[cbrand]

I guess I'm blessed, but for the most part, the type of people who contact me looking for Standard Poodles tend to be: financially secure, thoughtful, well educated, and athletic/outdoorsy. You couldn't ask for better buyers.

When someone wants to buy a puppy from me, we talk on the phone first. Then, if I think they would be a good potential buyer, I ask that they come to my house for a meet and greet. This usually happens months before a breeding even occurs. We visit for about an hour in my home. They get to spend time with my dogs and I talk about Poodles (you know how I can go on ) and I answer questions. I want to make sure that they know what they are getting into if they have never had Poodles before. Then we go out either to the park to throw the frisbee or on a short hike (God bless Boulder) so that they can see my dogs off leash and in public. I want them to see how my dogs behave around strangers and strange dogs.

Only once have I ever told a potential buyer after one of these visits that I could not sell them a puppy. It was a very nice family with a lovely 4 yr old daughter and a seriously active 2 yr old boy. I'm hugely tolerant of children, but they spent their whole meet and greet chasing the 2 yr old around trying to keep him from ripping apart my house. I told them that the last thing they needed right now was another thing to have to watch out for and that a puppy would make their lives a living hell. I suggested getting an older dog from rescue or waiting a couple of years until their son was older.

Another time a buyer came looking like 40 miles of bad road. She was a pro-groomer and wanted to get into showing dogs. I thought I was just being a snob when I was put off by her appearance and.... well..... lack of education. In hind sight, I should have followed my gut because it all went south. She is the only person I've ever had to go and get a puppy back from. Sometimes you can tell a book by its cover.

Some people don't pass the phone interview. Things that will not get you invited to a meet and greet:

1. Telling me that you want to breed Poodles, especially if you want to breed them to your Goldens.

2. Telling me that you don't have time to go to obedience classes.

3. Telling me that you have a destructive dog at home and that you want another dog to keep him busy.

4. Telling me that you want to get into showing dogs to improve your self esteem. (I swear this is true!)

 

[cbrand]

I take you've gotten all those 1-4 lists on the phone before, Carol? I think your method of getting to know people for your dogs is great what was so horrible that happened to make you have to retrieve the puppy? Did the experience make you more careful about your screening process?

It was my very first litter. I sold her a show puppy on co-ownership. I agreed to let her make payments (I would not do this again). She did not show up to a local show where she was supposed to spend time with my pro-handler looking at pre-show grooming. Then she missed her 1st payment and stopped returning my phone calls.

I was completely freaked out because this woman had one of my puppies out there with full registration. I told her that I was coming to her grooming shop at a certain time on a certain date. I would be fully refunding the money that she had already given me but.... if she did not hand over the puppy and all his paperwork, I was going to call the police. Funny. She returned my phone all that night. I got the dog back the next day.

 

[cbrand]

Wow. o_o That's was scary, I would have been a mess if someone did that, what nerve do people have? Do they seriously think they can get away with things like that? So I take it he was returned safely then, did you rehome him?

He was pick puppy. I had kept his sister, but I placed her when he came back to me. I grew him out and then by age 7-8 months I decided that he was not what I wanted to move forward with. Although he was very pretty, he was a pacer and I value sound movement in a Poodle. I also didn't love the overall temperaments in the litter; they were a bit too aloof for my tastes. Ultimately I placed him in a pet home. I'm very picky and really, a stud dog needs to be as close to perfect as possible.

You can see a couple of pictures of him on my web site under "Poodle Family Album." His name is Flash. There are a couple of pictures of him up on Green Mountain and one of him in the water at Coot Lake.

 

[cbrand]

I also have a question. How do you determine someone's financial security? What one person views security another might not. How can you label something like that? I'm going to be doing my own dog grooming so obviously that's not even an issue but there are a lot of people that might not think I have enough income or even time to own one of their dogs because we have a one income family and have young children.

I think in someways people who are financially well off self select me as a breeder. Lets face it.... my dogs are expensive and I don't take payments or credit cards. Right off the bat, someone would have to be able to write me a check. This means that they have the disposable income to do so or they were able to save the money.

Poodles are expensive dogs to own. Most people don't groom their own dogs and in our area in costs at least $75 to groom a Standard. It is important to me that a family can bare that expense. I also want to be sure that families can afford training, boarding and medical costs in the future.

 

[cbrand]

A lot of those ads are just excuses to get rid of the dog though but in this economy I could see it happening more and more. Which is probably why breeders should cut back on how much they are breeding because if they have an income security criteria for pet homes, now isn't a good time to need plentiful pet homes.

Funny thing there....

In our area most good breeders did not breed this year because they were worried about the economy. They were afraid that they would not be able to sell puppies.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I could have sold 3-4 full litters this year. There just aren't any puppies on the ground and I'm sending buyers out of state. I think that people are hunkering down. Instead of taking that expensive vacation, they are looking to stay home. What better time to get a dog?

 

[cbrand]

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It is not the case here in CA - but we have many more poodle breeders here ...

A lot of them have puppies of great quality that are still looking for homes even at half price...

Send me a list of names. Buyers I have referred have purchased puppies in both California and Arizona. I never ask a referral fee. I'm just trying to make sure that people get dogs that are well bred.

In Colorado currently there are ZERO puppies available from breeders I would recommend. If I don't send folks out of state, their only option is to buy from the local puppy mills.

Cbrand - I know that you mean well when you direct people "out of state" - but many take your information as "recommendation" and I think they do not than do thorough research and ask a lot of questions that should be asked. It is especially tricky for a "pet" buyer who might end up with "not " the best deal. I mean this in the MOST FRIENDLY WAY . Just the thought... I know I respect your insights !!!! I am just afraid that some might go to "listed" breeders without doing their "due diligence" *sigh..

Hey if you know something about the breeders I have listed that are in California, shoot me a PM!!!!!! I would love to know what's up and I won't say where I heard it.