Poodle Size and Personality

How many sizes of poodles are there?

There are three sizes of poodles according to the AKC (American Kennel Club) standards. The smallest size is the Toy Poodle that stands no taller than 10" at the shoulder. The next size is the Miniature Poodle that is above 10" up to 15" tall at the shoulders. The largest of the poodle breed is the Standard Poodle that will stand over 15" tall at the shoulders. Weight has no bearing on size in AKC poodles. Poodle size is determined solely by the individual height from the shoulders (withers) to the floor. Parent sizes do not determine their offspring size.

What determines a poodles size

In all three Poodles sizes, weight has no bearing on determining their actual size. Poodle size is determined solely by the individual height from the shoulders (withers) to the floor. Parent sizes do not determine their offspring size. To measure a poodle, you must stack the poodle in a show stance and hold the tail erect as well as chin up so that the back is straight. From here, you measure from the shoulder blades to the floor. 

How much interaction with kids do the puppies get before going to new homes?

Poodle size is determined by height alone and not weight. The height is measured from the shoulders to the floor. This is according the American Kennel Club. Other kennel clubs may set their standards different but we follow the AKC guidelines.

Which makes a better pet, male or female?

Typically people will tell you that male poodles make better pets than female poodles. However, this does not mean that a female poodle will not make an amazing pet. Lots of things need to be considered when choosing a new poodle for your family. Age, socialization, size, temperament, inbreeding, health, and overall physical examination of the dog. If a puppy is not socialized by the age of 16 weeks, that can ruin his/her personality. Unhealthy dogs will not behave as a normal dog may. Inbreeding can make the outer appearance look wonderful but mess up the internal parts. If a puppy is harmed or any age dog as far as that goes, it can affect how it behaves around new people. 
In general, neutered males will make wonderful companion pets. Females can be temperamental if not spayed but still make wonderful pets! This is a personal preference to be honest.

What color of poodles do you raise?

We currently have a white and silver toy poodle breeding program.  We have a color bred red toy poodle breeding program. We also have parti marked poodles that are very popular in the pet industry! We love the phantom poodles as well and get those occasionally. We do not have merle poodles but we produce just about every other color and pattern as well as some gorgeous show dogs.

are toy poodles as smart as the bigger poodles?

Toy poodles are very intellegent! It has been said that the larger the poodle, the smarter it is. However, I have come to believe through experience that the smarter the dog, the more mischief it can get into. All dogs can get into trouble! So any poodle is smart but you need to train it and keep it from becoming a bad dog. There are no bad poodles, only bad owners. Humans are in error of bad behavior in dogs. Poor health can result in bad behavior as well so always consider this if you come across a hard to train dog.

do poodles bark a lot?

Small dogs can be what some say "yippy". The good news is, a toy poodle is a very smart and obedient breed of dog and correction can fix bad behavior. My experience with barking dogs is to "shhh" them the moment they bark and I do not want them to. They learn what "no" means as a puppy and you mold them into the dog you want. There just really isn't an excuse for a poodle that barks uncontrollably. It can and is correctable if it becomes a problem. Compare an untrained dog to a toddler that is undisciplined. There must be discipline in order to have a well behaved child no matter if it is human or canine.

do poodles like to swim?

In general, they do not mind water unless it is a bath. A lot of dogs like to hide if they hear the word bath. In short, poodles are water dogs and have webbed feet. As I told a customer years ago, your poodle did not fall into the pond, she jumped in and was playing lol. Watch your poodle around water because they and and will enjoy water play time if allowed.

are poodles good with children?

There are two different answers to this question. The main answer is yes, they love everyone. However, again it is what you expose them to. I acquired my very first poodle as a young teenager. By the time I was a mom, she was not fond of my first child. She had only been around adults and teenagers from the time she was a puppy then into her old age. Have you ever known an elderly person who has a mean dog? This is typically because they are not used to young kids and they are intimidated by these little people. Generally, when a family adopts a poodle puppy and has children, the poodle adores and absolutely falls in love with the kids!

Are the puppies shy or timid?

Puppies can become shy or timid when scared. Normally they will be reserved when meeting new surroundings. This can be when a puppy goes home from the breeder or goes to the vet where they smell other animals. A good breeder will socialize their puppies so these things do not happen in a normal situation. If puppies are never handled and then go to a home, they will need a lot of time and space to gain their trust.

is it safe to own a toy poodle with a large breed house dog as well?

You can absolutely own a large breed dog and a toy breed dog. However, be wise and know your large dogs personality. I have witnessed an untrained german shepherd kill a toy poodle. I have also owned a golden retriever who was food aggressive and killed a poodle in one snap over food that the kids had dropped. That golden was trained to let the poodles and even cats eat first before ever approaching her food dish. They can be trained to be kind in most situations. We own a Saint Bernard who loves our poodles. Use common sense and introduce slowly if you are unsure about temperaments!

Are your puppies used to cats or other types of pets?

Our poodles are used to each other (all ages of poodles). They are exposed to our Maine Coon cats and even our Saint Bernard dog. Bringing them to a new home will take some adjusting but they are used to other animals and have always gotten along just fine. Normally, it is the other animals that need observing while acclimating the new puppy.

How do I introduce my new puppy to our old dog?

Take your time introducing a new puppy to the old dog. Some older pets will be territorial, leery, and not sure why you are bringing home an intruder. Always hold the puppy and let them sniff each other. Keep the older pet on a leash where you can pull back quickly if the pup is on the ground. If you do not trust your older pet, never leave them unattended to until you know they have accepted each other. This can take weeks but is normally done quite fast. 

I'm an over the road truck driver. Will a toy poodle make a good travel buddy?

We have sold toy poodles to truck drivers and they make wonderful companion pets for traveling! If your poodle gets car sick, this is remedied by short trips until they acclimate to being on the road.

Will my poodle like my cat?

Puppies are so easily moldable! When you bring your new toy poodle puppy home, it is going to love everyone because they are just fun loving babies. The cat may be leery and take his/her time getting close to the puppy but as long as the cat doesn't swat or scratch the puppy, they will quickly learn to be close buddies!

Will my poodle get along with my other pets?

If you purchase a toy poodle puppy from us, they are socialized and used to other animals. They will be curious and eager to play with other pets in your home. However, you will need to supervise them when they are introduced because pets can be territorial and protective of their space. Your home is their space and you need to teach them that it needs to be shared. Never leave new puppies unsupervised with your other pets until you know and trust they are all safe. 

What is a teacup poodle?

The word "teacup poodle" is a term that was made up many years ago. I remember hearing it back in the 80's even. My first toy poodle was sold to us as a "teacup poodle" so that is what my mom called her. She weighed 6 pounds. When I started breeding AKC poodles in the 90's, I learned that the word is just a term meaning smaller than the smallest. AKC only recognizes three sizes and toy poodle is the smallest. So if anyone calls a poodle a teacup, they are just referring to their toy poodle as being very small.  Some breeders put teacup in a category of its own but they set the guidelines for what it means. It is an opinion only and there is no written standard for the size of a teacup poodle. I personally would think they need to weigh no more than five pounds but there again, AKC standards go by height, not weight. The word teacup is a breeders opinionated term.

Are toy poodles too small to have around children?

Toy Poodles can be around well behaved children that are taught to be respectful and gently treat the animals with kindness. If a child is allowed to play with a toy poodle and does not understand how easily they can harm it, you may end up with an injury or worse. I even have to watch my six year old granddaughters when it comes to playing with our poodle puppies. Sometimes they forget they are not allowed to play rough. Supervision is recommended with children under 8 years in my opinion. I raised toy poodles before some of my children were born so it is not impossible to have little poodles around little children. 

Are toy poodles good therapy dogs?

Toy Poodles make some of the best therapy dogs. This question triggers a past customer story. I sold a toy poodle to a therapist. She had a child client who did not speak because of trauma. She had seen this child numerous times and the child did not respond verbally. Her poodle was trained and started going to work with her. The first visit where this particular child came in for the office visit and the poodle was present, the child spoke! The child was interested in the dog and began to speak and trust the therapist. There are many kinds of therapy dogs but this is just one example. They are the most awesome, loyal, and observant therapy pets you can own.

I see you also raise English Angora bunnies. Do they get along with the poodles and make good house buddies?

Yes, we raise English Angora rabbits that are also known as the "puppy dog bunny rabbit".  This breed of rabbit is a very domesticated rabbit and people own them as house pets that are also litter box trained and have free run of their homes just like their dogs. We have many customers who have purchased our bunnies that also own dogs of all sizes. We have sold bunnies and poodles both to the same customer and they always get along. The key is to introduce the pets slowly and let them get used to each other before ever allowing them alone. I always recommend to keep a rabbit hutch for when you are not watching the bunny as bunnies do like to chew on everything. Some people have a designated bunny room and the bunny sleeps in there at night and then gets to roam free during the day with the dog. Over the many years we have owned both dogs and bunnies, our bunnies love our dogs and even sleep laying across the dogs. They have always gotten along great!

What is an oversized toy poodle?

An oversized toy poodle is actually a miniature poodle. If a poodle stands over 10" but under 15", it is considered a miniature poodle according to the AKC standard. There is no such thing as an 10 1/2" toy poodle. It does not matter what the poodle weighs as the AKC standard only has height in their standard. Most people do not care what size their poodle is because they fall in love with it and it is a family member.

Are cats and dogs good for your children?

It has been proven through statistics that dogs and cats are wonderful for children. Not only do animals teach children respect and kindness, they can also teach them responsibility. Therapy animals regardless if that is what they were purchased for are the most amazing treats animals give us every single day of their life! 
 Here is a link to an article I found on another poodle website about how studies show that allergies and health are better for children with pets: https://rainbowtoypoodles.com/good-for-kids/
https://rainbowtoypoodles.com/good-for-kids/​

How do I stop my puppy from biting or chewing?

Puppies chewing is always going to be inevitable. They are teething and it feels good on their gums to chew on things and it is also going to be this way until they lose their baby teeth as well. The best thing to do is discipline them and take away what you do not want them to have, tell them no in a stern voice. Then give them something that they can have. If they are chewing on you or your children, tell them no and give them something they can chew on. Repetition and structure is what every puppy needs in order to learn and be obedient. Reward good behavior with uplifting voices of praise and treats if you like. 

How do I choose the right size poodle as my next pet?

