As you start the process of looking for a Poodle, the single most important thing you can do is to become an educated buyer. You will improve your chances of finding a healthy, good quality companion, and how you spend your puppy-buying dollars actually can help drive better breeding practices.
So let's address some of the more popular Poodle myths out there...
1. AKC has ruined the Poodle. The Poodle Club of America (PCA) is the AKC parent breed club. The PCA is made up of dedicated Poodle fanciers who have been involved in the breed for many, many years and who are committed to the long term health and well being of the breed. It is the Poodle Club of America, not AKC, that controls the written Poodle breed standard which outlines how a Poodle should look and act.
2. Poodle sizes. In the United States, Poodles come in three varieties: Toy, Miniature, and Standard. Though technically one breed with one breed standard, the three varieties are actually very, very different from each other. They have different type (the way the breed standard is expressed), temperament, training style, and most importantly... health issues.
Sometimes Poodles exceed the height limit for their variety. However, this doesn't change their variety. If a Miniature Poodle grows to be over 15", it does not magically become a Standard Poodle. It is simply an over-sized Mini.
2. Moyens or Kleins. OY! Enough with the Moyens already! In Europe, under the FCI written breed standard, there are 4 sizes: Toy, Dwarf, Medium, Standard. The Medium, Moyen in French or Klein in German, is the same exact variety as our AKC Miniature. The Moyen/Klein looks the same, has the same temperament, trains the same, and importantly... has the same health issues as the AKC Miniature Poodle.
The only difference between the Moyen and the Mini is that the Moyen's height limit goes from 35cm-45cm (13.5"-17.75") while the Mini, for show purposes, tops out at 15". That said, the vast majority of FCI Mediums come in under 42cm or 16.5". It is not uncommon for US show breeders to ship larger AKC Mini boys to Europe and many, many European Mediums have US Minis in their pedigrees. It is also relatively easy to find a well bred, and fully health tested 16-17" Mini Poodle in the US.
Sadly, in the US, Moyen has become a hot marketing term. It is the new Teacup or Royal in the Poodle world. Because there is money to be made, the very worst sort of "breeders" have jumped on the Moyen bandwagon in order to capitalize on the market and all sorts of misinformation is being spread about this so-called new variety. Really, it is hard to know exactly what all these people are producing since they don't seem to know a lot about Poodles themselves. I've seen Toys being offered as Moyen stud dogs. I've seen regular AKC Miniatures being passed off as Moyens. I've even seen people advertise Moyen puppies produced out of Standard Poodle parents who are LARGER than my AKC Champion Standard Poodles! Certainly one thing is for sure... You don't get FCI Mediums (Moyens) by intervarity breeding Standard Poodles to a Miniature or Toy Poodles. So, buyer beware. The term Moyen or Klein should be a huge red flag. Don't get caught up in the hype. Spend your puppy buying dollars wisely.
See buttons below for FCI Poodle breed standard AND a link to a site so that you can see what real Euro Mediums (Moyens/Kliens) look like.
2. Moyens or Kleins. OY! Enough with the Moyens already! In Europe, under the FCI written breed standard, there are 4 sizes: Toy, Dwarf, Medium, Standard. The Medium, Moyen in French or Klein in German, is the same exact variety as our AKC Miniature. The Moyen/Klein looks the same, has the same temperament, trains the same, and importantly... has the same health issues as the AKC Miniature Poodle.
The only difference between the Moyen and the Mini is that the Moyen's height limit goes from 35cm-45cm (13.5"-17.75") while the Mini, for show purposes, tops out at 15". That said, the vast majority of FCI Mediums come in under 42cm or 16.5". It is not uncommon for US show breeders to ship larger AKC Mini boys to Europe and many, many European Mediums have US Minis in their pedigrees. It is also relatively easy to find a well bred, and fully health tested 16-17" Mini Poodle in the US.
Sadly, in the US, Moyen has become a hot marketing term. It is the new Teacup or Royal in the Poodle world. Because there is money to be made, the very worst sort of "breeders" have jumped on the Moyen bandwagon in order to capitalize on the market and all sorts of misinformation is being spread about this so-called new variety. Really, it is hard to know exactly what all these people are producing since they don't seem to know a lot about Poodles themselves. I've seen Toys being offered as Moyen stud dogs. I've seen regular AKC Miniatures being passed off as Moyens. I've even seen people advertise Moyen puppies produced out of Standard Poodle parents who are LARGER than my AKC Champion Standard Poodles! Certainly one thing is for sure... You don't get FCI Mediums (Moyens) by intervarity breeding Standard Poodles to a Miniature or Toy Poodles. So, buyer beware. The term Moyen or Klein should be a huge red flag. Don't get caught up in the hype. Spend your puppy buying dollars wisely.
See buttons below for FCI Poodle breed standard AND a link to a site so that you can see what real Euro Mediums (Moyens/Kliens) look like.
3. Merle poodles. Nope. Uh uh. Not a thing. The gene that produces the pattern was somehow introduced into Poodles via a breeding, purposeful or not, with something that does naturally carry the merle gene. Think Aussie or Sheltie. No one actively involved in Poodles would EVER breed a Merle poodle and any poodle-type dog with Merle patterning should be considered a mixed breed. Once again, Merle poodles have attracted the very worst breeders looking to make a quick buck selling dogs in a unique colors/patterns. Please, please don't support these people by buying Merle poodles.