Bellwether Standard Poodles

Bellwether is my kennel name.  It means leader, and originally referred to the practice of using a male goat with a bell around his neck to lead a flock of sheep. This name was chosen because it reflects my wish to be a responsible breeder and positive role model for dog owners.

Contact:

I am currently attending college in Eugene, Oregon. Heidi, my Standard Poodle, is living with my parents in Central Point, Oregon. My breeding program is "on hold" until 2010. If you would like some breeder recommendations, I would be happy to provide you with the contact information of a few standard poodle breeders that I know to be top-quality. You can reach me be email: windscry@gmail.com.

Goals:

My goal was to breed standard poodles that I could be proud of and that would make a wonderful addition to their new family.  in the process, I hoped to improve the breed one dog, title, health test, and hug at a time.

Conformation:

I matched the sire and dam of the litter to compliment each other. Their pups would then be as close as possible to the poodle breed standard.  This standard, though varying slightly between kennel clubs, is a good description of what physical qualities and characteristics to look for in a poodle.  It is what judges use to pick the best of the best when it comes to conformation (appearance).  


Health:

Standard poodles, just like any other breed of dog, are susceptible to certain health problems. Some are inherited, so it is wise to test the parents before breeding. Heidi was CERF and OFA certified.

Inbreeding and linebreeding are techniques used by some breeders to make their dogs uniform in appearance. Overuse of these techniques has led to a great loss of genetic diversity in North America.  Offspring of first cousins would have a COI of 25%. The average level of inbreeding (COI) for a standard poodle is 20%!  Several dedicated breeders, including myself, have worked to reverse this trend. My goal was to produce standard poodle puppies with a COI below 6%, and in the process, prevent the loss of valuable genetic diversity within the poodle breed. 

My dogs and puppies were vaccinated according to guidelines aimed to reduce vaccine damage, while still maintaining adequate protection against common diseases.  Read more here.  Puppies were given four sets of vaccinations, starting at 7-8 weeks and every 3-4 weeks after that.  Adult dogs should receive booster vaccinations every 2-3 years.

Puppies were dewormed before going to their new homes.  Adults should be dewormed when necessary and provided with regular protection against fleas, ticks, and lice.  The product I use for flea, tick & lice control is Frontline Plus, which I have found to be the safest and most effective product on the market.

Temperament:

Standard poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds of dog. They do well at competitions and recreational activities. They are also a joy to be around because of their fun loving personality and sense of humor! Still, each puppy is a distinct individual with a personality that is partly shaped by his or her early life. I believe that the best environment for a puppy is a safe and loving home.  And here at Bellwether, socialization was a regular activity.  The puppies were well socialized with adults, children of all ages, other pets, and farm animals. 

Versatility

Because of the breed's unique and active history, poodles have the brains to do all kinds of work.  They were originally used for hunting, but poodles have been know to do herding, search-and-rescue and even draftwork.  Nowdays, poodles and their handlers also enjoy agility, flyball, freestyle, obedience, rally and many other doggy sports. 

Breeder Support:

If problems arise and the new family is no longer able to take care of the dog, I will gladly assist them in finding the dog a new home.

Registration:

The two kennel clubs that Bellwether puppies are registrable with are the UKC and the AKC.  These are the two largest, and most reputable all-breed registries of purebred dogs in the United States.