Choosing the right size of poodle is strictly dependent on what your life style and needs are. Some people have weight restrictions on what they can lift. These people typically choose a toy poodle since they are generally under 7 or 8 pounds. If a toy poodle weighs over 10 pounds it is either grossly obese or actually a miniature poodle (measure the height). 
If you have small children and want to ensure the kids won't harm the dog but you want something still lap size, you may want to go with a small miniature poodle. Miniatures have a little sturdier bone structure. They can run, jump, and climb on and off furniture easily. Even though Toy Poodles also have this ability as well, some are really tiny so you will need to gauge the size by the puppy parents full grown size. 
​If you need a large dog that can keep up no matter what, a standard poodle may be the size you need. We have only owned one standard poodle and she was small. She weighed just 40 pounds. She was easy to travel with but full of energy! Pick your preference according to what you want and need.

How big are toy poodle puppies when they are born?

Keep in mind that birth weight has nothing to do with adult weight on a puppy. I have had toy poodles born the same weight as miniature poodles. The smallest toy poodle we have had was just 2 ounces. It has been many years ago but we might have had 1 1/2 ounce newborns but they would have been very fragile! This is the size of a mouse or newborn bunny. Most of our puppies are born weighing 2 1/2 - 6 ounces. a 5-6 ounce newborn is pretty large. Our toy poodles are small and have small litters. So when there is only one or two puppies in their tummies, they get a lot of nutrients and grow well. This can lead to c-sections and has in the past.

How do you estimate a puppy's adult weight?

There is no precise way to tell a puppies mature weight. It is a guestamate and experience from knowing lines and past puppies. There is a toy poodle weight chart. In fact, the original one you will see all over the internet was made by us many years ago and been passed around. It was put together by lots of studies and documentation. However, it is just a chart to get a good idea but not exact. There is no guarantee on adult weight of a puppy. Look at the mom and dad. Make sure you see lots of pictures of the parents if you cannot see them in person. Lots of breeders will lie about size. You can hope the puppy will be around the size of the parents. If there is a big difference between the mom and the dad,  look at the size of the other puppies in the litter. The larger puppies will likely take after the larger parent and the smaller puppies should take after the smaller parent. This does NOT mean a puppy could not be bigger or smaller than both parents. Take a look at the facial features and feet. Larger feet are usually bigger boned poodles. Petite feet are normally tiny poodles when mature and a more fragile bone structure. Know the age of the puppy when a photo was taken. The face changes drastically between 6 - 12 weeks. If you are looking for a tiny poodle, don't assume its face will look the same when mature as it does when it is six weeks old. By 12 weeks of age you can normally tell if it is going to have a babydoll face or a larger muzzle. Another tell tale in small or tiny poodles is their ears. Really small poodles (not all) can have those crazy ears that stand up. Poodle ears should lay flat against the head. The tiny poodles ears will stand straight up sometimes. These are normally on poodles under four pounds at maturity. If you feel you might be dealing with a dishonest person, look at the length of the hair. The younger the puppy, the shorter the hair! There are ways to determine size by photos. Do a lot of comparisons and know the age or try to figure out the age of the puppy in the photos. The best thing you can do is go visit the puppy in person and request to see the parents. We ALWAYS show our puppies and their parents! This is a lifelong family member and huge commitment you are embarking on.

Training & Grooming

ARE TOY POODLES EASY TO TRAIN?

Toy Poodles are generally very smart and can pick up on training fairly quickly if you are repetitive and consistent. From house training, obedience training , to teaching poodles tricks, as long as you spend around twenty minutes a day training, they pick up the task in no time.

Are the puppies started on house training?

We start taking our poodle puppies outside to potty around 6 - 7 weeks of age, right along side mom. Some figure it out very quickly! Inclement weather will keep us from dragging puppies out in the cold but other times, they enjoy it. We also use the Pet Loo indoors (grass pad) so they learn what the grass is for.

How often can I bathe my poodle?

Bathing poodle puppies as often as you need to is not a problem as long as you use puppy shampoo. Dogs have a different pH than humans. Therefore, human shampoo (including baby shampoo) is not the safest choice for washing a dog. Human shampoos have alcohol in them and this will dry out a dogs skin if used too often. I'll add that dawn dish soap is something people use if they see fleas on their dog. It is a quick way to kill fleas before applying flea medicine. Most soaps will kill fleas but Dawn dish soap works great. This is something you will not want to use often but it works great as a degreaser and will kill those pesky fleas quickly.

How long does it take to house train a poodle puppy?

From the moment you bring your new poodle puppy home, you must be consistent and structured in your potty training. If done properly and you do not get lazy, most poodle puppies should be fully trained by six months and you will not have to worry about accidents so much.

I work all week. How do you suggest I keep the puppy while I am gone?

I advise people to use a puppy proof room that is very small or a playpen/exercise pen to keep a puppy in while away at work. We use playpens that are four feet wide and eight feet long. There is room for food, water, toys, bed, and a Pet Loo so they can potty anytime and not be left in the mess.  If you have someone to come take out the puppy and walk it while you are away, crate training is okay but you definitely do not want to leave the puppy crated for more than a couple of hours at a time.  I highly suggest looking in to puppy playpens that are safe if you do not have a room that is puppy safe.

Do you recommend doggy daycare with a young pup?

Oddly enough, you may be surprised by my answer here.  I do not recommend doggy daycare with a young puppy. The first reason is going to be vaccinations. You dog needs to be fully vaccinated before ever being let out in public areas where unknown dogs have been. Safety first!
The next thing you need to look at is the facility you are considering. I say this with experience behind me. Not all doggy daycares are equal. I actually took over the ownership of a daycare/spa/boarding facility and was apalled at how they managed the daycare. The dogs were all thrown into one room, taken out SOMETIMES, messes were mopped up and lots of toys and beds were destroyed. Employees were minimum wage workers who loved animals but were not trainers in any sense of the word. Any puppy that came in was thrown into the pack and left to misbehave without any correction. At that time, I realized that doggy daycare was a bad idea for a dog in training! So please research your options and if there are daycare facilities that train as well, then it might be a good choice.  Otherwise, you risk the chance that your precious puppy may pick up REALLY BAD habits! Once in a while if your dog is trained, it might be fun for him to go and play with the other dogs but this is a personal choice that I urge you to research deeply and ask for references! Word of mouth is the best reference rather than a name that business gives out!

When can I send my puppy to obedience school?

Your puppy must be fully vacinated before ever taking it out in public. Do not put your dog down in any areas other dogs may have crossed paths because you do not know what diseases lurk behind that live for months in extreme temperatures! Four months of age AND all puppy shots plus rabies must be complete. You may want to vaccinate for the canine influenza, kennel cough, and anything else that is known to be present in your area. Limes disease is carried by ticks. Corona virus and Lepto are also diseases that can be fatal if your dog is not vaccinated against and it is present in your area. Be very careful letting your vet give too many shots in one visit! Rabies and Lepto are the vaccinations that cause an adverse reaction so I recommend to never get these two at the same time. Check with your facility you will be working with to see what vaccinations they require. Once your dog is fully vaccinated and had time for the shots to take effect, you are safe to start professional training.

Do you recommend a collar or a harness?

Harness' are easier on a dog. They do not cause injury to the neck if tugged too hard. Collars can be used but you really need to be careful not to pull too hard, choke, or injure your dogs throat. Harnesses are easier to teach a dog to walk on a leash with also. I am not against using collars, just know that you will have to be a little more careful with them. These are tiny dogs that can get injured easily.

How do you train a poodle to do tricks?

You can train a toy poodle to do tricks by lots of repetition and rewards. Be patient with your dog and spend ten to twenty minutes a day going over the trick daily and before you know it, they pick it up! Poodles are very intelligent dogs!

Do you recommend crate training?

I do recommend crate training if you have time and do NOT abuse the crate! If you leave the dog in the crate for two long, it will have adverse results and ruin your dog. Crate training is supposed to be used to teach your dog that it has a safe place, it sleeps or naps there and then once it comes out, it goes directly outside to potty. Do NOT leave your dog or puppy in a crate for a longer period than necessary. Once a dog begins using its crate for the bathroom, you have ruined this form of training and possibly your dogs ability to train easily. This can also instill fear of the crate rather than it being a safe place for your dog. Crating a dog for an entire day while you are at work is a form of abuse in my opinion.    

Are your puppies house trained at all?

We socialize our puppies so they do not come to you timid at all. They get handled from birth but more handling as they mature. They are exposed to cats, dogs, rabbits and children. They learn not to fear but love. We start taking them outside when they are around six weeks of age. Remember, toy poodles are tiny puppies and we do not even wean them until around 8-9 weeks depending on their size. Moms keep them clean until they are eating solid foods. We use a Pet Loo for all of our dogs while in their playpens indoors. They all go out to potty on a regular schedule and know basic commands like no, good girl/boy, bad girl/boy, go potty. We start teaching them young so they know right from wrong. Scolding a dog is as simple as using a deeper or more stern voice rather than a high pitch happy voice. Telling a puppy no and removing the wrong situation and replacing it with the correct situation is the best form of training with a poodle. Do not ever hit your dog. Training is only as good as the trainer. It is not the dogs fault when it makes a mistake. Your puppies come with lots of pre-TLC and training. There is no such thing as a fully trained puppy under six months of age. You must stay on top of training and once you achieve the bomb proof puppy training around six months of age, you should have smooth sailing for many years to come!

What do I need to know about grooming care for my poodle?

All purebred poodles have a non shedding coat. They need to be kept in a comfortable hair cut, brushed as often as that trim requires, and bathed as often as you see fit. You will need basic grooming tools if you you do not do the entire grooming yourself. Most poodle owners have a regular pet groomer take care of their maintenance grooming schedule every six to eight weeks. Toenails are trimmed or filed by the professional groomer unless you know how to do so and that can be done with human toenail clippers and a coarse fingernail file. They can get a weekly bath if you use a dog shampoo (not human or baby shampoo). I recommend a slicker brush and a metal prong "poodle" or greyhound" style comb. These are the basics you can get by with and manage in between grooming appointments. If you do not have a groomer, find one! Word of mouth is the best way to find a good groomer. Mobile groomers are the best because they come to your house. Get to know your groomer so you trust them with your beloved poodle. An unkept poodle coat can be harmful for your dog because it can tangle and mat up close to the skin and cause wounds.

What is crate training?

