04/03/2026
I found this post a while back, and I decided to tweak it for the Standard Poodle.
A long read, but worth it:
"Searching for a Reputable Breeder "
With the rise of backyard "breeders" (really, "producers" is a better word) in my province, I want to advise and warn everyone to please support your reputable, preservation breeders and not backyard breeders. When you support less scrupulous breeders, you are contributing to programs that do not support the furthering of the health of this breed. You support "producers" who are actually hurting them, their longevity in health outcomes, their structure and the breed itself that we all claim to love.
Your love, compassion and want to take that cute byb puppy home is an overwhelming feeling. You may feel that you rescued that puppy but in fact, you have just enabled that person to rebreed their dog again and again and again and again. The process repeats itself.
Being a good breeder is not about being a nice person. Anyone can be nice, especially when they want your money. It is not about having a big fancy home. It isnât about producing puppies just because someone feels every female dog should experience motherhood. Just because they could doesnât mean they should.
It isnât about cute puppy videos all day long.
It isnât about a quick buck.
So...................
What is reputable breeding?
It's pouring over pedigrees, researching dogs, titling dogs, and fully health testing them before breeding. (No dog should be bred before the age of two and with all health clearances! ).
Breeding is expensive and it doesnât make you rich. It is a lifelong commitment to every single puppy born. It's about being there even in the hardest moments when you cry over a lost battle with a newborn or with a puppy owner because something has gone wrong, and hard choices have to be made. It is picking up the phone late at night or really early in the morning when someone calls and asks if you can talk because theyâre worried and they trust their breeder to help them.
It's moments of joy with every picture and every video sent. Every update received is cherished.
So how do you find a reputable breeder?
1.Go to the parent club of the breed you are looking for and find the breeder list. Remember, the CKC breeder list is a registry only. They do not verify that health testing has been completed on breeding dogs. Check out the Poodle Club of Canada Breeder list because you canât just pay for a membership and be accepted. You have to be sponsored, and you can be refused membership. https://newsite.poodleclubcanada.club/about/find-a-breeder/
When you contact a breeder, you should vet them in the same way that a good breeder will vet you. Do not assume the breeder is telling you the truth. Hopefully, they are, but do not blindly trust anyone. I welcome all questions and will proudly answer them. Reputable breeders respect that! Be an advocate for your future companion.
Ask the following:
Are you health testing for any of the following:
Eye Exams
Thyroid or Sebaceous Adenitis
Heart
Elbows
DNA Testing for Genetic carriers of inherited diseases
Hip Dysplasia
*A breeder telling you that the parents are vet checked before breeding is not health tested. Pending the response, ASK FOR PROOF. Ask to see the actual paperwork!!* You have the right to see this!
2. What can you tell me about why you bred this pairing? A good breeder will always have a reason, such as trying to fix a particular fault. Most breeders will breed for themselves first. It will not be just to have a litter of puppies, and it wonât be for fad colours. Example of fad colours: MERLE! There is no merle in a purebred poodle. PERIOD!!
ABOUT MERLE: How it Happens (The Backcrossing Process):
(a)Introduction: A non-merle Poodle is bred with a merle breed (e.g., Australian Shepherd).
(b)Selection: A merle puppy from that litter is chosen and bred back to a purebred Poodle.
(c)Dilution: This process is repeated (e.g., 8+ generations), increasing the Poodle percentage (50%, 75%, 87.5%, etc).
(d)Genetic Masking: After several generations, the dog is genetically over 99% Poodle, but the merle gene, inherited from the original cross, persists and expresses visually, fooling DNA tests into classifying them as purebred Poodles.
Mixing two different purebred dogs does NOT produce healthier dogs. The puppies risk having genetic health issues from both breeds. The temperaments are not guaranteed because there are now two different breed traits making a genetic mess, and itâs so unfair to the dog.
3. Are you involved in any all-breed or breed clubs as a member in good standing? What does the breeder do to stay current in their craft? What goals do you have to better the breed?
4. Are the dogs registered? Maybe this doesnât seem important, but it is. "A dog without papers in Canada is not a purebred as per the Animal Pedigree Act. Did you know that it is against the law to sell a dog as purebred without registration papers? A person can be fined up to $50,000 under the Animal Pedigree Act for doing this! "
Registration is a document that shows the bloodline of your dog. You can use that to trace the heritage of your puppy.
5. How do you raise your puppies? How do you socialize them?
6. What is involved in the contract? Usually, it will be non-breeding, and in the event you canât keep your pet, you must return the puppy to the breeder. This protects your pet from ending up in shelters. A good breeder will work with you to find your pet a new loving home or keep it themselves.
7. Ask if you can view the contract?
8. Do not go to the person who always has puppies readily available. Pick the picky breeder. Pick the one who asks you questions in the same way you should be asking yours.
These are just examples of things you absolutely need to ask before buying a puppy. I am sure I could keep writing about this forever. In the end, please, please support the reputable, preservation breeder. When you buy from a responsible breeder, you can play a part in protecting our beautiful breed for generations. It might mean waiting longer than the backyard breeder producer, but in the end, it's worth it. A well-bred puppy is always worth the wait.
Renabar Poodles
