# Looking for a reputable tiny toy/toy poodle breeder in Alberta! Help!



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

A quick look at the Happy Paws website shows lots of cute pictures of teddy bears, but no information about pedigrees, genetic health testing, showing or other performance, or any of the other things I would be looking for when choosing a breeder. They may be there, but were not obvious. Tina's Jewels does mention PRA status, but is still rather short on other essential information. I think I would have many questions to ask before choosing either of these breeders.


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## Xtinelu (Feb 14, 2020)

I usually look for those things as well. Would you say that whether a breeder shows their dogs or not is a vital key in choosing a breeder. 
I mean a breeder who shows their dogs would be a bonus but is it a deal breaker if a breeder doesn't?


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I think showing or otherwise competing is a good sign - how else is there any independent confirmation of the quality of the breeding dogs?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

I would shy away from a breeder that does any marketing based on "gimicky" terms like tiny or teacup for toys or royal(s) for standards.

As to whether a breeder shows or not showing is not just a measure of the looks, but also the temperaments of the dogs in their stock. Take for example this year's BIS at Westminster. Siba is not just a pretty face. She moved beautifully and she just oozed happy happy confidence to boot.

And not just my opinion, but check this out too:

I Don’t Want A Show Dog; I Just Want A Pet. by Joanna Kimball on July 13, 2010

This is one of the most pervasive sentiments that puppy buyers, especially families, express when they're looking for a dog. What they really mean, of course, is that they don't want a show BREEDER – don't want to pay the high price they think show breeders charge, don't want to go through the often-invasive interview process, and think that they're getting a better deal or a real bargain because they can get a Lab for $300 or a Shepherd for $150.

I want you to change your mind. I want you to not only realize the benefits of buying a show-bred dog, I want you to INSIST on a show-bred dog. And I want you to realize that the cheap dog is really the one that's the rip-off. And then I want you to go be obnoxious and, when your workmate says she's getting a puppy because her neighbor, who raises them, will give her one for free, or when your brother-in-law announces that they're buying a goldendoodle for the kids, I want you to launch yourself into their solar plexus and steal their wallets and their car keys.

Here's why:

If I ask you why you want a Maltese, or a Lab, or a Leonberger, or a Cardigan, I would bet you're not going to talk about how much you like their color. You're going to tell me things about personality, ability (to perform a specific task), relationships with other animals or humans, size, coat, temperament, and so on. You'll describe playing ball, or how affectionate you've heard that they are, or how well they get along with kids.

The things you will be looking for aren't the things that describe just "dog"; they'll be the things that make this particular breed unique and unlike other breeds.

That's where people have made the right initial decision – they've taken the time and made the effort to understand that there are differences between breeds and that they should get one that at least comes close to matching their picture of what they want a dog to be.

Their next step, tragically, is that they go out and find a dog of that breed for as little money and with as much ease as possible.

You need to realize that when you do this, you're going to the used car dealership, WATCHING them pry the "Audi" plate off a new car, observing them as they use Bondo to stick it on a '98 Corolla, and then writing them a check and feeling smug that you got an Audi for so little.

It is no bargain.

Those things that distinguish the breed you want from the generic world of "dog" are only there because somebody worked really hard to get them there. And as soon as that work ceases, the dog, no matter how purebred, begins to revert to the generic. That doesn't mean you won't get a good dog – the magic and the blessing of dogs is that they are so hard to mess up, in their good souls and minds, that even the most hideously bred one can still be a great dog – but it will not be a good Shepherd, or good Puli, or a good Cardigan. You will not get the specialized abilities, tendencies, or talents of the breed.

If you don't NEED those special abilities or the predictability of a particular breed, you should not be buying a dog at all. You should go rescue one. That way you're saving a life and not putting money in pockets where it does not belong.

If you want a purebred and you know that a rescue is not going to fit the bill, the absolute WORST thing you can do is assume that a name equals anything. They really are nothing more than name plates on cars. What matters is whether the engineering and design and service department back up the name plate, so you have some expectation that you're walking away with more than a label.

Keeping a group of dogs looking and acting like their breed is hard, HARD work. If you do not get the impression that the breeder you're considering is working that hard, is that dedicated to the breed, is struggling to produce dogs that are more than a breed name, you are getting no bargain; you are only getting ripped off.


Read this great thread from here on PF too. Buying a puppy safely - the basics


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

The other members who posted before me made very good observations and points about showing, performance sports, and the need for health testing. The more a breeder does all of these things, the better is your chance of finding a poodle puppy who meets the highest standards of the breed, including that poodle temperament and intelligence we all love. Those puppies may cost the same or only a few hundred dollars more than a breeder who does only a few or none of those things. 



Xtinelu said:


> *...a breeder who shows their dogs would be a bonus but is it a deal breaker if a breeder doesn't?*


Yes, it's a huge bonus, but not necessarily a deal breaker under certain conditions. Many fine breeders will have a very nice female who is clear of testable genetic conditions and other health problems, _*and*_ who had at least parent who was a champion. For me those two things are rock bottom basic. The breeder won't show her even though she may do very well in the show ring or performance sports, but instead will *hire* a champion stud dog to mate with her. It's not uncommon to see good pedigrees where mainly the males on *both sides of a family tree* dating back many generations are champions, but not as many females. 

There are a few reasons for this:


Showing is expensive when you have to do much of the training yourself, hire a handler, and pay travel expenses. Not all handlers do the grooming and expect you do to it before a show, so you'd have to pay for that too if you're not excellent at it. So a breeder could have an excellent female but chooses it's just as advantageous in terms of time and money to _not_ show her. The breeder instead will contract for stud service with champion show dog. Whether she's a champion or not, a good breeder isn't likely to breed her more than once a year for three or four years before retiring and spaying her.


Breeders know that risk always comes with pregnancies and whelping, and even if these go well, taking care and cleaning up after young puppies multiple times each day and night is *a lot* of hard work. A good breeder with or without a champion female will limit how many litters she will produce in her lifetime to three or four. A champion male, however, can be contracted many times as a stud dog. There are risks involved with that too (see this thread).


Someone on PF once said, "Not all dogs _want_ to be show dogs", and someone else said, "Show dogs are born, not made." The recent winner at Westminster, Siba, is a natural born show dog with oodles of charisma. A breeder could have the most perfect, smartest, sweetest, healthiest, fine pedigreed ever, but if it hates the ring, it's going to be tough on everyone, including the dog.

Btw, review any contract carefully, and good luck in your search!


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## Poodle*Mom (Feb 18, 2021)

Xtinelu said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am looking for suggestions for reputable breeders in Alberta, Canada who breeds red/dark red tiny toy poodles.
> I’ve been looking at Tina’s Jewels: TINA'S JEWELS who seems pretty legit, reputable (her breeding dogs are purchased from other reputable breeders (Temple City and Keja) and she does health screening.
> ...


I have a poodle from Tina's Jewels. Astrid is very sweet and a wonderful family pet. I hope to bring home another in the near future.


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## Friendly girl (Jun 27, 2021)

Hi there. I am from Alberta too. I just joined this forum as my current toy poodle is nearing the end of her life with kidney failure. I got her from a breeder that is no longer breeding. What did you find in your research regarding toy poodle breeders in Alberta? Did you end up adopting? Tell me about your experience. I think we may well be looking for a new poodle in the next couple years and want to be prepared..


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## Friendly girl (Jun 27, 2021)

Hi there. I am in Alberta and potentially looking for a new toy poodle in the next year or so. My current sweet toy poodle is nearing the end of her life and her breeder no longer is breeding. Tell me about your experience with Tina's Jewels and any other breeders you may know and recommend.


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