Crate training a toy poodle is actually very easy to do. You buy a crate that is just big enough for your dog to lay down in. You want it to be a small confined space. Dogs are den animals and like little cubby holes and safe spots. If you use a crate properly for training, they can be used as your dogs safe place forever. Doors can be removed and the dog will go in and lay down for naps after it is completely house trained. You use a crate to teach it where to potty. This is done by putting your dog in the crate when you are not supervising it. If you have to make a quick trip to the store and know you will only be gone for a couple of hours, you put your puppy in the crate and they will nap. When you get home, you immediately take the pup out of the crate and CARRY IT outside to potty. Use your command that you always use (don't change your command words) and they learn quickly that outside is where they potty. If you let the pup walk himself to the door and it is young, they may stop midway to the door and potty so you will want to take the pup out and carry it to the potty area so not to confuse it. If the crate is too large, the pup may have room to get up and potty inside of the crate. You want your crate to fit just the pup and a comfy bed or blanket. If you abuse the crate by leaving the puppy in it too long, you have ruined this form of training and possibly harmed your dog. Do not leave your puppy in a crate for too long. If you place your puppy in a crate and it cries a couple of hours later, that is your signal that he/she needs to go potty.  Immediately remove the pup and get it outside to potty. Some people let their puppies sleep in crates at night and this works great as long as you keep it close by your bed so you hear the pup when it needs let out. You will need to either set an alarm to take the pup out in the night or make sure the puppy alerts you for when he/she needs to go. Be aware that not all puppies are okay with being crated. Some will scream and cry the moment you confine them in the small crate. It can be helpful to cover the door with a towel or light blanket so the puppy does not see you and settles down to sleep. Just like a baby, they will cry when you place them in their crib. If you take them out immediately, they will always know how to get their way. Don't abuse the crate training but do not let the dog get the best of you by crying. Sometimes they need tough love and left for a bit to calm down. There are some puppies I have crate trained and let them sleep in crates at night that do better if I put the crate right next to my bed, on the night stand so they can see me. They don't like the door covered. They are comforted if they can see me and will lay down and sleep peacefully. Each puppy is different and you will need to gauge the situation as you go. 

What are the best grooming supplies for a poodle owner to have?

You will need a poodle comb (metal prong) or another name for this type of comb is a greyhound comb. Slicker brushes are very handy! I use flea combs sometimes to comb through the face under the eyes when bathing to keep the eye gunk cleaned out from under the eyes. If you grow out their top knot, you will need small rubber bands to pull it up out of their eyes.  Dog shampoo, not human shampoo. Do not use baby shampoo either because human skin has a different pH than a dog and our products have alcohol in them which could dry out your dog/puppy skin if used too often. Cotton balls to put in ears so water does not get in while bathing. Q Tips to wipe the ears clean periodically. These are the basics to maintain. your poodle coat in between grooming schedules. Find a good pet groomer and schedule a maintenance hair cut every six to eight weeks and you should be able to keep your dog looking good inbetween these appointments. When you brush your dog, be sure to use your poodle comb all over the entire body and make sure you push all the way through the coat to the skin. As a retired groomer, I cannot tell you the number of times I was handed a matted up dog and told "I brush him every day". Brushing the top of the coat will not eliminate tangles and mats starting at the skin! Combs are the best way to ensure you keep your dog comfortable and untangled.  Some people use face wipes for tear stains. If you do this because your poodle has bad tear staining, it needs to be done almost daily. These are typically (not always) caused by food.

​How do you house train a poodle?

There are different ways to house train a poodle. The only thing that doesn't change is repetitive, consistancey, and structured training. You can crate train your toy poodle as long as you are home enough to do so. Certainly do not give your dog full reign of your home as a puppy no matter how much training he/she has had. Accidents are going to happen. Allow your dog to have a small space to be free until you achieve goals. Use praise and treats every time they do good. Never leave the puppy unattended to when loose in the house. Pick up rugs so they do not think they are potty pads. Set a timer to take the puppy out to potty and learn the schedule they need to be on. Keep track of how often they need to go and adjust it as they learn to hold it longer. When training to potty outside, use the same area every time so they know that is what they are out there for and it is not playtime. Use the same commands so not to confuse them. Lots of praise and giving them a very small treat when finished will encourage them to do good every time!

How do I get tangles and mats out of a a poodle's coat?

In order to get a tangle or mat out of a poodle coat, you will need some tools. First, do not get the hair wet or you may set the mat in where it cannot be brushed out. You can first try to pull it apart gently by hand to loosen it. Next, try using a poodle (metal prong) comb to poke through the mat, holding the base of the mat so not to tug too hard and hurt the dog. Wire slicker brushes without the plastic covered tips work great for poking through those fine hairs. Always hold the base of the hair next to the skin if possible so you don't pull and rip the hair out of the dog and harm him/her. This can take time depending on how bad or big the mat is. If it is tangled all the way to the skin and you cannot get your fingers between the dogs skin and the mat, the safest thing to do is to clip it off with a pair of trimmer/clippers (not scissors). If it is that tight, you can harm your dog by cutting it with a pair of scissors. Trimmers are designed to get under a mat and not cut the dog. It is good to have a pair of clippers on hand but not a must. We recommend the Gimars that you can purchase off of Amazon. From years of buying professional and expensive clippers, I have found the best to be the cheapest! Unbelievable right!? You can find them on our Poodle Shop if interested. They are awesome to have and won't break the bank. We have used them on our dogs, cats, rabbits and even humans! They have a dial that can change the blade setting from very short to longer as well (5-1 blade). Sometimes it is a good idea to have a little grooming kit ready for situations that are unforeseen. You never know what your poodle is going to get into. Kids can get candy or gum stuck in their hair and rather than put them through the stress or pain of combing it out, you can zip right through with a pair of clippers in a few seconds. Remember, excessive brushing and tugging on a tangles can and will bruise your dog and they will begin to hate being groomed. 

​What shampoos are safe to use on a poodle?

Any shampoo or conditioner that is made for a dog/puppy and sold as a dog product is safe. For many years, people used baby shampoo on puppies thinking it was gentle and would not burn their eyes. This may be so but you have to understand that baby shampoo is made for humans and there is a difference in the pH levels of our skin. We have oily skin in general and there is alcohol in our products. Dogs do not have oily skin and our shampoos will dry out their skin and cause excessive scratching. One bottle of dog shampoo should last you a very long time. You do not need a lot of shampoo to bath a toy poodle. Do your dog a favor and buy a shampoo that is made for a dog. 
There is one exception to these rules. If you find your dog has gotten fleas. The first thing to do to remove the fleas is give them a bath in Dawn dish soap. Just be careful of the eyes. Dawn will kill a flea on impact and it is worth it because you do not want an infestation of fleas in your home! 

What are the best "looks" or haircuts with a poodle?

Years ago, before there were doodles, there were teddy bear hair cuts. Some people did not like the look of a clean shaven poodle face. You can let your poodles face grow hair as long as you like and give them that teddy bear look. You can shave the face completely. They can have a mustache, goatee, long topknot pulled up in a bow, short on top or as crazy as it sounds, shaved completely off! I've seen it all and everyone has their reason for why they keep their poodles looking the way they do. There are many different poodle clips for showing and they each have a name. Unless you are showing, I do not recommend keeping them in a show clip because it is a daily chore to maintain. It is simple to google poodle clips and see what you like. Print a picture and take it to your groomer. A good groomer can sculpt your poodle to look however you like it to look. I'll warn you though, not all groomers are equal. I have seen some pretty funny haircuts on a poodle! 
Poodle feet should be shaven short and the pads shaved in between the toes as well. Not all groomers are good at doing poodle feet. Amateurs will give what I call "high waters" which means they shave the feet and continue up the let too high and it looks terrible in my opinion. You should only shave the feet to the bend in the ankle. If the face is shaved, you do not shave above they eyes. I have seen some pretty funny hair cuts and I do understand that sometimes it is necessary but if you want your poodle to be pretty and a good example of the breed, schedule your poodle with a good, experienced groomer every six to eight weeks for a hair cut to keep them pretty. Poodles love to be pretty! Pick the look you want for your poodle and keep searching until you find the groomer you love!

How do I make my purebred poodle look like a doodle?

Making a purebred poodle look like a doodle means to not shave the poodle face. Let the hair grow out all over and only trim around the eyes enough to keep the hair from poking or irritating the poodles eyes. The face will have to be trimmed but never shaven to give your dog this look. They also do not have a pompom on the end of their tail. Most purebred poodles have docked tails so they will not have a long tail. However, more and more breeders are choosing not to dock tails. In Europe it is illegal to dock tails. We still dock tails here but we dock them long so they have a very nice pompom. 

What does "poodle my doodle" mean?

Poodle my doodle means to make a mix breed poodle look like a purebred poodle. There are beginning to be more mix breed poodles in the world today and people want to make them look like a poodle for some reason. This is not always possible but doing so would mean they shave the face clean and try and give them a pompom on the end of their tail. Feet are clean shaven. 

What are some helpful tips on potty training my dog?

The best advice I can give you on potty training your dog is to be very consistent. Set a timer for reminders, have treats ready to reward, praise them, use the same repetitive commands, use the same area to take them potty, and never scold them for an accident. A good rule of thumb is to measure the time by their age. A three to four month old puppy should work towards holding it for three to four hours. A five month old puppy should be able to hold it for up to five hours. This is not always true for each dog but it is a goal you can work towards. If very consistent, you can have your dog completely trained by six months of age. Crate training works wonderful if not abused and the dog is left in the crate for too long of periods. 

Registration,  Showing, Breeding

 Do your puppies come with AKC papers?

All of our AKC poodles will come with AKC papers. We only have one poodle that we did not register with AKC (lost her papers) so most all of our dogs will come with full AKC papers. When we post our puppies for sale, we let you know this information as well.  Generally, the only time we withhold AKC papers is if we discount a puppy or it is a tiny female we do not think is safe for breeding.

Do you give breeding rights?

If we feel you are a good candidate to own one of our poodles, we must trust you. If we trust you to take home one of our beloved poodles, we trust you will treat him/her right and give them a life they deserve. We will not sell one of our poodle puppies to anyone we do not feel is a good candidate to own a dog in general. Unless stated otherwise, all of our poodles will come with AKC papers that are not limited. We will not force you to spay or neuter your poodle unless it is required by a veterinarian due to health issues. We do not tell you how to raise your children and these are family members.

Do you show your poodles with AKC?

We have been breeding toy poodles since the late 90's and have been to AKC shows to watch and learn. We are just now embarking on a show career and trying to breed show dogs. We have always tried to breed to the standard but not always correct on color and pattern. Not everyone wants a show dog and we love parti and phantom poodles. However, we are working on our red, silver, and white lines so we can start showing them very soon! Our first home grown show dog is a silver male in training right now and will be shown in 2023!

Do you produce AKC show quality toy poodles?

