[passion4poodles]

Hello, I am new to the forum, and I am sooooo excited to be a part of it!!! I have very few people near me I can talk to about my love of these dogs and I am excited to meet all of you. I want to use this forum to learn all I can about being a good breeder as well as work hard in the show ring. I may take up Obedience or Agility later but right now I am wanting to show confirmation. I have had a rough start of it so far, and decided I need to step back for a bit, then try again, so here I am! I have/had a toy that was being shown AKC and earned 1 point, then came up lame, took her to the vet and she was diagnosed with LCP and possibly a couple other things that the Ortho specialist is going to be looking for. So I pulled her and she is scheduled for FHO and spay surgery. But, she is well loved and will remain with us as our very much loved family member.

 

[spoospirit]

Welcome. Glad to have you. Would love to see a pic or two of your little one.

Sorry to hear about the problems that your baby has. I'm proud of you for making such a hard but good decision and that she will be kept as a permanent, loved member of your family.

Did you have any other poodles at this time?

 

[passion4poodles]

Thank you, the other pup I got from the same breeder had to go back due to the same problem. I know it sounds crazy, but they were from 2 separate litters no relation, but they both still had LCP and the other had patella luxation but she was purchased for showing and a foundation bitch for my breeding program and the one we kept was actually purchased for a birthday gift for our daughter, so naturally we would not give her up. We have 2 toys at the moment, and it will stay that way for awhile lol! I really trusted this breeder and she was actually my mentor in my showing and breeding education. So that makes it even worse.....These are the 2 I have now, Tynk the cream toy is 16 mo and spayed and Zoey is 8 mo and scheduled to be spayed during her FHO procedure.

 

[KamelotMom]

Sorry to hear you're having such a time getting started in conformation, but you've picked the right place to get some really good & solid advice/guidance. I've learned in the short time I've been here that there is a wealth of years of experience in so many different areas of poodle from so many different areas of the world.

Welcome & your babies are sweet.

 

[passion4poodles]

Thank you so much, I am hope the wealth of information I find here will help, actually I know it will. I will be taking time off from trying to show or anything, I know I could use the time. I LOVE my poodles and want the best for them, and look forward to getting back to trying. I am very skittish now though, it is a betrayal that will not soon leave my heart and look forward to rebuilding my trust in the knowledge there are ethical breeders out there that would not dream of doing to me what this lady did. Being as new to this as I was and actually compared to ALOT of people out there still am, I feel she took advantage of me and that is not something you get over easily. I am trying to get past it though and look forward to learning all I can in the mean time. I have learned alot in the last 1 1/2 I have been trying to get into the ring, I have learned to grow coat and grow it VERY well, as well as grooming. I still do not trust myself to do a show clip, but I know how to do the basics face,feet, ears ect. I also know what works for me as far as growing coat and nutrition as well as breed handling. I have had a blast learning what I have so far and can not wait to learn more. I have also learned ALOT about what NOT to do and what to look for in a good breeder lessons I will NEVER forget.

 

[spoospirit]

You have a great attitude and it will serve you well. I just had a hard lesson learned and lost money on something I did and I, too, will never forget that lesson. The thing is to put it behind you and move on because not everyone in the world is bad. And it sounds like that is what you are doing.

I have an 8 month old blue standard that I am planning to show soon. You are far more ahead of me in the game. I wish I had your experience and a mentor to help me get him ready. I did do my own clipping because there are no groomers anywhere near me that do show cuts. It's challenging.

I just love your chocolate. What a lovely face!

 

[passion4poodles]

Thank you we love her, she is a bonus addition to our family. She was actually sold to me as a silver beige though, the whole "mentor" thing you are right, it would help alot. I may have had better luck had I been able to find an honest one lol! Have you been able to go to any breed handling classes? They helped me ALOT! I am lucky enough to have a friend who is a groomer, so she taught me what I needed to know about basic grooming and I learned myself how to grow coat and what worked best for my dogs. Products that were suggested that worked well and then some that did not. I also learned what worked best for my dogs as far as nutrition, although my toys are on the slender side and they like them a little beefy for the ring, so satin balls are always an option I have heard about I will try them for my next show poodle. Are you showing AKC or UKC? Are you taking your pup in the ring yourself? That is what i want to do as well, although I was told by my "mentor" I would fail if I did that, I do NOT believe her at all. There are plenty of owner handlers out there, it will be more challenging but NOT impossible like she said. Then again she has NEVER finished one of hers, so how would she really know right?

