Feeding my pregnant 2 and 1/2 year old poodle

Question
QUESTION: My little Lucy is I think what you would consider an oversized toy but not sure, she is right at 11 1/2 inches at the top of her shoulders, which makes her a mini, but only 8 lbs oz. I call her a miniature but most poodle people that have seen her say she is an oversized toy. I have seen both parents and they were beautiful miniatures approximately 13 inches at the shoulders and between 12 to 14 pounds.  Her maternal grandmother I also seen and she was a toy, probably right at 9 inches and about 6 1/2 pounds. My little girl was black when I got her at 9 weeks and had an apricot sister and black brother with a very, small white spot under his chin.(parti-colored) Her mother was a dark apricot(beautiful color and I do not usually like apricots) Her daddy was a beautiful, black that had that silverish color to his face, tail, and feet, he was only 2 years old and has since I was told has turned almost a dark silver. Her maternal grandma is the lighter shade of apricot. When I received her papers from AKC, her father is the only black in her line as he was a black at the time of registration. She has 6 apricots, 1 brown, 2 reds,3 whites, and a cafe in her pedigree. Lucy is a beautiful color, even though I am not sure what to call it. She looks almost dark grayish-silver with darker ears and top knot. (but I don't mean like a parti color)She has changed in color almost from her first puppy haircut. My first groomer thinks she is a silver and the groomer I have now,(my other groomer moved)thinks she may be a blue or dark silver.  I have visited with several poodle people that were into the showing and breeding scene and some say she is a dark silver and others say she is what they call a blue. Last winter I still called her a black poodle so one gentleman that had showed poodles for years brought his black poodle over to visit and then I knew she was not a black!(He had raised poodles for years and said she was what was called a blue) Anyway, when I part her hair as you have suggested I see light silver in some places, dark silver, grey, and on her tummy a very, light silver. If I ever can figure out how to send pix on this computer and with my new camera,I will send you a pix of her. She is a very beautiful dog and I don't believe I have ever seen a prettier one. I used to groom (and hated it)and I did the obedience route with my Maltese so I went to a lot of AKC sanctioned shows plus went to and taught at the local dog obedience club for a couple years and I was around a lot of show quality as well as pet quality poodles and still think she is just as pretty as any of them. Anyway, my husband talked me into letting her have one litter of puppies before I spade her so I bred her to a sweet tempered, beautiful 4 1/2 lb. red toy that her breeder had recommended. My questions are, Did I do the right thing breeding her to a toy poodle instead of a miniature? And even though I know they say to breed the same color to keep the color true and so you won't get parti-colors, "Teeny-boy" was the only choice of quality toys that I could find within a 350 mile radius that didn't break my bank account. I have not had a litter of puppies in 26 years but you know, the pricing of stud fees has changed very little. I am quite surprised to find so many unregistered males being advertised for stud and I don't know what a phantom gene is...last I knew that would have been considered a mixed poodle or mismarked. Back when I groomed was when the term "Parti-Poodle" was just starting to get popular and now people breed for a phantom or parti poodle. I have to say though, they have some pretty combinations of poodles now. Getting back to my questions, do you have an idea of what colors Lucy may have and about how many puppies do smaller poodles have?  I really thought breeding her to a smaller male would make it easier for to deliver. If my husband had not talked me into breeding her I would have spayed her after her first heat cycle! Anyway, a friend of mine pointed out to me yesterday that since the puppies would hopefully be smaller didn't that mean she might have more puppies! Please tell me your opinion on this...I have read all of your advice and put a shortcut on my desktop for your article on whelping so it will be handy when Lucys' time comes. I do think you do know your stuff!  I looked online for over an hour to find someone that made sense and that I could trust to ask their opinion on what was the best food to feed Lucy as she is such a picky eater. My vet suggested Science Diet dry puppy or any high quality dry puppy food. Lucy won't touch it! She has always been a picky eater. Food and water is always available as I have always been concerned about her weight, she seems to thin to me but my vet says otherwise, so I trust him. I get her weighed at the vets every 4 or 5 weeks after she has been groomed. (Originally so she wouldn't get to heavy, hah!)I read your answers and knew you were the person I was looking for but, made me think of all kinds of other questions. That is what you get for being such an expert and not just trying to sell someones product! I hope this makes sense to you, I write like I talk and I know I just rattle on from one subject to another. Hopefully, you can figure out what was actually my questions.  I was thinking Lucy would only have 1 maybe 2 puppies but after I think about it, duh, my Maltese who was smaller than Lucy had 4! Anyway, if you would give me some advice on these questions I would appreciate it. Thanks, Suzy