Yes we breed show quality toy poodles! We strive to produce a beautiful show dog! Not all of our toy poodles are show quality but we are working to achieve show poodles in red, silver, and white (black is possible as well). Not only do we have toy poodles for showing in conformation, we have some very awesome agility poodles as well.

What is the difference between a show and pet quality poodle?

Not every color pattern is showable in AKC conformation. Parti markings and phantom markings are not acceptable by the AKC. They are register-able and can compete in agility though. 
Not all poodles are created equal. The body must be square and tails set high, temperaments good enough to learn how to stack and walk in a show ring. Not all poodles make it that far. Today, too many breeders are breeding to make money and not care about the look of a poodle. The health is just as important as the look if not, more-so. Humans produce babies that are different sizes every day. Not every poodle is born to be a show dog. However, evry poodle is born to be part of a family!

How long does a female dog stay in heat?

A dogs heat cycle can very in length. I had a Golden Retriever come in heat and remain for thirty days! I have had toy poodles come in heat and stay anywhere from two to three weeks. Every dog is different but once you see swelling and then blood, you can figure that it will last a couple of weeks. If you have a female dog in heat, you need to keep a very close eye on it and do not let it unattended to outdoors! Dogs can smell a female in heat miles away!

How long is a dogs pregnancy/gestation period?

A typical dog gestation period is 58 - 63 days.

How many puppies can a Toy Poodle have?

Our experience with litter sizes of toy poodles are anywhere from one puppy (singleton) to seven puppies. On average, our toy poodles have three puppies in a litter. Our very small (4-5 pounds) momma poodles have just one or two puppies per litter. 

Health, Exercise & Nutrition

Do your puppies come with a genetic and health guarantee?

All of our parent toy poodles have been DNA health tested through Embark. They all see our vet at Tender Care Animal Hospital (Dr. Larson, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Wittington) annually if not more often. We are very much on top of good health with our dogs. We do not let any puppy leave our home until our vets have seen the puppies, given them a thorough exam, first set of puppy shots, fecals, health certificate, and a green light to let them go to their new homes. We guarantee all of puppies against any life threatening genetic diseases for one full year. 

What is the best food to feed my toy poodle?

The best food to feed your toy poodle may not be the most convenient or economical food to feed. After over two decades of research and trying new things, we still feel that feeding a raw diet is the absolute best food you can offer your toy poodle.  As Dr. Karen Becker (licensed veterinarian), the worst food you can feed is an unbalanced raw diet. So be sure if you feed raw, it is balanced. Balanced doesn't mean balanced daily. As long as you balance out your food each week, they will grow and remain healthy toy poodles for a long life. 
​We understand that not all new owners will want to feed raw so we do not start puppies on raw because the switch would be too stressful and cause digestive upsets for them. They are started on a hard kibble and remain on it until they go home. Our favorite hard kibble foods are Nature's Variety RawBoost Instinct and 4Health.

How often do you need to feed a puppy?

The way we feed our poodle puppies is going to be different than we recommend to you. We feed litters together so to ensure they all get plenty to eat, we free-feed. This means that food is left out at all times. Night time it is removed depending on the age of the puppies. Once you take your puppy home, they should not be free fed. This is beause it makes house training much more difficult. I recommend that you offer your puppy food 3-4 times a day depending on their size and age. The smaller puppies will require food much more often to be sure they do not become hypoglycemic. As they get older you can cut back to three feedings a day unless they are going to be an extremely tiny poodle. Adult poodles can be fed just twice a day. Until your poodle is a full year of age, I recommend scheduled feedings at least three times a day or more. 

Are poodles hypoallergenic?

Poodles are one of the very few dog breeds that have extremely low dander because they are not a shedding breed of dog. If you ever see their hair shed more than a curly-q that may have been torn off, your poodle is not purebred.  There is ABSOLUTELY NO SUCH THING as a hypoallergenic dog! If someone is allergic to dogs, they stand a chance of being allergic to a poodle. Test the waters! Find someone who owns a poodle and spend time with it. This will tell you if you will have an allergic reaction to a poodle. Make sure the dog is clean and purebred. A dirty dog will cause a reaction for the most subtle allergens. Not everyone keeps their dogs clean and well groomed so be sure to choose the right dog for the test. I once had a customer who went camping with friends that owned a poodle. The husband was highly allergic to dogs so he choose to sleep on the floor with the poodle to see if he would have a reaction. His test turned out wonderful. He had no reaction. I have a granddaughter who is highly allergic to our animals but as long as our dogs are bathed weekly, she can snuggle and hug our poodles all day long. Not to get off topic but, feeding your poodle a raw diet can also help with human allergies! What you put in our mouth does affect the body!

 When can I get my puppy altered (spayed/neutered)?

Since I started breeding toy poodles (over two decades ago), the vets have always told me to schedule puppies at six months of age to be spayed or neutered. You should always consult with your veterinarian of choice on this matter and take their advice.

Do you force new owners to spay and neuter our puppies?

We do NOT require that you spay or neuter your toy poodle puppy when it is of age to do so.  I have had customers lose their pets from being over anesthetized and I have had owners not agree to having this surgery done. I do believe in controlling the pet population by responsible breeding only. However, once you buy your puppy, he or she is your child now. I am not going to force my beliefs upon anyone or control what you do with your puppy after you purchase it. We are here for the lifetime of your poodle to help in any way we can but we will not tell you what to do with our poodle. 

How can I transition my dog to a new food?

When switching puppy food, you must do so slowly, over a period of time. If your puppy is on hard kibble and you switch to a different brand of hard kibble, you will want to mix 3/4 old food with 1/4 new food on day one. Day two you will mix 1/2 and 1/2 old/new food. Day three you will mix 1/4 old food and 3/4 new food.  Then on day four you will be totally switched over to the new food.  If you have enough food to switch slower than this, I do recommend doing so. For example, Day one and two mix 1/4 of the new food.  Day three and four, mix 1/2 and 1/2 and then on day five and six, you can mix 3/4 of the new food with just 1/4 of the old food. By day seven, you will be 100% on the new feed.  The slower the transition the better.  The only problems that can arise from switching kibble is digestive upsets that can lead to diarrhea.  This should only last a day or two and their stools will firm back up. If not, there could be something in the new food that is not agreeing with the puppy and you will need to seek a veterinarians advice. If you want, you can also add probiotics to their water that can help settle the digestive upset or give the a small spoonful of yogurt with live cultures.

Should I buy dog insurance for my poodle?

We do not use dog insurance for our poodles but if I were to just own one or two dogs, I would certainly consider it. There are a few insurance companies that come to mind but the one I have always heard good things about is called Trupanion.

​What vaccinations do you recommend our puppy get each year?

Puppy boosters begin around age 8 or 9 weeks of age here. You can begin them sooner but we have no reason to start sooner and our puppies are very small. Sometimes our vets do not give a full dose when inoculating our puppies. This booster covers a few different puppy viruses and needs to be given every three to four weeks until they are 16 weeks of age. It is best that puppies receive a minimum of three puppy boosters the first year. Each state has an age requirement for rabies. Some states are 16 weeks of age and others may be 6 months of age. You must abide by your state regulations and have your poodle vaccinated at the appropriate age for rabies. They may also have to register with your county as well so be sure to check the laws in your city, county, and state levels. This is for all dogs regardless of pet or breeding. There are other vaccinations that are not required but recommended in some areas. Canine influenza, limes, corona, leptospirosis, and possibly others that may be recommended by your veterinarian.  Kennel cough is something your will want to vaccinate your dog for if you plan on ever boarding him/her in a commercial facility while traveling. This vaccination is called Bordetella. In general, the only state required vaccination that I am aware of is Rabies. It would be very negligent to not vaccinate with an annual booster for the basic dog diseases because they are present and do kill dogs. Some vets will give three year boosters just like the three year rabies.

My dog ate something bad and I'm afraid it may make him sick, what can I do quickly? 

If your dog ate something you fear is toxic, the quickest thing you can do is to force them to vomit. Peroxide will make a dog throw up pretty quickly. If you can force your dog to drink peroxide and get him to the vet quickly, this is the only advice I can give in an emergency situation. Spoiled meat may make your dog sick but won't kill it. Dogs have a different digestive system than we do. As gross as it may sound, they can handle eating road kill and not become fatally ill like a human would. As with anything, bad food will likely give your dog diarrhea. Don't forget to check with your vet on any situation that you question.

I live in an apartment. Is this too small of a space for a toy poodle to live?

Considering how small a toy poodle is, they do not need a lot of space to run and play. Toy poodles stand no taller than ten inches at the shoulder. A true toy poodle will not typically weigh much over seven pounds unless it is unhealthy.  Even studio apartments are enough room for a toy poodle to run around and get enough exercise each day.

Do I need to put a sweater on my poodle in the winter time outside and inside the house?

It is nice to put a doggy sweater on your toy poodle when taking him/her out in the cold winter weather. However, they have a coat on at all times so you do not need to keep a sweater on them indoors. In fact, you can cause your dog to overheat if you leave a sweater on him inside at all times.

How do you stop tear staining on light colored dogs?

Tear staining is that problem that a lot of light colored dogs have. There is no quick fix to this problem. Many factors can cause tear staining.  Most of the time, tear staining is a result of food that they do not do well with. Just like scratching and licking/chewing their feet. You can do a process of elimination and see what is causing the issues or you can run a blood test to check for allergies. Another possibility that causes tear staining is a clogged tear duct. Not all vets are willing to entertain this idea but I have read about it enough to know it is real. Find a good vet that can eliminate this as a possible culprit if it bothers you enough to check into. The last problem is certainly not something you can fix. Some poodles have such small faces and an over flow of tears. Their little chiseled faces are just made to where the tears sit and grow bacteria and cause staining. There are wipes you can use and wipe their eyes daily. There are products you can add to their food that is supposed to help eliminate the problem. I have heard that adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to their water can change the pH levels and eliminate the problem. I have read that using a glass dish rather than a plastic dish for their water is helpful. I'm unsure if this one is true. Then last but not least is the type of water your dog drinks. I have heard that bottled water can eliminate the staining as well. 
Just remember that allergies normally cause discolored fur on dogs. Saliva causes stains and this comes from licking and chewing. Food causes reactions and bacteria grows in places we do not want. I once read that blueberries in their diet can help eliminate tear stains. I'm on the fence on most of these because I have not found anything but a change in food that helps SOME of our poodles.
​

What kinds of foods should I be extra careful to not let my dog eat?

