A STANDARD POODLE IN THE EYES OF LAWPDOODLE KENNEL
A Poodle….Say What? Okay…I admit it. I was one of those “naysayers”. I love animals…I love dogs….but the idea of being a Poodle owner….nah…..not me. And my John Deere Farmer husband….are you kidding?
The truth?…I’m ashamed of myself. I also regret the many years I missed out on one of the most awesome dogs that could have been part of my life and part of our family when our kids were growing up. Oh…we had a couple of dogs…but let’s not go there. They had good, long lives and plenty of love…except the one that decided to go on vacation and never return. We are now advocates of micro chipping your puppies. Soon, we will offer this as an added service option for you, or you can certainly have this done at your vet.
Okay…back to this “Poodle” thing. I knew a couple of “Poodles” growing up….those little snappy, yippy things in my memory (sorry….no offense to the Mini’s and the Toys). Watching a dog show didn’t do much for my impression of the breed either…… little, medium or large. They all looked silly. How ignorant I was to the real dog hiding under all that ridiculous doo…..even the little ones.
I was enlightened to the “Doodle” by a friend of mine who lives states away. She purchased a Goldendoodle, who she fell madly in love with and almost talked about as if he was her “4th” child. Unfortunately, he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia early in his puppyhood, but thankfully…she was able to get surgery done and he is still a big part of her family.
My daughter had a love for Golden Retrievers and wanted one. Well…I had Shelties…and already had enough hair in my house to make my own Golden Retriver . Then I thought of my friend’s Goldendoodle and decided to look them up. Maybe…just maybe…it wouldn’t shed as much as my Shelties.
My husband and I share a mutual love for dogs. We were going in two different directions late in our marriage while raising 2 teenagers and juggling our careers, and truly believe that God led us to finally fulfill our dream to become breeders to bring us closer together. Until I looked up the Doodles, the thought of this breed had not occurred to me. However, my research became fast and furious. We always “jump in with both feet”…whether wise or not. But the greater the challenge…the harder we work. This time…we were working together…this was a good thing for our marriage.
Okay…where’s that Poodle? Well, we all know that the “Poodle” is part of the recipe for a Doodle. So…I had to take the plunge…and find a Standard Poodle….a what????? In my search, we found a breeder that was getting out of the larger breed to continue her program in the smaller Poodles. Well, we purchased a stud and his lady…already bred. I told you we jumped in with both feet! Not Doodles…..Standard Poodles. The rest is history. I found a REAL DOG! I found out the Standard Poodle is not some Froo Froo dog…but a real hunter…a real swimmer…and pretty smart to boot. WOW! Unlike my yappy Shelties (don’t worry…I love them too), they don’t shed! Cool! Talk about a watch dog! When they bark…well….they just sound like a BIG DOG! They are! A BIG REAL DOG! They love you, they aim to please you, and they often will outsmart you. They are wonderful therapy dogs, and more importantly….make the perfect pet for families, including children, especially with allergies. Why was I so ignorant to this fabulous breed for so long? I can’t bring those years back, but I can certainly enjoy the ones ahead that I have promised to make this breed a part of my life…for the rest of my life.
I don’t clip my Poodles in the Froo Froo cuts you see in dog shows, but was pleasantly surprised to learn that the style originated from its early days of water retrieving. The hair around the chest and the hindquarters was kept to keep the dog warm in the cold water…but was shaved below and on their legs to give them more freedom and ease while swimming.
Ever heard that figure of speech, “Real men wear Pink”? Guess what…”Real men know that a Standard Poodle is a Real Dog”. Want a good hunting and retrieving dog? Well, there are those other breeds…but never doubt the intelligence and abilities of a Standard Poodle. They even have the webbed feet to prove their heritage!
Don’t do what I did and cheat yourself of learning of this wonderful breed and the perfect pet it can become as part of your family. Yes…we continued with our plans for Doodles…but we could not eliminate the idea of breeding the Standard Poodle as part of our program as well. We have been careful in those that we have chosen, and we have some beautiful pups we anticipate will produce some awesome puppies someday.
Yes…I believe many cheat themselves of the wonderful benefits of making a Standard Poodle a part of their family because of the many misnomers about this breed. More importantly, though, I think the Poodle is cheated of finding the perfect family…because that family doesn’t realize what they are missing. Please do some research on this wonderful breed. The advantages of the internet will give you endless information, and I’m convinced at the end of your research…you will know you have found that perfect dog. No more sneezing or buying that expensive vacuum to suck up all that hair!
Please note, regular grooming is required by you...or a professional groomer. Their coat grows, and grows and grows, and without proper maintenance, can become out of control and matted. However, the style is up to you. No "standard" is set that a Standard Poodle or any poodle has to look like those "show" dogs. Did you know if your groom a Portuguese Water Dog like a Poodle..you would be hard pressed to know the difference? You be the Judge!