Why Standard Poodles?
I met my first Standard Poodle when I met my husband, 22 years ago. I was blown away by how HUMAN he seemed, especially when he looked into your eyes. I later learned this is true of all well-bred Standard Poodles... they are incredibly perceptive and seem to understand every word you say (more about that later!). They are a calm, steady presence, yet hilariously goofy and fun to be around, and will keep you laughing all day long.
Poodles are clever and lively household companions, adapting to their humans and their environments. They do have a few instinctual habits, like hunting... you may still see this prey drive when your pup spies a squirrel (thankfully, they enjoy the chase but have never actually caught one).
Poodles are happiest with daily walks and lots of outdoor play, especially with their humans or another dog-friend. Their intelligence means they need stimulation and challenges, such as puzzle feeders, fun tricks you can teach them, and even obstacle courses you create in the back yard). Without enough attention and activity, they can get bored and (sometimes) destructive... but this is easily preventable. Also, if you can give your Poodle the opportunity to frolic in water, by all means do.
Poodles do not like to be left alone for hours on end, so a lifestyle that requires him or her to be crated for hours every day is not a good fit. They love being around people and bond with each member of the family... and with proper socialization, they will have a new best friend with every new person they meet. Poodles are ideal family dogs, being both patient and playful with children.
Enrichment & Socialization
We go to great care to provide enrichment for our puppies including early training, exposure to new toys and textures and obstacles, and socialization with children. We follow Puppy Culture to give them the very best start in life.
Our puppies were using a pee pad-lined area at four weeks, and we praise them with phrases like "Good potty!" to associate words and praise with doing their business where they're supposed to. When your puppy is home with you, you will use this early training foundation to teach them where their new potty location is, with plenty of praise when they get it right.
We also use commonly-used commands they will need to know, such as "come," "stay," and other vocabulary such as "outside." They are always demonstrating they understand several key words, and they are learning to sit on command!
Natural-minded Care
We are a little bit crunchy, and we feed our adult Poodles a combination of raw/real food and a high-quality organic kibble. Once the puppies were ready to start weaning, we've supplemented with raw goat's milk and Blue Buffalo's Baby Blue... no wonder they are growing so well and are so smart! We follow and recommend Dr. Jean Dodds' vaccine protocol for pups that are protected from both disease as well as conditions caused by overvaccination. You will receive info about this protocol in your new puppy kit.
Included with Your Puppy
When you take home your puppy, you will also take home a canvas tote containing:
- A one-gallon bag of Blue Buffalo's Baby Blue puppy food
- A small blanket with their mother's and littermates' scent - this will be comforting to your puppy as he or she is getting settled into their new home
- A puppy teething toy that you will offer when those little puppy teeth try to nibble on you or other things they shouldn't
- Training tips sheet and other info that will help you in the weeks to come
- Health guarantee and copy of contract
- A high-res portrait of you with your new puppy on "gotcha day" as a keepsake you'll treasure more and more over the years
About the Parents
Both parents, Hazel and Lamb, are AKC-registered, solid cream Standard Poodles. Both of them are unusually intelligent and have an outstanding, patient temperament. They both happen to love playing ball, especially catching a ball with their teeth! Lamb was born with a cream coat, and Hazel was born with an apricot coat that has gradually lightened to cream, and she has a lighter ("liver" color) nose and beautiful hazel eyes. Both Lamb and Hazel have THE best temperaments you could want in a pet. They both intently want to obey and are loving and affectionate, and wonderful with children.
It's interesting to see personality traits from both parents already coming out in the puppies. Lamb and his littermates have an adorable way of pawing at you when they see you, almost like a kitten would. We call it "kitty catting"... and several of the puppies do this, too, and believe me, it's heart-melting! Several of them also love to play ball (pushing it with their nose, batting it to a sibling, or simply trotting proudly with it in their mouth, tail wagging happily). They also love climbing over, under, and through things!
Go Home Date
8 to 10 Weeks After Birth - June 17 at the earliest
Puppies need time to nurse, wean, grow and develop with their mother and littermates before they can join their new families. During this critical time, mother and littermates help teach each other good manners, such as patience and learning not to hurt with their little puppy bites.
FAQ
But aren't Doodles better than Poodles?
I have met some wonderfully sweet doodles, but unfortunately many of them are plagued with congenital health problems or can even inherit undesirable traits instead of the best of both breeds. Many people think having a Standard Poodle means having a frou-frou hairdo... this is not the case in the least! We always do a short cut or kennel cut... or if you want that doodle look, ask for a teddy bear cut. Everything people like in doodles--intelligence, personality, hypoallergenic coat--comes from the Poodle side, so why not just get a Poodle?