Table scraps can often have seasonings that dogs should not have. Too much grease can cause flair ups of digestive upsets. Grapes are a huge no no as well as any fruit pits or apple seeds.  I have read not to let your dogs eat garlic but that is not completely true. Some garlic is actually good for your dog but too much is toxic. Onion is bad for dogs and chocolate is absolutely bad for dogs. The product that makes candy gummy is bad for dogs so any kind of chewy or gummy candies are a no no. There are lots of plants that are toxic and many more things that you will want to keep your dogs far from. Anti-freeze is known to be the killer of many animals over many years. It has a sweet smell and flavor apparently and is extremely deadly. Google toxic foods, toxic plants, toxic products for dogs and you will get a much more detailed list that will be very helpful as a pet owner. Here is a tip for you to always remember. Peroxide ingested forces vomiting. If you ever see your dog or cat eat something toxic, you can induce vomiting by forcing them to drink peroxide quickly and then rush them to your ER veterinarian.

There is so much conflicting info online about dog food. Can or should dogs have grains in their feed?

Sometimes you just need to sit back and let your gut guide you. Common sense can help you more than reading too much garbage online. Dogs ancestors are wolves. Wolves were not grazing in the fields for plants, nuts, and grains. They were preying upon live animals for their meat. There are no grains that must be eaten by dogs in order for them to have a balanced diet.  However, oats can be fed as a good source of fiber. I would steer clear of corn as it seems to be another one of those foods that dogs are often allergic to. Many dog food companies of hard kibble will use grains, lentils, corn, and worse as fillers in their food to make the canine feel full with less nutrition. This is a huge reason why I am an advocate for raw canine diets. As for grains, they can cause allergies so you will want to be very observant of your dogs behavior if you feed a food with grains. Studies have proven that the lack of grains do NOT cause health issues. I still see a copy of a vet report floating around on social media stating that no grains cause heart issues. This has been proven false! Dogs do NOT need grains but if they are not harming your dog, there is nothing unsafe about feeding them. 

My dog recently passed away. How long should I wait before getting another dog?

Dogs passing away is a very sad and heartfelt topic. I have sold numerous poodle puppies to families because their family pet passed away. You can never replace a beloved pet but you can fill that void that is causing so much pain in your heart. Many years ago, I tried to shut down my breeding business because one of my poodles died. I could hardly take it! I was in mourning for days and then weeks. In the end, that dog that passed came from a breeder friend of mine. She reached out to me and calmed me down. She just so happened to have a full sister to my dog from a new litter. Guess what I did? Yep, I bought her and made that 24 hour road trip to go pick her up from states away. I have been in your shoes multiple times. Death is hard, human or pet! However, living without a pet is even harder in my opinion. You will know when you are ready. If you only own one dog and it passes, you will think you are hearing its pitter patter of feet walking across the hardwood or vinyl floors and then quickly realize... you are imagining things! I've been there and you will miss those little sounds of their feet and the greetings and unconditional love daily. When you see a puppy that looks at you with those eyes, you will know it's time!

​How do I make sure my new puppy does not stress out when we first get him home?

It is always easier to acclimate a new puppy into a home with other pets. The other pets usually make the puppy feel welcome and our puppies are used to other animals in the house. Sometimes it is children that make the puppy feel right at home.  As long as you give that puppy attention, keep a close eye on it, and take care of the simple daily needs, your puppy will acclimate within 48 hours believe it or not! If you are gone a lot, you will need to plan according so your puppy does not get scared and expect you when you are unable to be there. You can use a playpen rather than a crate. You can hire a dog walker or ask the neighbor to check in on the puppy. You can set up cameras and speakers where you can talk to the puppy when away. There are millions of pet homes that are not home all of the time. There are solutions if you look hard enough. Watch for signs of diarrhea and make sure the puppy is eating. You would think that a puppy will eat if they get hungry enough but this is completely NOT true. Unfortunately I have seen this happen when a customer did not follow our directions and it did not end well. So please reach out to us and keep us informed on how your puppy is doing that first week especially! In any case, if you fear something is wrong, it does warrant a visit to your vet and there are medications the vet can give to clear up diarrhea and even stop vomiting if it gets bad. Every situation can be different. For the last few years since we started breeding again, we have never had a single puppy stress out where new owners reached out to us in concern thank the good Lord!

​What are the best treats for my toy poodle?

The best treats are something that you can give as often as you want and they do not cause a digestive upset or diarrhea. All natural treats such as dehydrated chicken are a favorite! Some dogs are allergic to some proteins so you will want to choose something that is not going to make your poodle sick. You can make homemade dehydrated treats right at home in your oven! Remember, a very tiny pinch is enough for a dog to love! Do not feed large treats to your poodle. Nature's Variety Instinct makes a freeze dried raw topper that they sell in small bags. These are my dogs favorite treats!

​What is hypoglycemia in small dogs and how do you treat it?

Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. Small dogs can become hypoglycemic if they do not eat enough or often enough. They are usually very playful and active but sometimes only nibble or can be finicky eaters. If they burn too much energy and do not have enough food to keep up, their blood sugar levels will drop. This is not a fault or genetic problem, it is no different than a human not eating enough. To prevent this from happening, you need to offer food more often for your small poodles and keep a tube of Nutri Cal on hand for emergencies or prevention. To treat a hypoglycemic episode, you need to get sugar in them very quickly! What happens is the dog will become very weak, stagger as if intoxicated or unable to walk and then if ignored, they will have a seizure and go into a comma which can result in death. We have never lost a poodle puppy or dog at any age to hypoglycemia. As long as you know how to avoid,  prevent, and treat for this, you will not have a problem.  Some people add a teaspoon of corn syrup to the water dish as running source of sugar. Some people give their puppies a squirt of nutri cal once or twice a day. If a puppy becomes hypoglycemic, you need to get sugar in the very quickly. They may not seem able to eat but more than likely they can. If you do not have nutri cal on hand, corn syrup, honey, or even pancake syrup will work. You just want to syringe a teaspoon or two in their mouth and make sure they swallow. If needed, you can mix with water or help them wash it down with a squirt of water. As long as you caught them in time and it is indeed hypoglycemia causing the fit, you will see results within fifteen to thirty minutes. Then you need to figure out what caused it. Take your puppy to the vet immediately and tell them exactly what you did and what happened. Do not let the doctor tell you it was not sugar related if you see a good result from feeding them sugar. I have had this happen once and it was terrible. It cost a family thousands of dollars to find out the vet was wrong. The dog had nutri cal and came out of the fit. By the time they got to the vet and drew blood, the sugar levels were normal. They ruled out a sugar problem and tried to get her to do surgery on the puppy for something else. After a week in the hospital, a specialist finally out ruled the other possible problem and the puppy was fine. Once you administer sugar to a puppy that is having a hypoglycemic fit, their sugar levels will raise and be normal. This is why I tell you to find out what happened, how it happened, get your vet involved, and make sure you are very transparent about how you dealt with it. Puppies can play rough and wear themselves out quickly. Sometimes that is all it takes if a puppy only weighs a couple of pounds.

​Can small dogs be food aggressive?

Full grown poodles that weigh only two or three pounds can absolutely be food aggressive. As funny as it may look or sound to hear them growl or snap, it is not funny when they do it to the wrong animal. This needs to be corrected to protect them from a future fight.

What causes my poodles white paws to be discolored?

Discolored fur on a dog can be a result of that dog licking all of the time. Saliva will cause a pink to brown stain and you will notice these stains around the mouth of a white or light colored poodle. They can have the same discolored areas on their feet or any other part they can reach to lick or chew on. This is typically brought about because of an allergy. I recommend having an allergy test to see what the cause is because your dog is probably miserable and something so simple could help him/her. Fleas can also cause a reddish colored stain on a dog. Dogs can be allergic to fleas as well!

Do toy poodles have to drink bottled water?

Dogs can drink tap water, well water, or any kind of bottled water you choose for them. City water can have a lot of chlorine in it so people do not like to drink it

What is the purpose of adding apple cider vinegar to a dogs drinking water?

Apple Cider Vinegar may sound like an odd thing to add to your dogs water, but we highly recommend it. Doing so will have these positive effects on your poodles health. Internal benefits: can help eliminate tear stained eyes, helps develop a stronger immune system, helps with controlling weight, and helps improve digestion and ph balance. Externally it can help maintain healthy skin, helps produce shiny coats and eliminate potty odors.

Is there enough room to own a poodle in my small condominium?

Owning a poodle when you live in a small condo is not a problem as long as you have the owners permission. This is no different than living in an apartment with small poodle. They do not require a lot of room because they are small dogs and they should do just fine in this living situation. See our answer for living in an apartment as well for more details.

What is the best daily vitamin for my toy poodle?

As long as you feed an excellent brand of food, you will not necessarily need any vitamins. However, there are always extra nutrients your dog could use that may not be included in his/her daily diet. This reigns especially true if you are feeding a hard kibble. If you want to add a vitamin, we recommend NuVet. You can read more about this daily vitamin here.

​What is the average lifespan of a toy poodle?

If a toy poodle is of healthy breeding lines and well taken care of their entire life, they stand a good chance of living into their late teen years or more! 

What diseases are carried in poodles that are tested for?

We use Embark to test for poodle related diseases. They test for the following in small poodles: GM2 Gangliosidosis, Neonatal Encephalopathy with Seizures - NEWS, Osteochondrodysplasia - Skeletal Dwarfism,  Progressive Retinal Atrophy - prcd, Von Willebrand Disease Type I - Type I vWD
Embark also tests for Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I) which is extremely controversial! Even our veterinarian is puzzled why they include this test for any poodle breed. This is found in dogs with long bodies that carry the risk of back injuries. This is not a disease, it is only considered a risk. However, just because most poodles are found to be double carriers of this risk, an extremely low number are affected unless they have had a back injury.  The purebred poodle has such a small gene pool that it is impossible to breed this risk out of the breed.

What kind of DNA health testing is done on your adult poodles?

The DNA Health testing we do on all of our adult poodles is through Embark. If you would like to view the results of their tests, please go to each individul dogs info and look for their results button posted that will redirect you to the Embark website. We have opened all results for public viewing 24/7. 

Should I spay/neuter my poodle?
​

If you own a male poodle with no intensions of ever breeding, I do recommend that you have him neutered by six months of age. This will eliminate any thought of marking, lifting his leg, or becoming aggressive when females are present. 
If you own a female poodle with no intesions of ever breeding, I do recommend that you have her spayed at six months of age. This will remove the puberty and hormonal period as well as her heat cycle that can become very smelly and messy to deal with. Females in heat can and do attract male dogs from far away. Unaltered females also stand a chance of getting a uterine infection called Pyometra which can be open or closed forms. Closed forms are harder to notice and can lead to death if not diagnosed in time. Open pyometra will be easier to detect because of the infection seeping out of the females vulva. The best cure is to spay and keep your dog safe. I am not telling you to spay or neuter your poodle but this is my opinion if you do not plan to breed.

