Year	Name	Size	Color
1943	Ch. Pitter Patter of Piperscroft	Poodle (Miniature)	Black
1956	Ch. Wilber White Swan	Poodle (Toy)	White
1959	Ch. Fontclair Festoon	Poodle (Miniature)	Black
1961	Ch. Cappoquin Little Sister	Poodle (Toy)	Black
2002	Ch. Surrey Spice Girl	Poodle (Miniature)

Posted: 07/22/2011

by Staci Giordullo

Mark Stettner had no idea how Thanksgiving Day 2008 would change his life. His daughter, then a college sophomore, returned to their Allentown, Pa., home with the news that she had a dog - and it wasn't permitted in her campus housing. "That's when I inherited Max - and the problems," says Stettner, an Angie's List member.

Stettner's daughter bought Max, who was advertised as a purebred toy poodle, for $1,347 from an online pet broker called Breedersdirect.com. "Thanksgiving weekend he had some stomach problems, and was initially diagnosed with colitis," Stettner says. "But Max didn't get really sick until the following July."

Stettner says his veterinarian referred him to specialists who, in turn, recommended he take Max to an internist. "I took him to the veterinary hospital at the University of Pennsylvania [which] found a myriad of problems."

Not as advertised

In addition to genetic testing that showed Max was a Boston terrier poodle mix - not a purebred - Stettner says he was diagnosed with a fungal infection, liver problems and kidney issues. "He was a time bomb," says Stettner, who spent more than $5,000 on Max's care but ultimately had to put the sickly dog to sleep.

Stettner, who suspected Max had come from a puppy mill, called Breedersdirect.com and demanded a refund. He says the Florida-based company offered him another dog instead. Playing dumb, Stettner then called Max's breeder and asked for another dog from the same bloodline. He says the breeder, Coleen Harrell of Rocky Comfort, Mo., told him he would have to go through her broker, The Hunte Corporation.

Based in Goodman, Mo., Hunte is the nation's largest pet broker, buying dogs from breeders located primarily in the Midwest and selling them to pet stores nationwide. "Hunte said my replacement dog was on a truck headed my way," Stettner says. "I had to meet the truck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The driver handed me the dog ... and took off. I took one look at him and knew he was sick."

Stettner took his new dog, Jake, to the veterinarian right away, but the dog died four days later. Stettner says Hunte refunded the $500 he paid for Jake, but not the $700 veterinary bill.

Federal oversight limited

Under the Animal Welfare Act , commercial breeders and brokers are regulated, licensed and subject to inspections by the USDA. However, those that sell dogs directly to the public, including through the Internet, are not.

Animal advocates believe that an estimated 2 million to 4 million dogs are born in puppy mills each year, and that many wind up in pet stores or being sold to unsuspecting online shoppers. "It's a big problem," says Deborah Howard, founder of national nonprofit Companion Animal Protection Society. "And it's a huge business."

Breedersdirect.com is no longer operational, but the company behind the website - The Breeder Network LLC - continues to solicit breeders at breedernetwork.com, breederadmin.com and several other sites - all utilizing the same phone number (which was 954-237-2284 at press time) and registered by the same agent with the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations.

If you're looking for a beautiful dog with incredible intelligence, you need look no further than the Silver Miniature Poodle. These dogs are favored by many people as companions, show dogs and for agility trials. Take a look at the history of the Poodle as a whole, and some facts about the Silver Miniature Poodle in particular.

Poodles as a breed are recognized to have originated in France, though several other countries would happily accept responsibility for the creation of this breed. Though the Silver Miniature Poodle of today is likely to be a pampered pet or elegant show dog, that hasn't always been the case. The Poodles of a few centuries ago were hunters and retrievers. In fact, it's noted that "poodle" may be derived from a French word that literally means "likes to play in water."

In those circumstances, the Poodles were clipped very short so that their thick coat didn't absorb water and weight the dogs down when retrieving waterfowl. But the thick coat on the legs and underbelly provided at least some protection from sticks and obstacles encountered while retrieving.

Today, the Silver Miniature Poodle may be clipped in several different ways. Many families who have the dogs strictly as pets and companions opt for a short "puppy clip." In this case, the hair of the Silver Miniature Poodle is simply trimmed fairly short all over the dog's body. If looking for a fancier clip, some owners choose the "saddle clip." This is that traditional, elegant look that includes the pom-poms around the feet. This naturally takes much more grooming effort than the puppy clip, but does provide a very showy effect. It's important to note that many canine clubs limit the types of clips allowed for Poodles that will be shown.

The Miniature Poodle as a whole is a very loyal, loving intelligent dog. That intelligence has made dogs such as the Silver Miniature Poodle a favorite for shows, performances and tricks. These dogs quickly learn new things and are eager for a new challenge. They'll usually be more than willing to enter into games, especially if they're learning new things as part of the play.

But never imagine that the Silver Miniature Poodle is every ounce an angel. These dogs as a breed usually weigh around ten to twelve pounds as an adult, but they can certainly find plenty of ways to achieve their goals. They don't do well when left alone, especially if they feel they've been abandoned. They need plenty of activities to keep their busy minds occupied. If you don't provide quality activities, they'll think up things to do on their own. The owners often aren't pleased with those choices!

There's no doubt that the Silver Miniature Poodle is an excellent choice as both companion and show dog. If you're looking for a pet that can fit into either (or both) worlds, this could very well be the answer.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory

About the Author

For more information on Miniature Poodles and other Popular, and not-so-popular breeds of dogs, visit The Toy Dog Directory at http://www.toydogdir.com/ToyPoodle/

A California meterman kills a Toy Poodle - Could this be justified?

It is a very interesting story - http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/04/23/meter-man%E2%80%99s-killing-of-poodle-justified/

The gas meter-man claims he felt threatened by a 6 lbs Toy poodle - enough that he struck the dog so hard it broke all of the dogs face bones and had to be euthanized.

Having survived a vicious attack by a large, unleashed dog at Caesar Creek State Park in the fall of 2008, Bear, a toy poodle, not only recovered from his nearly fatal injuries, but is now bringing moments of pure joy to area seniors and sick children.

Read the entire story: Toy Poodle News

A 3-year-old male toy poodle named Walker won the toy group at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the most prestigious show in the U.S., on 02/15/2010.

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is a disease of the hip joints of miniature and toy breeds of dogs, most often in Toy and Miniature Poodles, Yorkies, Lakeland terriers, west Highland white terriers, Jack Russell terriers and miniature pinchers just to name a few. It develops between 4 and 12 months of age. The blood supply to the neck of the femur is inadequate, leading to bone destruction in the hip joint, resulting in a roughened, irregular joint surface. Moving the rear legs causes pain, and the leg muscles weaken and shrink from insufficient use. Occasionally the limbs actually shorten. One or both rear legs may be affected. If only one leg is involved, the dog usually refuses to bear any weight on that limb.

Avascular necrosis is hereditary and probably results from breeding for small body size.

Read More: http://www.televets.com/articles/dogs/legg-calve-perthes-disease-in-dogs.html