I Conversations with Christi n this issue, we continue our exploration of the world of Miniature Poodles and the passionate individuals dedicated to preserving the breed’s elegance and vitality. Christi sits down with preservation breeder Leslie Newing, whose lifelong commitment to Miniature Poodles began alongside her mother. With a background in the show world—starting with horses—Leslie brings a wealth of experience and insight into responsible breeding. She shares the importance of genetic testing, the value of mentorship, and the strength of the Poodle community. Generations of her breedings stand as a testament to her dedication to improving the breed’s health, temperament, and future. As we reflect on her journey, we also take a moment to remember and honor the legacy of her mother, Suzanne, whose love for Miniature Poodles continues to inspire. Join us in celebrating their contributions to this remarkable breed. — Ed RANDOM WIND When did you first become aware of dog shows and the purebred dog world? How did you initially get involved “in dogs?” I never gave showing dogs a thought before. I was very involved in showing horses successfully in the Hunter/Jumper world at most of the top horse shows on the East Coast. I loved dogs and Leslie with Ch Random Wind was raised with a Boxer, Always Dreaming and a Standard Poodle Ch Jalyn Without A Doubt and a Mini Poodle – all pets from well-known breeders. It was when my Standard Poodle passed away when I was in college that a friend of mine in horses, who had a Doberman, took me up to a breeder who had a litter of puppies. The puppy I wanted in the litter was 2 nd pick and had to be shown. After purchasing my Doberman puppy named Sara, the breeder wanted me to take the puppy to the handlers she used, Bob and Jane Forsyth, who lived in Southbury, CT at this time. Little did I know then that they would shape my life and be such a part of it until they both passed away. I will always cherish their support and all they did for me during those years in dogs. What was your breed of origin? Dobermans. 56 Leslie Newing How did you pick Poodles, and specifically, the Miniature variety? We had both a Standard and a Miniature while I was growing up. At first my parents enjoyed going to the dog shows when Polaris Sofa and Leslie Newing Sara was being shown. I had my Doberman about a year before my dad asked my mom about getting another Poodle, this time to show. My mom loved the idea and it was something we could continue to do together. Where did you get your first dogs and how did you progress from them? I called up Janie and asked her who to go to for a Mini Poodle to show. The Mini we had was white and the breeder she came from did not breed black. Janie suggested calling Annie Clark. We called Annie and she did not have a litter planned at that time but suggested we call Jordan Chamberlain who was the kennel manager at Roundtable Kennels in Middletown, DE. We called Jordan and he had a new litter almost 8 weeks old and there might be one available. As we all do with calls from people we don’t know, you check it out! He called Janie and felt it was ok to sell the puppy to us. We drove down to Delaware to meet Jordan and take our puppy home. That was the beginning of a long friendship that lasted until Jordan passed. Jordan set us up with Paul and Mary Edwards in Natick, MA. We drove up there a few times for Paul to see her and agree to show her. Soon after they moved to Schwenksville, PA where we made frequent trips for grooming to his kennel to get her ready to show when she was old enough. Paul and Mary and a young woman, Mary Ellen Fischler, who was working for him at the time, were the ones that taught me basic brushing, banding, washing, drying and clipping for the show coats. After clipping all the horses – I January-March 2025 • POODLE VARIETY
Poodle Variety Magazine January-March 2025 January – March 2025: Page 56