 Is it important to have a heart worm test on my poodle?

Heart worm is a serious and possible fatal problem for dogs. Heart worm can begin from mosquitos and we all know that there are mosquitos everywhere. Mosquitos are the host for heart worm. So it is important if your dog spends any time outdoors during seasons where mosquitos are present to be on a heartworm prevention medicine. Before your doctor will prescribe a prevention medicine, he will need to do a quick blood draw to test for heart worm. It is important and could catch an early onset of heart worm infection. It is treatable but not pleasant and not always ends well if caught too late. 

Are poodle mixes hypoalergenic?

Pure bred poodles are not hypoallergenic so there is no way possible for any mix of dog to be 100% hypoallergenic. The safest bet for a hypoallergenic mix breed dog is for the mix to be with two non shedding breeds. There aren't many non shedding breeds but you stand a better chance of less allergic reactions this way. Any mix of a poodle with a shedding breed will have some shedding. Do not trust anyone that tells you otherwise.

At what age is a puppy fully vaccinated or finished with the puppy shots?

Puppies are finished with their puppy shots after they receive a series of three boosters and are 16 weeks of age. They also need a rabies vaccination at the appropriate age according to your state. In Illinois, that age is also 16 weeks of age. 

Are smaller poodles less healthy because of their size?

Unless a dogs growth is stunted because it was born with a disability or an illness struck them, toy breed dogs can weigh two pounds or seven pounds. It is typically genetic and you will see smaller dogs produced from small breeding lines. This wold not be unhealthy for those lines. An example of mix sizes in litters is our Brulee and Malibu. Brulee took after her mom Latte and is very small and petite. Malibu took after her dad which is a heavier boned, bigger poodle. Born in the same litter and both very healthy. 

How do I get a finicky dog to eat?

Sometimes leaving food down at all times (hard kibble) can cause a dog to be a finicky eater and they just nibble on their food occasionally rather than eating an entire meal in one sitting. Rather than free feeding like this, try offering small meals multiple times a day. We have very small poodles and some of them were becoming finicky like this. We have fed raw for many years but at times switched over to kibble for various reasons. They do this on hard kibble only from what I have seen. When I realized the hard kibble was causing this issue, we switched back to 100% raw feeding and I literally can spoon feed these finicky dogs, put weight back on them quickly and they are back on track with their diet. Sometimes switching food helps or switching the protein in their food can entice them to eat more.

Why does my  poodle have two rows of teeth?

Two rows of teeth on a dog is usually because they retained their baby teeth. If they have still not fallen out by the time they are a year old, you can have your vet remove them. This is very common in very small toy poodles. If you do not have them removed and they do not come out on their own, they will grow more tarter build up and cause your dog to have crooked teeth and lead to more dental problems in the future. It will cause problems in their future so plan a removal at their first dental and keep them safe.

​How do I clean tear stains?

If you do not get to the root of the problem which is very difficult to do, you will have to wipe your dogs eyes daily to clean up any tear staining on them. Stains can be caused by food, water, and allergies. It can be an overflow of tears or clogged tear ducts as well. Wiping their eyes often helps and keeping their face clean shaven often gives a cleaner look. I recommend seeking your vets opinion to find out the cause. Vets can do allergy tests which are the leading cause of staining on dogs fur. 

What is the importance of dentals in small dogs?

Small dogs typically have more issues with keeping their teeth clean. It requires a veterinarian to clean their teeth, sometimes annually to have a healthy dog mouth. If left untreated, the teeth will rot, cause gum disease, and worse yet, lead to toxins in the blood and be fatal. This is the extreme of a neglecting dental care. It is best for owners to brush their dogs teeth from a very young age and this can help save you lots of money from dentals with your vet in the future!

What is coccidia?

Coccidia aka cocci and coccidiosis is a protozoa that is dormant in the intestines. It is commonly referred to as a parasite but is tis indeed a protozoa. Not that it matters, they are treated pretty much the same. When a puppy gets upset, this protozoa can become active and irritate the intestinal lining which thus causes the loose stool you see in new puppies that can be accompanied with mucous and blood.  If ignored, it can be very serious and fatal. When bringing home a new puppy, it is very important to keep a close eye on them because stress is inevitable and coccidia is one of the very common reactions to stress in puppies. If you know what to watch for, you can catch it and treat it quickly and easily. Remember, when a puppy moves from the breeder, everything is new to them. new sounds, smells, voices, faces, and everything is different in their new world. Too much activity, traveling around being shown off (I strongly recommend not doing so with a new puppy), and never seeing their momma or littermates can cause puppies to become scared. Although you shower your new pup with attention and lots of love, they will still have some sort of reaction to all of the changes. Loose stool is one of the first signs besides lack of apatite.  Stools can become loose, then mucousy or even a tint of pink may appear in it (blood). Not to worry, it is something that commonly happens but doesn't have to become worse. In all honesty, you may see it one day and by the next day it is gone and stools firm up and are back to normal. Nothing more needs to be done in these better cases. You should not miss this because you will be diligently working on house training and will notice. Get your puppy established with your veterinarian quickly and continue with your puppy vaccinations. Vets are well versed with coccidia and have many medications that will clear up cocci very quickly! 
Dogs are often treated at home with a medication called toltrazuril. Vets use ponazuril today.  Sulfadimethoxine (sulfa drugs) were the most common medication (antibiotic) for treatment. Albon was the go-to for us two decades ago. Today there are coccidiocidal medications that are the newer quicker treatment.  However, if you see more drastic symptoms like vomiting, you should seek a vet for treatment immediately. Dehydration can set in quickly and require more treatment such as sub-q fluids. 
Humans are not affected by the type of coccidia dogs get.

​What is giardia?

Giardia is very similar to coccidia because they are both protozoans. It can lay dormant in the dogs intestines just the same. The difference between the two is, giardia does not always cause diarrhea, vomiting or any other signs of illness.  If no symptoms are seen, it is commonly caught by the lab when a fecal is done. Giardia can be spread/caught by drinking infected water (mud puddles, any water that has been contaminated. If a dog even sniffs another dogs stool that is infected, they can get it. If the ground is contaminated with giardia, a dog can catch it from the ground alone. It is not hard for a dog to be contaminated but it is very easy to treat. Humans can also be affected by giardia. It is sometimes referred to as beaver fever in people. Travelers get it from contaminated water. Have an annual fecal done on your dog to ensure they are good and healthy. Typically a five day treatment of fenbendazole will kill giardia. It is also not life threatening as long as the dogs immune system is strong, not compromised or immature. 

Are all puppies born with worms?

I used to believe that all puppies were born with round worms. Round worms are very obvious to the naked eye. They look like spaghetti. When I started breeding toy poodles over two decades ago, we wormed our puppies on a strict schedule. I can't remember exactly what it was but I am guessing at 4,6, and 8 weeks. It was a lot I remember. Today, we do not worm our pups like this because our parent dogs do not have worms. If momma dog has worms, they pass them onto the puppies.  We have been advised by our vet to not worm puppies without doing a fecal first. So we do not worm our puppies until we get fecal results back and most of the time the fecals come back negative. If you have a dog that has worms, you will treat them with dewormer and then repeat the treatment 10 days later to be sure no eggs were left behind the first round that may have hatched. After these two treatments, your dog should be worm free. 

What kind of external parasite prevention do you recommend?

Over the years there have been lots of new medications invented to prevent and treat external parasites. Many years ago there were only topical solutions that you applied on the back of the neck to protect your small domestic animals from fleas, ticks, biting lice, and mites. Frontline and Advantage are still very popular and can be purchased over the counter. However, today there are pills that you can give your pets that last 30 days that do the same thing and sometimes better. Some of these pill forms also have heart worm prevention in them as well. There are too many brand names to mention but it is important to protect your pet and put them on a monthly prevention especially during the warmer months where they can be infected. The pill forms are prescription only so you will need to discuss with your veterinarian on which is best and watch closely for any adverse reactions from the medications. You will want to protect your pets from mosquitos (heart worm host), ticks (limes disease host), fleas, lice, and mites (sarcoptic mange and ear mites). It is an easy fix if you prevent it rather than make your animal miserable by going through being infected. Remember, if you get an infestation of fleas, they can invade your home, carpet, furniture, and bedding as well as your yard. We once purchased a home infested with fleas without knowing it because the fleas were on the animals and did not ever bother us when looking at the home. Once the animals were removed and the house was emptied, the egg that were in the carpet hatched and it was a disgusting, horrific mess! We had to remove all flooring and call in an exterminator to spray multiple times, including our entire yard! Flea bombs do not work on eggs. You need the super chemicals that the professionals have because they will kill the reproductive cycle and eggs as well. Believe me, we tried to handle it ourselves and it was a waste of time and money. We would have saved money by hiring the professionals had we known. 

Does precautionary wormer kill all worms in dogs?

Regular dewormer that treats roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and pinworm will not kill tape worm or heart worm. Roundworm and hookworm are the most common worms found in dogs. You can typically buy over the counter dewormer at farm stores that treat these. Heartworm needs a special kind of wormer medication given every month that is prescribed by your vet. Tapeworm is brought on from a dog ingesting a flea. Tapeworm looks like a grain of rice if dried up. If it is fresh and alive still, it will be a flat segment that could be one piece or several segments hooked together like linguini that are only a centimeter long still attached to each other. You have to get a specific kind of dewormer to kill tapeworm because regular dewormer will not kill them. 

What causes a dog to get tape worm?

The host for tapeworm is a flea. If a dog bites at fleas and ingest one, it will turn into tapeworm. Tapeworm medication is not the regular dewormer and needs to be purchased from your veterinarian. The medication in tapewormer is called praziquantel. You may be able to buy them online but expect the pill count to be low with a higher price. 

Are some doodles and Poodle mixes hypoallergenic?

There are no bomb-proof hypoallergenic dogs that exist. Believe it or not, some people with allergies to dogs are still allergic to poodles. Although poodles do not shed, they have a tiny bit of dander. Bathing your dog often with a safe shampoo made for dogs is the best way to keep your allergies at bay. 
As for mix breeds, there are no guarantees that you will not have a reaction to them. Anything mixed with a poodle will take away your pureness. If you mix with a shedding breed, you just canceled out the non shedding completely! There are no such thing as a hypoallergenic mix breed dog or doodle.  Anyone who claims their dog is hypoallergenic is dishonest. They may even believe this to be true but there is no such dog in existence today.

