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I breed for appearance and conformation and equally for personality, intelligence,
soundness, and good health. However, I am also very fond of bigger boned and
taller standard poodles so I prefer slightly larger versions of the standard poodle.
This causes me to walk a thin line as to the refinement that is very much desired
in the show ring and the robustness needed in a working dog. I also do not mix
some colors in order to retain the desirable characteristics that certain colors
possess. For example; blue and silver poodles carry a dilute factor so when bred
to a dark poodle such as red, brown, or black the puppies will fade. Another
example, and good fact to know, silver standard poodles are born black and should
have a gray face on them by 8 weeks of age (you can see an example of this on
my “history” page). Conversely if you want that red puppy to stay red and not
lighten into a cream with orange ears then there shouldn’t see any blue, silver,
or gray poodles in at least the last couple of generations.
To achieve my breeding goal I often keep two puppies from a litter, and they do
not all work out, so I occasionally have adolescents and young adults for sale.
I also average about four litters a year of various colors and parent pairs so
will have puppies available at different times of the year. I have a core of
18-20 standards at home with new dogs coming in (directly or by breeding) from
select other breeders and pick puppies growing to see how they fit into my scheme.
I do not expect to have an end point to my breeding program, it is dynamic and
evolving and that is one of the key parts of my love for the breed.
I sell all my dogs with a health and temperament guarantee. Since I ship most of
my dogs I must pick the puppy out for the client and I want to ensure that both
are happy. A healthy puppy is the highest priority, but if for some reason the
personalities of the dog and owners do not match I will take any dog back within
the first 30 days, with full purchase price refunded or a like dog replacement.
All shipping costs will be the responsibility of the buyer. For the first three
(3) years of your dog’s life I will provide a replacement puppy for any hereditary
or genetic defects that may emerge. After that I will offer a replacement puppy
at half your original purchase price for the lifetime of the dog. After 3 years
of age there are health conditions that can be brought on by lifestyle, diet,
or other factors.
I sell my pet quality poodles with a limited registration at pet prices. The
difference between a pet puppy and a show puppy could be as simple as a lower
tail set, a longer body or rounder eyes. To most pet owners the difference between
the two is not critical. Whether the parents are champions is also a factor, as
champion sired puppies do command a higher price. To obtain an AKC championship
on a standard poodle $10,000 in expenses is probably about an average cost. So it is
important to know if you are looking for a pet, companion, friend or showpiece.
I believe that the standard poodle is the best all around family dog in the world.
They unfortunately have a reputation for being only for the wealthy. I told myself
20 years ago when I was having trouble finding a standard poodle that I could afford
that someday I would breed the best standards and make them affordable. Some
breeders will argue that if you can’t afford a to pay a $1000 for a pet then 1)
you shouldn’t own a poodle or 2) the dog will not go to a good home. To the
contrary I have found for the most part that families who are interested in owning
a standard poodle are not the type of people who chain their dog up outside and
ignore their well-being.
I live on a small acreage in central Texas. My property has several yards attached
to the house, garage, barn, and guest house. My dogs and puppies get to run and
play in yards all day and come inside at night. The puppies are born and raised
inside the house until they are old enough to play in their yards. While outside
they have the ability to get out of inclement weather. The puppies have daily
contact with cats and horses and occasional contact with the grandchildren. Most
are very confident puppies by the time they depart our home.
Susan Cook of Marquis-Diamond Standard Poodles and I have carefully combined our
breeding programs. My best friend and co-breeder, you can visit Susan's website
to see what she is up to and the results of our efforts.
My daughter, Danielle of Double Shot Kennels in Pennsylvania has taken over my
brown and black breeding program. I am very proud of the work she does with her
poodles and her Belgian Malinois.
I feed "My-Champs" dog food. A very special microbial style dog food. To learn
more about "My-Champs" you can read about them at www.my-champs.com or write to
STP by STP Inc., 3240 Mineral Spring Rd. Manhattan, Kansas 66502. For those
people close to KS it is well worth the drive.
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