23. We want to encourage people to always buy from reputable, ethical, ANKC registered breeders that exhibit their poodles in ANKC dog shows. Why should a pet person buy from an ANKC breeder? What can these breeders offer compared to a backyard breeder? This is such a great question. I have been a longtime breeder of champions, a licensed International Dog judge, an award-winning dog groomer and lucky enough to be married to a marvellous Australian vet. Quite simply back yard breeders and puppy farmers have no idea what they are doing, and the only purpose of their breeding is for money. What my husband and I have witnessed first-hand through grooming and his vet practice is chronic health and temperament issues from these unethically bred dogs. There will be some that are lucky and get a lovely dog. However, the expense and heartbreak we have seen is horrendous in cross breeds and backyard bred poodles created with no thought other than just mating a dog and bitch for the sake of it and for the money. A top ANKC pedigree show breeder of any purebred puts their heart, soul, time, training and knowledge into not only the health of that breed but the breed’s HISTORY and the purpose that the breed was bred for. An ANKC breeder will also very clearly understand if a person/family are right for a particular breed. It is our duty of care to ensure that we aren’t just selling a person a dog, we are ensuring that the person/family are in fact the right fit for the breed and that they are matched up correctly. Most importantly we guarantee that we have taken all possible health checks with our pups and will take them back at any stage of their lives. We are always there to answer questions after the purchase and will assist as best we can. An ANKC breeder will also start the grooming process with young pups to ensure that foundation training is undertaken with them. I start this at 3 weeks of age and continue every week so that they get familiar to it. So many backyard and puppy farmers don’t do anything with their pups but will sell a lie to a buyer that the pup won’t need a be groomed until age 6 months. At this point the pup will be terrified of its first groom as it has never experienced it. ANKC breeders exhibit their dogs at dog shows; you won’t find a backyard breeder or cross breeder that does this. We do this so that specialist judges can examine our ‘breeding stock’. My last tip, ALL PUPS ARE CUTE but they don’t all come problem free. Making a conscious choice to pick an ethical breeder can save you a lot of heartache and issues. 80 If you would like to nominate someone to be our next interview – please contact me through the Facebook group Poodles Australia or email [email protected] January-March 2025 • POODLE VARIETY
Poodle Variety Magazine January-March 2025 January – March 2025: Page 80