ANSWER: Hi Suzy-
You type like I do! ;0)  First, thank you for your kind words about my answers - I would really like to help folks out and it is a lot of fun trying to do so.  
Let me see if I can hit a few of these questions - first the reason you emailed to start with - feeding Lucy while she is expecting- I agree that a dry puppy food is an excellent choice.  I understand she is a fussy eater - aren't we all while were expecting for sure!  I use Pedigree's "Little Champions" in the tare open pouches for just about everything from weaning puppies to moma's to be.  I tare open a pouch and mix it all over the dry food.  Unlike most canned food, this is rich with gravy and coats everything nicely - they all eat it like crazy.  I know it isn't a "puppy" food but it will get her eatting and keep her eatting.  I like Eukunuba small breed puppy food over Science Diet myself.  The dogs seem to agree with me..I also love Diamond's Small breed puppy food - this is actually my first choice but not sure if you can get it in your area.  It is tiny bites and all small breeds do really well on it.  I wean my puppies to it and then to the Eukunuba before they leave - everyone can get the Eukunuba and not everyone can find the Diamond small breed puppy.  (If you have a Tractor Supply store in your area - they sell it).  Adding the Pedigree in pouches will really get her eatting for you.  
You mentioned breeding her to a smaller male and I think that was a great idea.  She is most likely an oversized toy like you had explained and breeding down is always a good idea - I would have been worried if you would have bred to a larger male.  You asked about smaller poodles and numbers of puppies - I have tiny poodles, toy sized, and minis right now and all of these pretty much carry 4-6 puppies.  seldom to they have less then 4 and rarely do they have more then 6. (thank god!) About her color - she certainly sounds like a blue to me.  I don't think you have to worry so much about color breeding any more - it's hard to find a color bred poodle any where except the show ring.  Your right - phantoms (poodles marked like dobermans) and parti's were hardly every seen and when they were it was like a bad thing - now they are highly prized with pet owners and YES beautiful.  A poodle that is "done well" in any color or pattern is a beautiful dog to me.  I love them all.  I actually have a brindle female toy - she is BLACK with RED tiger stripes.  Really neat looking actually.  Crazy, but still beautiful.
Good luck with Lucy and her coming babies and if you think of any other questions - feel free to email.  I'd love to see her photos and hear about what colors you have when the babies come.  Every time one is born it will be an excititng time to see what color!!

Take Care
Brandie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Brandie- We do have a Tractor Supply Store around here.  Do you really think Diamond is a good food?  I would never have thought of using it on Lucy.  Now, my Dalmatian I had for 16 years, that was all she would eat.  I will try that, but I bought a bag of Royal Canin Baby Dog 30 puppy food tonight at PetSmart and she actually ate about an eighth of a cup! What are your feelings on Royal Canin? I will try your advice on putting the Little Champions with her food though. I did not know small poodles would have that many babies!  As much as I worry about her 1 or 2 will be plenty! I may find out one day what color she is for sure, did I tell you she is still changing colors.  Hopefully, she will stay one color someday. Thanks again for your advice and have a great night.  I would love to see your pix of your dogs, do you have a web site?  E-mail me and let know.  Thanks

Answer
Hi-
Yes I really love Diamond - the small breed puppy food.  I can't say anthing bad about Royal Canin - it has to be one of the very best you can feed.  Glad to hear she is eatting better for you - if you do try that Little Champions, she'll be very happy ;0)  Our web site is www.jeffdisharoon.com but I don't have my poodles on it - I need to get busy and add them - that may be a good project for this evening...have a great day.

Brandie