 

[Sivaro]

Welcome to the forum

 

[spoospirit]

Thank you we love her, she is a bonus addition to our family. She was actually sold to me as a silver beige though, the whole "mentor" thing you are right, it would help alot. I may have had better luck had I been able to find an honest one lol! Have you been able to go to any breed handling classes? They helped me ALOT! I am lucky enough to have a friend who is a groomer, so she taught me what I needed to know about basic grooming and I learned myself how to grow coat and what worked best for my dogs. Products that were suggested that worked well and then some that did not. I also learned what worked best for my dogs as far as nutrition, although my toys are on the slender side and they like them a little beefy for the ring, so satin balls are always an option I have heard about I will try them for my next show poodle. Are you showing AKC or UKC? Are you taking your pup in the ring yourself? That is what i want to do as well, although I was told by my "mentor" I would fail if I did that, I do NOT believe her at all. There are plenty of owner handlers out there, it will be more challenging but NOT impossible like she said. Then again she has NEVER finished one of hers, so how would she really know right?

My sister and I are planning to show our own dogs. Dianne has owned a few different breeds in her 30 years and has finished champions in the Brittany Spaniel breed. She had gorgeous spaniels but they were too exuberant for her as she got older so she placed them in new homes.

We fell in love with the standard poodle breed and after getting a few we decided to try the show ring. She has always shown her own dogs and championed them in the AKC ring. The poodles are more challenging but I like it that way. The poodle owners we met at the show were friendly and giving with their advice. They were, for the most part, owner/handlers. Two of them walked out with blue that day. I don't believe that you cannot show a dog well if you don't have a professional handler. I do believe that you have to do your homework and you have to spend the time to learn how to show your dog properly.

The only thing I am still not wholly comfortable with is the grooming. No professional show dog groomers anywhere where we live so we do it ourselves. The puppy coat isn't too bad but I'm scared to death to clip a continental!! We'll see how that goes in the future. We may have to travel to New York State where we finally found one who does the show cuts.

 

[Yorkiecrazy]

Hi and welcome to the forum! Sorry for all that you have been though. Your toys are very precious! I don't show, but we have taken up agility, it's loads of fun. I showed Cocker spaniels in the 80's. Finding the right breeder is a very hard thing to do. I feel for you.

 

[passion4poodles]

Thank you so much, I have learned hard lessons in my ambitions. I have spent thousands of dollars on dogs that have fallen short because of my lack of knowledge and patience. I wanted to just get a show dog and get in the ring, I learned the hard way mid last year to NEVER purchase a dog from someone who does not show in hopes of getting a show dog from pet stock. I have also learned my lesson on making sure to get PROOF of ALL genetic testing from the breeders I purchase form now. It is a very hard and expensive lesson to learn and I learned it well. I will be taking at least a year to find the perfect pup now and making sure that EVERYTHING that can be done to ensure a healthy pup is done.

 

[spoospirit]

It sounds like you are stepping back and taking your time to give yourself the best chance at a good show puppy. I think you will find your hearts desire and be very happy.

Let us know when you have found that special friend and make sure you post some pictures.

Best of luck in your search!

 

[passion4poodles]

Thank you and in the mean time I hope to build some lasting friendships here with other poodles lovers, my husbands is not as starry eyes about them as I am and I know he will be happy not to hear me rambling on about dogs, show, grooming ect every day LOL! He says that it is funny how every topic we talk about eventually turns back to my dogs and dog related topics LMAO!

 

[Mandycasey'smom]

Is there anything else to talk about?

 

[passion4poodles]

LMAO! Not in my world!!!! LOL! No seriously lol, I have spent the last 7years as a stay at home mom and showing/breeding has become something I love to do as an individual outside my family. Some people like to crochet some paint, me I LOVE poodles and everything about them, so they are my outlet from the everyday life that is "stay at home mom" lol, I am sure that anyone who has been a stay at home mom here could totally understand! LOL! I have a BA in Communications I also worked my butt off outside the home before out oldest was born, wow talk about a life change, going from workaholic to stay at home mom....BIG transition and one I am very happy I made, but now it is me time LOL! After the twins were born I realized I NEEDED something that was just for me, that made me happy and I have. And now my husband can not get me to shut up about it LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!