To give our beloved poodles back their "true heritage." We are committed to breeding poodles with the genetic health, physical strength, and mental soundness necessary to avoid a complete loss of the very characteristics that once made them popular, with great thought also given to the conformation required for show. In order to accomplish this, we have carefully selected our breeding stock to blend dogs with drive and those which possess the ability to throw show-quality pups. Beyond drive and conformation, we carefully assess temperament in our foundation dogs as it is key to success with hunting, show, or companion-only families. (Beauty and drive can be found in the same dog--so don't be fooled by those who try to convince you that they must be over-sized, large boned and bulky far beyond the standard to be great working dogs. The reality is that most poodles that have achieved working titles are NOT over-sized, large boned and bulky beyond the standard, but rather have correct conformation which allows for proper movement in the field and in water. I am not saying you don't want a dog with substance. AKC's standard for a poodle's body is: "Chest deep and moderately wide with well sprung ribs; loin is short, broad and muscular." There is no perfectly conformed dog, but true lovers of the breed work hard at building correct conformation in their lines. That said, there is no reason that you shouldn't have a good looking, working poodle.)

While most of our puppies' purchasers buy them solely as companions, we take our goals seriously and have immersed ourselves in the training (ours and the dogs) that will prove to a world where survival hunting has nearly vanished, that retrievers' instincts haven't (even those of the forgotten retrievers, like the standard poodle). We are committed to continuing to learn new and positive methods to teaching your (and our own) bird dog(s). We enjoy (really revel) in working with and watching all retrievers do exactly what they were designed for--retrieving birds.

If you are interested in a pup, please contact us at pudelpassion@aol.com. You can learn more about training by clicking here.

The main reason we chose a poodle was allergies. We have a severely-asthmatic daughter who changed our lives. We owned a pair of Labrador Retrievers when she was young who ended up having to be confined to one room in our home or outside--not the life we wanted for our furry family members. Upon their passings, we were determined to find a breed that could follow us to any room in our home without wreaking havoc with her allergies.

You read a lot about the poodle plague (aka an addiction to poodles). I think we all grow up seeing poodles in funny haircuts which, quite frankly, make them look like anything but a sporting dog. So how could someone get obsessed with something so funny looking? It's easy! Underneath all of that hair, is a dog that will consume you with its versatility, intelligence, and loyalty. (The irony in the Continental cut (i.e., the funny haircut) is that it was created to protect vital organs and joints on the water fowl retrieving poodle; yet today, those shown in that cut are shown in conformation, not field.) The cut was first described by Gervase Markham in 1621 (in the original waterfowl retriever training manual). Its longevity is a good sign that it isn't going anywhere. The good news for you, however, is that the choice of haircuts is yours once you own a poodle.

WHY ARE POODLES PLACED IN AKC'S NON-SPORTING GROUP?

Since just dabbling in history is not always enough, here's more. Poodles were placed in AKC's "Non-Sporting" category because they make wonderful companions, not because they don't have the brains, endurance, strength, or temperament necessary to compete in sporting events (our dogs are proof of that).

Because poodles with long coats tend to pick up every sticker, cockaburr, etc., that they run or swim near, their favor with hunters diminished significantly once short-coated retrievers were developed. It was the belief years ago that long coats on poodles were necessary for warmth, and lacking neoprene vests, that may have been true THEN. This is a different time. Keeping a hunting or field poodle in a shorter coat makes them no more susceptible to stickers and burrs than a lab, golden or any other retriever, and the advantage is that they don't shed (imagine how nice that is). We hope that their group placement will be re-evaluated at some point, but I would think we are far from that day since there is such a small number of poodles who have even been entered in hunt tests to prove their merit. We hope to one day be a part of history by participating in our beloved poodles' rightful placement in the Sporting Group.