Children may not open gates, enter whelping areas unsupported, or carry puppies without direct adult guidance and our team's permission.
Puppies available after first Parvo vaccination
Visits are only possible after approximately 6 to 7 weeks of age. We will not schedule visits prior to this regardless of circumstances.
No guest bathroom on-site
Please plan accordingly before arriving. We mention this specifically so it doesn't create an uncomfortable situation during your visit.
The Northwoods is
worth the trip itself.
Medford sits in the heart of Wisconsin's Northwoods, a region of quiet lakes, dense pine forests, and small towns that haven't changed much in decades. The kind of place that slows you down before you've even unpacked.
Many Stokeshire families arrive the evening before, spend the morning at their own pace, and leave with their puppy after lunch. The unhurried version of this day is consistently described as one of the most memorable experiences in the first year of ownership.
Cabins, farm stays & boutique Airbnbs
The Medford area has a range of quiet accommodations, most within a short drive of Stokeshire. A cabin the night before keeps the energy calm for children and adults alike. Book well in advance for summer and fall visits.
Trails, lakes & Northwoods quiet
Rib Lake, Perkinstown, and the Ice Age Trail are within easy reach. Scenic morning drives are unhurried. Wisconsin's Northwoods rewards the families who slow down enough to actually be in it.
Small-town cafés, bakeries & supper clubs
Wisconsin supper clubs are a regional institution. Medford and the surrounding towns have the kind of honest, unhurried hospitality that pairs well with a day like this. Breakfast the morning of pickup is a tradition for many Stokeshire families.
The calm you bring to the pickup is the calm your puppy takes home with them.
Flying in? Here are
the nearest airports.
We're located near Medford, WI 54451 in the center of Wisconsin. Most families drive from within the Midwest. Those flying typically use one of these three airports and rent a car for the final stretch.
Central Wisconsin Airport · Wausau
The closest regional airport to Stokeshire, approximately 45 to 60 minutes by car. Fewer routes but the simplest logistics. No transfer fee for flight nanny service. Preferred for families combining a visit with a Doodle School pickup.
Get directionsChippewa Valley Regional · Eau Claire
Approximately 60 to 75 minutes from Stokeshire. A solid option for families flying in from the Twin Cities hub. Good car rental availability, and a quieter airport experience than MSP for families traveling with children.
Get directionsMinneapolis–St. Paul International
The largest hub in the region with the widest range of flight options, approximately 2.5 hours from Stokeshire by car. Best for international families and those connecting from both coasts. Budget time for the drive.
Get directionsQuestions before
your visit?
A five-minute phone call before your visit eliminates the things that create stress on the day itself. We'd rather answer the question now.
Plan your trip to
Stokeshire.
We're located near Medford, WI 54451 in Wisconsin's peaceful Northwoods. These are the most common ways families travel when visiting or picking up their Stokeshire puppy.
The Northwoods is worth the trip itself.
Many families arrive the evening before pickup, spend the morning at their own pace, and leave with their puppy after lunch. The unhurried version of this day is consistently the most memorable.
- Cozy cabins, farm stays & boutique Airbnbs nearby
- Scenic trails, quiet lakes & Northwoods forest walks
- Small-town cafés, bakeries & Wisconsin supper clubs
- A genuine reset before life with a new puppy begins
A few things to have ready for the drive home.
Your puppy's first journey home sets the tone. A little preparation makes it calm for everyone — especially them.
- Bring a secure crate or carrier and a soft blanket from home
- Keep the drive direct, quiet, and comfortably tempered
- Plan simple rest stops — avoid busy dog areas
- Never leave your puppy unattended in a vehicle
- First vet appointment confirmed before you arrive
The calm you bring to pickup is the calm your puppy takes home.
Puppies read the energy of the people around them from their first moments in a new environment. Families who arrive unhurried, prepared, and present — rather than rushed — consistently describe a smoother first week. There is no right way to feel on this day. There is just being here for it.