buying a purebred toy poodle

Question
HI I am in the process of buying a PUREBRED toy poodle - I want to buy a purebred from a reputable breeder as my understanding is that buying from a responsible breeder provides some assurances that the breeder is breeding out genetic diseases. I have talked to several Canadian Kennel Club breeders and find that there are some things that make me question whether Some breeders and Some of these dogs may not in fact be purebred or bred to limit genetic diseases; some breeders also do not follow CKC recommendations to purchasers listed on their website like for example being able to show vet visit information for at least the dam, and many do not not show pedigrees for up to the 3rd generation which is one of the recommendations on the CKC website....and after finding out that the CKC does not audit their members and uses the 'honour system' for breeders to register their dogs/litters, , I am trying to be more diligent in my search.  What exactly will identify a good purebred toy poodle breeder and a purebred toy poodle? should I simply be looking for a toy poodle where the breeder can provide full disclosure on vet visits and OPTIGEN results and CERT results of their parents and puppies, and then also look at any championship comformations the parents have won?  I'm sure there are some reputable breeders(whether CKC or not) out there, but talking to one CKC breeder, she herself had problems in dealing with another ckc registered breeder.  Seeking the real deal....JIM

Answer

Hi Jim,

It's really good you're doing the research to buy from a reputable breeder. You've found the fact that many people aren't aware of. The Canadian Kennel Club (and the AKC) are registry bodies. A CKC registration certificate identifies the dog as the offspring of a known sire and dam, born on a known date, and that is all. It in no way indicates the quality or state of health of the dog. Quality in the sense of "show quality" is determined by many factors including the dog's health, physical condition, ability to move and appearance. Good breeders breed their dogs to try to produce animals that closely resemble the description of perfection described in the breed standard. Many people breed their dogs with no concern for the qualitative demands of the breed standard. When this occurs repeatedly over several generations, the animals, while still purebred, can be of extremely low quality.
The CKC can only suggest guidelines, and have no way of enforcing breeders follow their suggestions.

I think the best you can do is narrow your list of breeders down to the ones who can provide you with health certification you're looking for, and if from that group there are also breed champions in the linage (if that's important to you), then you've found the breeder(s). If you can't find a breeder that has both the health certifications and championship linages, health is the more important of the two.

It's important that you visit the kennel so you can see how the dogs are kept, make certain the dam (mother) is on the premises and available for you to see. Ask to see the formal health clearances for both the female and the male dogs that were bred. The fact that the male may not be on the premises is irrelevant. The breeder should have copies of such clearances on file. Be sure you get a signed bill of sale stating the puppy is being sold as a purebred, and that you are provided with a written health guarantee. That said, know that a guarantee covers what would be compensation in the case of a problem, not an assurance that a problem will never occur.
A purebred toy poodle breeder will allow all of this. A good purebred toy poodle puppy is harder to find, of course seeing the parents is helpful in judging the confirmation of a puppy, but unless you know the breed standards of a show quality dog, you wouldn't necessarily know a "good" dog from a "poor" specimen of the breed. These qualities might not even be evident in a young puppy, no matter how good a linage it's descended from. This is where you need to rely on the certifications and the breeder.

This might be helpful, it's the Canadian Kennel Club Golden Rules of Finding a Reputable Breeder:

http://www.ckc.ca/en/portals/0/pdf/other/CKC.Rules.find.breeder.pdf

If you're having trouble finding a breeder, you might try contacting the Poodle Club of Canada. They might be able to direct you to a member breeder who can provide both the health certification and the champion linage you're looking for:

Secretary Carolyn Savage, Arthur Ont. (519) 848-6198
email: denali_kennels@yahoo.com

I hope I've been a help.
Best in luck in finding a puppy!

Patti