How to find a reputable toy or miniature poodle breeder

[womananddog]

I am retiring next year and would like to get a poodle puppy. I am beginning to do my research now, but realise I am clueless about how to find a reputable breeder. I have had rescue dogs for the last 30 years, but now want a purebred poodle puppy. We had miniature poodles when I was child and I have always thought they are wonderful little dogs.

Start from the kennel club website, search for breeders of toy & miniature poodles.

www.thepoodlecouncil.co.uk/ - do your research on here to make sure you're 100% sure it's still the right dog for you. Dog breeds change a lot in thirty years.

If you still want a poodle then:

• Kennel Club Website.
• Search for breeders near you.
• Narrow down the list to only those with 'fully-health tested' parents (do your research on the health conditions poodles can have so you know the risk you're running if you don't get from fully health tested parents).
• Talk to a few breeders.
• Pick the one you like.
• Get on a waiting list.

Avoid the following red flags:

• Multiple breeding bitches
• Multiple litters a year
• More than two litters a bitch
• No fully health tested parents
• Snazzy website and/or instagram page
• Selling off their older dogs who can no longer be bred from (some people think this is ethical, personally I do not. You do not get rid of a much loved family member simply because their breeding 'years' are behind them)

Good luck 😊

Great advice from Landsharks. It’s very much buyer beware. Kennel club registered means nothing other than pedigree. It doesn’t mean a decent breeder. Definitely check out the health conditions poodle parents should be tested for before breeding. Eyes?
I would always start with the breed club. Be prepared to wait and/or travel to get a pup. Good luck.

@LandSharksAnonymous thanks The Poodle Council looks like a good starting point - the kennel club website is fairly useless as it only has puppies available now (which in itself makes me wary as in my mind a good breeder will have a waiting list and not need to advertise). @Wolfiefan poodles seem to have a long list of genetic conditions so health test for both parents is a must. That is the main thing that seems to have changed since I was a child (or maybe we were lucky). Our poodles were robust little dogs that lived to a ripe old age, had no major health conditions and rarely needed to see the vet.

Find your local kc registered breed club, and contact the secretary asking for any planned litters

Agree re discarding dogs who are no longer useful to them! 😡

the poodle council even casually say this as if it's nothing (screenshot) which I think is shocking

Awful. IMO Makes those breeders no better than the substandard breeders they warn you about elsewhere on their site.

https://www.champdogs.co.uk/breeder/41920

she is also on Facebook if you want to see more photos of her dogs.

@NoelFaraday they have seven bitches. Most of them are a similar age (i.e. they have no older dogs - so where do they go? Oh right, they dump them). None of their bitches are fully health tested.

Tell me it's a puppy farm, without telling me it's a puppy farm...

I wouldn't touch them if you paid me.

I don't think there's anything wrong with moving on an older puppy that was kept for a purpose, but didn't make the grade, so to speak. Whether that's a show line dog that isn't suitable for showing or a working line dog that doesn't have a strong enough drive.
But I agree about people who keep bitches for seven years, breed the life out of them and then get rid. They're just in it for the money and couldn't give a shit about the dog's welfare.