What is IVDD?

IVDD stands for Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I). Sometimes this term is often connected with Chondrodystrophy as well and written CDDY/IVDD. Embark DNA testing does test for these risks in poodles and it is a puzzle to my vet as to why. The IVDD linkage test is provisional with Embark. Taken right off of the Embark website, they state that provisional tests are for rare disorders for which DNA from carrier and affected individuals are not available for calculating test reliability, or for structural variants where more testing is needed to ensure the same level of accuracy (questions can be directed to [email protected]). 
Most poodles are carriers of one or two copies of IVDD. The gene pool is much too small to find poodles not carrying IVDD. The bigger poodles are much easier to find clear of IVDD. In fact, our miniature poodle is not a carrier. Our toys are all carriers. Embark states that "our poodles carry copies of an FGF4 retrogene on chromosome 12. In some breeds such as Beagles, Cocker Spaniels, and Dachshunds (among others) this variant is found in nearly all dogs. While those breeds are known to have an elevated risk of IVDD, many dogs in those breeds never develop IVDD. For mixed breed dogs and purebreds of other breeds where this variant is not as common, risk for Type I IVDD is greater for individuals with this variant than for similar dogs."
After discussing with our veterinarian of 30+ years experience, I am told that this is not a risk at all in our poodles and it is only a factor when an injury occurs. He does not understand why Embark tests poodles of any size for IVDD. Back injuries can occur in any human or animal. Scaring customers into thinking they are buying a dog with a risk is absurd! Please do your research on more cases of IVDD. I have owned poodles for almost 40 years and never had a single case of IVDD.

 
​Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type I)Chondrodystrophy and Intervertebral Disc Disease, CDDY/IVDD, Type I IVDD

Travel & Safety

HOW DO I KNOW YOU ARE A REPUTABLE POODLE BREEDER?

Reputable breeders love their dogs and treat them as pets first and foremost. We take our dogs to our vets for everything and do not play doctor ourselves. We give every customer a copy of our vet records for each puppy so they can take it to their vet and be able to reach out to our vets office if there are any questions. We have every puppy examined by our vets before ever letting them leave us. They go home current on vaccinations and have had a fecal done to ensure they are healthy and free of parasites (internally and externally). All of our dogs are DNA health tested to ensure we are not breeding sick lines. We feed the best food possible regardless of the expense. I have done decades of studies on dog food. The results have always came back 100% balanced raw fed diets are best. Because raw dog food is expensive, we do not set our customers up for feeding raw. Most of our customers want to feed a hard kibble that is more economical and convenient. Puppies are only fed raw AFTER sold, before they go home, IF buyer wants to feed the puppy a raw diet. We guarantee our puppies health and we allow our customers to come to our house to see the puppies in person. We always offer to show you the parent dogs because that is important to know what your puppy could look like and you can see first hand that we take good care of our dogs. Our dogs are always kept clean and groomed. In fact, our vets tell us that they are shocked at how nice of shape our dogs are when they see them. They have told us that pet owners bring in dogs that look worse than our dogs every day. Our dogs get a bath and groom as often as they need it. If they need a bath every week, that is what they get. They have annual dentals done if needed so they have a healthy mouth. Our dogs are at the vet for at least an annual check up at the minimum. Every one of our dogs know their names and have basic obedience training. They are not in a commercial kennel but rather OUR HOME because, as I said above, they are our pets. They sleep in our beds, play with our kids and grandkids, go to ball games, take trips often to PetSmart and Tractor Supply. All of our puppies are born right into MY hands because I am with them the entire time. Pregnant dogs sleep on my pillow right next to my head because you never know when they are going to go into labor and I won't miss it! I have my vets' cell numbers that allow me to text them all hours of the day and night if I need help. Don't be surprised if you see me drive by with several poodles hooked into their carseats and going with me to run errands. They have cute collars, clothes, and necklaces. Most of the time, our poodles have their topknots pulled up into a bow and people love doting over them everywhere they are seen. Don't forget to check out their perfect toenails that are sometimes painted. Sometimes glitter nail polish is what the kids choose for them! 
​I can go on and on and tell you that I love my dogs and they are well cared for. You will learn a lot from speaking to me about my poodles. I have owned at least one poodle since the 1980's and bred them since the late 90's. I have researched everything you can think of from food/diet, grooming, health, training, housing, and the list is endless. Sometimes I forget and start all over on research so I can be on top of what is best for my dogs. 
My advice to anyone looking to buy an animal of any sort is to speak with the breeder. You should be able to get a gut feeling for what is right or wrong about how someone runs their business. And yes, a breeder is running a business. There are bills and hours of labor involved. If it were a hobby, they would not be selling the animals. So do some homework, make your decisions based on your gut instinct. God gave each one of us the ability to know right from wrong and that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach is there for a reason! Don't text someone and expect to know what you need to know about them. People can put on a show and there are a lot of scammers in our messed up world today. Please be very careful. The last thing you need to do is check references. Don't waste your time checking references if you have a bad feeling about someone, just move onto the next. There are many breeders to choose from! When you get a good feeling for the one that is right for you, get some references of past customers, veterinarians, and take it from there. No breeder is worth messing with if they cannot give you references, speak to you on the phone, and get to know you as well. Also, do not buy from anyone who does not have proof that the puppies are real. A good tip is to make sure they have a website, not just social media. Websites take a lot more effort and time to build. Social media can be put up in a matter of minutes. Video chats are awesome and there is no excuse for not being able to do a video chat with the technology today...NONE! Red flags will fly up if someone gives you an excuse that they cannot do a video chat! I can go on and on but you be the judge, give me a call and ask me any questions you like. I am very transparent. You will know a lot about me just by reading my website. I tell the stories on the puppies for sale page for each puppy that is born here! I like to share my experience with possible future owners and it is something for them to get excited about. God bless you and I wish you all the luck in your search for the right puppy for you!

DO YOU RECOMMEND A CAR SEAT FOR MY TOY POODLE?

I use car seats for my poodles and love them. It keeps them safe if I were to slam on my breaks or worse, get hit. It is best to use a harness on your dog if hooking them into a car seat but that is not always an option. Safety is never underestimated!

​WHEN CAN I TAKE MY PUPPY OUT IN PUBLIC SAFELY WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT IT CATCHING AN ILLNESS?

Never take your puppy out in public or let them down on the ground in a public area until they are fully vaccinated. They are fully vaccinated after three puppy boosters and sixteen weeks of age. Rabies is required in every state but the age of requirement does vary from state to state. Most states require rabies at 16 weeks of age but some states still do not require it until 6 months of age. Parvo is still a leading killer of puppies and can live in the ground for many months and through extreme temperatures! Look at it this way: a new owner is very excited to show off their new puppy they just picked up! They stop at the dog park, they run into PetSmart to pick up items needed and the puppy is so cute that everyone wants to touch it. The puppy is put down on the floor, rubs its nose on many items as it sniffs things, might have an accident on the floor, back out to a grassy area anywhere (home, gas station, park, rest area, etc...) and either goes to the bathroom or sniffs an area where another dog has went to the bathroom. All of this is a recipe for contamination! Even at the vet office your puppy could be exposed to illness! Not every illness has to be touched. Some virus' are airborne. Now, what happens about five days later when your puppy starts to look sick, lethargic, won't eat, has diarrhea? You go to the vet right? Stress would be the best case but often it is not that simple. More puppies have parvo and parvo kills! Either the puppy came to the new owner with parvo and went on to contaminate everything it touched from the breeders home to yours, or the puppy was healthy leaving the breeder and the new owner exposed that puppy at the rest stop, pet store, or even the vet office! Not all vets clean well. Disinfectant needs to sit on a surface for more than a few seconds to take effect. If your dog sniffs another dogs poo that is infected with parvo, it will likely catch it. If your dog sniffs another animals feces that is contaminated with giardia, it will most likely become contaminated. Use common sense and do not let your dog get exposed to illness'. Vaccinations will help protect but they need to be fully vaccniated and over 16 weeks of age. My vet told me that a puppy came to him after his second set of shots, just one week before the third set was due and it had been infected with parvo. Please be safe! Diseases lurk everywhere and sometimes it is other things that your dog can catch at any point in its life (parasites and protozoans). 

​CAN MY PUPPY SLEEP WITH ME AT NIGHT?

Puppies are unpredictable and might want to take a flying leap off of your bed. It is not really safe to sleep with your puppy for this reason alone. Another reason is they are not fully house trained at such a young age. You may wake up to a mess in your bed! Until you have your pup trained and know it will stay on your bed, here are a couple of suggestions: Put a crate on our night stand where it is very close to you and let it sleep there and crate train the puppy. Put a harness on your puppy and attach a short leash to it and wrap it around our wrist so when the puppy. moves, it wakes you. This can be good for taking the puppy out at night and protecting it from falling off of the bed. If you are a heavy sleeper, do not try this though. If you have a large enough bed, you can keep the crate on the bed by your pillow. 

​IS IT OKAY TO TAKE MY PUPPY TO THE DOG PARK?

Dog parks are a lot of fun but never take your dog to the dog park until it has completed all of its puppy shots and the vet tells you when it is fully immune to dog diseases. If you frequent the dog park, you will want to have quarterly fecals done so you know your dog has not picked up any parasites or protozoans from other dogs or the ground that they can live in. 

I've heard of large birds snatching small dogs outside. Is this true?

Thankfully we have never had this happen and I know it is rare. However, it is absolutely true that large birds can pick up a small dog and carry it off to kill. If you live in an area where there are large birds and this is most all areas because owls live everywhere, do not leave your dog unattended outdoors. It is best if you have a fenced yard, make sure there is shelter for the dog to get under. The less area there is for a big bird to land and take off, the better. Eagles have perfect vision and can spot a mouse from miles in the air. You may not see it but it sees your tiny dog! 

I have a busy travel schedule. Would  my poodle stress if I took her with me all the time?

Toy Poodles are such friendly dogs and love people. They would love nothing more than to be with you all of the time! Just be sure they have all the prevention vaccinations and medications to keep them healthy and check the laws/rules for where you are traveling. Some places do not allow animals as I'm sure you know. If you travel with your dog, keep his/her health records handy and with you. It is a very good idea to also have your dog either microchipped or a gps tracking device attached to her/him as well. 

Is it safe or recommended to microchip my poodle?

It is very safe and recommended that you microchip your dog.  Make sure you register the microchip number to your current address and phone. Don't forget to keep this info updated if it changes. Today there are gps tracking devices as well if you want extra protection for your dog.

Can you take a toy poodle in the cabin of an airplane when flying?

It is possible to fly your dog with you in the cabin of the airplane rather than cargo under the plane. If the airline accepts pets in the cabin, you will pay a small fee, need a health certificate dated within very specific dates of the flight, and an airline approved soft carrier that will fit beneath the seat in front of you. 

How many poodles are too many to own?

Owning too many poodles is a personal opinion. As long as you are able to give them the attention and love they need, the only other requirements are vetting and license. Some areas only allow you to own so many house pets. Some cities limit dog or cat ownership to 3 or 4. Sometimes that is a combined number of cats and dogs. Check with your animal control office as to how many dogs you can legally own and how to register them with your city/county. I might mention that you also need to be able to afford to pay for that much food if you have multiple poodles/dogs. 

What should I do with my puppy while I am away at work or school?

Can Toy Poodles go outside in the winter?

How well do poodles travel?

Toy Poodles are great travel companions! Some puppies get car sick so you will need to work them through this by taking small five minute trips and lead up to longer trips to get them over becoming car sick. It is achievable and I have done it! Keep your dogs health records with you in case you need to show proof or make a stop at an emergency vet for any reason. Be sure your dog is wearing a tag, microchipped or has a gps device so you do not lose him/her. Be sure all of your contact info on the tag or other ID's is current! Some people move and forget to update these things or change their phone number. Get your dog a harness and car seat for when riding in the vehicle. 

Cyndi's Poodles Specifics

Where are you located?

We are located in Dunlap Illinois which is a just a couple of miles outside of Peoria in central Illinois. We live a three hours drive from St. Louis and three hours from Chicago.

​How can I get a puppy to me if I live far from you?

We recommend that you make the drive to our home in Dunlap but if that is not possible, we do have a small international airport in Peoria, IL. We will meet you or a flight nanny at the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport.  
​We can meet you in Chicago at the O'Hare airport but there is a travel fee of $400 that you will need to pay to our courier for bringing the puppy to you in Chicago. Some people fly to Chicago and rent a car to drive to Dunlap as well.
We have one ground transporter that we use and love. He is based out of Indiana and his rates are not bad considering the price of gasoline today! We will give you his number if you are interested in door to door delivery service. He does amazing with all of our animals. He has picked up animals and delivered to me and he has delivered all of our animals (English Angora rabbits, Maine Coon kittens, and our Toy Poodle puppies). No one has ever complained about his service or anyone else in his family that works for him. 
We have shipped via air in the past but there are so many other options that cost less so please check out the other options before considering shipping a puppy cargo via airlines. There are flight embargoes in the warmer months and then there are flight embargoes to several countries. We have shipped to other countries and although people frown about flying puppies alone, years ago this was our only option. In over two decades of raising toy poodles and hundreds of puppies sold over this period of time, the majority of pups were flown and we do not have one negative story as a result. All puppies have always made it home safely to their new owners!

How often do you have puppies?

We have a litter of Toy Poodles every couple of months on average. This depends on if we are resting a female during her heat cycle, if the female takes (we AI most of our females), and how many females come in heat and when. We could have three litters in one month and then no litters for four months. To see what we have available or upcoming, please check our Available Puppies page. 

​Can puppies fly home?

Puppies can fly home with you in the cabin or if you hire a flight nanny to fly them to you. Cargo is the only other way for a puppy to fly but that is very restricted in warm months and extreme cold months. Some airlines do not accept live animal cargo any longer. 

Do you know of a good, reliable ground transport who will keep the puppy safe and deliver to my door

We have an amazing ground transporter who runs a family business and has handled all of our ground transport. He is based out of Indiana and will pick up from our home and deliver to your at your door.

How long have you owned poodles and know this breed?

I got my first toy poodle when I was in middle school in the mid 80's. She was my best friend! I loved that dog like no other. When I moved out on my own, it was so strange not having a dog. When my oldest child was still very young and my middle kids were babies, I purchased two toy poodles that I started breeding. They were pets but they were the start of my breeding program in the late 90's.  I launched my poodle business when the internet was very new and built my first website. I knew every poodle breeder who had a website and there were not many of them! I purchase from them and met them all in person and had a great friendship with them. Today it is much different as breeders look at each other as competition and are very greedy! Not many of those old breeders are around anymore. I have been breeding now for over two decades, owned toy poodles for almost four decades, and still love the toy poodle breed. I did take a break for a few years to travel with my husband but my kids grew up around toy poodles and now my grandkids are growing up with toy poodles!

Can we keep in touch with you during the lifetime of our poodle we purchase from you?

One of my favorite parts of being a toy poodle breeder is getting to know the families that buy from me! I love the stories, pictures, and memories that everyone makes and sends to me. I love hearing from our buyers years after they purchase their toy poodles. It is amazing what I have learned from my customers and I get to pass that onto the new customers! As long as there is breath in me, I will always be here for my customers and help in any way I can. 

Is it best to raise one puppy at a time or do they do better if I buy two at the same time?

Many moons ago I was told by a dog trainer that I should not buy two puppies at the same time. She explained to me that it was because they become. "dog-dogs" rather than "people-dogs". So I believed this to be true, coming from a dog trainer. 
As time went on, I started to buy more poodles and inevitably had more than one puppy at a time. I sold two puppies to the same customer multiple times and found that as long as you have time for them, put in the hard work of training them, there is no way a poodle would ever NOT want to be with their human! Toy Poodles are very affectionate and love to be near you. They are the true lap dog and want to be touching you as much as they can. You can absolutely have two puppies at the same time. It will be double the money, double the training, double the work but when the training is over, you have two awesome poodles rather than one! They always have someone to keep them company when you are gone and they still BOTH love you unconditionally! 
I do not recommend taking on two puppies if you do not have the resources to do so. If you do not have the time to do the proper training, don't get a dog period. This is how too many animals end up in shelters. However, we will never allow any of our poodles to be surrendered to a shelter! We take them back no questions asked!

I see a puppy on your website that I would like to purchase. What is the first step in purchasing from Cyndi's Poodles?

Reach out to us right away! Let's get to know each other and make sure that puppy is a right fit for you and your family. If you are local, we welcome you to come to our home and see the puppy. We do not allow people to come over to just see or play with our puppies. All customers must have intensions of buying a puppy because just like you, our time is very precious and we have a lot going on. If I schedule time to spend with you and introduce our animals, the chances are, I am missing one of my grandkids ball games. We also do not allow people to come into our home that have visited other animals for fear of contaminating our puppies that are not old enough to be fully vaccinated. Please have respect and understand that we only allow visitors to meet and pick up puppies. 

We do require a non refundable deposit for puppies that are not ready to leave our home yet. Please speak with us to find out all of the details and how we can get a puppy home safe to you. 

​What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept these electronic forms of payment: Zelle, Venmo, Apple Pay, Cash App, Facebook Pay or cash in person

When can I get my puppy?

Puppies are released to go to their new families after our vet has seen them, examined and vaccinated them. They must be a minimum of 8 weeks but could be as old as 12 weeks if really small.

What are your guarantees?

We guarantee your puppy to be free of all parasite and protozoans and current on vaccinations when they leave us. We also guarantee against any life threatening genetic diseases  for the first full year of your puppies life. If a veterinarian has deemed your puppy at any time before its first birthday that it has a congenital, life threatening defect, we ask that you please reach out to us immediately. We may ask that you get a second professional opinion to be certain there were no errors in this diagnosis and we do refund or replace puppies once we are 100% sure of the diagnosis. This is not something we take lightly because we know that this puppy is a new family member that you quickly fall in love with! We have yet to have anything like this happen but as you know, even with human life, there are not certainties or guarantees that are fool proof. We stand behind our puppies health and well being and want our customers happy as well as the puppies of course. 

Do you have a contract or policy?

We send your our contract before you place a deposit or pay for your puppy if you are not able to be here in person. 

At what age can puppies go home?

Puppies can leave after they have been examined by our vet and had their first set of shots. The earliest we take our pups to the vet is at 8 weeks of age. The smaller puppies will not see the vet until 9 weeks of age. Tiny puppies are held until 10 - 12 weeks of age. 

Do you ever lower the price of your puppies?

We have lowered the price of our toy poodles recently with the way the economy has been and everyone's utility bills doubling! Our power bill quadrupled after we received a letter in the mail stating it was going to double. With this happening in our world, life has gotten much harder for everyone. Our prices were standard at $2800 - $3500 and we have lowered them to $2500 - $3000 for the time being. We have all of the same bills that have raised and still need our dogs to be well taken care of so we will not lower the prices again but do want them in the best homes possible.

Do you ever sell adult dogs?

Our dogs are our pets. Unless we have a special need for one to be separated, we don't typically sell our adult dogs. We may offer them younger to guardian homes before we get attached to them. Those would fulfill their contract then become a permanent full time pet for the guardian home by age 5-6 years of age.

​Do you DNA health test your dogs?

We DNA health test all of our Toy Poodles (excluding puppies we sell) through Embark. All of the test results are posted on our website for each dog. 

If we find we cannot keep our poodle we purchased from you, will you take it back?

If you purchase a toy poodle puppy from us and at any time in its life, find that you can no longer keep it, we will take it back. 

Is is okay to get a second puppy  to keep my other dog company?

It is absolutely okay to get a second puppy from us after you get the first one home and think it needs a buddy. This happens more often than people realize!

Can my older dog handle a poodle puppy?

If you have an older dog and it is generally friendly with other animals, there is a good chance that a puppy will make your older dog happy. Sometimes the older pet in the house can become jealous or not like the new puppy invading his/her territory. However, in given time, the older dog usually gives in and realizes the pup is there to stay and not going to replace him/her. Another perk to bringing in a puppy with an older dog is the puppy brings out the puppy in the old dog! I have seen this multiple times and it increases the life of your old dog! On the flip side, if you have an old dog that is full of arthritis or grouchy, a puppy is probably not something that older dog needs or wants around as it can be annoying and cause frustration in the old dog. This can lead to nipping, growling, or biting and you don't want you beloved pet to injure a new puppy. 
One other instance I need to mention here that may be helpful is when you are a two dog household and one dog passes away. The living dog will and does become depressed! Bringing in a new puppy is the perfect remedy for depression! You will bring life back into that other dogs eyes quickly and depression will leave them almost instantly! I have witnessed this through many customers over the years.