# Evaluating and Choosing a standard puppy



## NOLA Standards

OW, do you have a mentor?

Though I was pretty certain I knew Lombardi was my pick, I still made the trip (with 13 puppies) to my mentor so she could go over all the pups with me, and we could discuss their structure, temperament and movement.

A great Mentor, especially if you are going to owner handle, will make all the difference in the world for you and for your pup. There is so much to learn and do and I will confess, that even with a Mentor who is willing to share every bit of knowledge she has with me and teach me skills I didn't even know existed, it is still a miracle Annie is AKC CH Antoinette Bordeaux du Nola's Caniche Rouge! That she is only the 7th red standard AKC CH - well she is a beautiful girl - but without my Mentor, we would have never been so successful.

Long way to say that's how you pick your next pup.

Share your goals and preferences and then listen and learn what your Mentor shares with you. Ask your mentor ALL your questions. I kept a list so when I was with her I could ask them! The forum is enjoyable, and for many starting, very informative and often helpful. But if you are considering breeding/showing/greater involvement you are going to want (NEED) a great mentor. 

Best Wishes,

Tabatha
NOLA Standards

PS You will pick between 8 and 9 weeks. Things will change DRASTICALLY until that period. Things = everything on and about the pup. Every once in a while there is a standout. When I get back to my laptop I'll post Lombardi at 4 weeks for you to see - he's with the litter and you can easily pick him out.

There is also Pat Hasting's Puppy Puzzle


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## outwest

Thanks for answering me. That's the trouble- I was told to pick around 8 weeks, but the litter is sold. I doubt all those people are willing to wait for me to choose! I do have a mentor who is going to help me choose, but I wanted outside opinions, too. It doesn't hurt to hear differing opinions.  

I am happy with how my current girl turned out. Yes, there is much I would change, of course. I went with my heart as much as my head on her. There was something about her that told me she was kinda cool. 

I have studied the poodle standard at great length, gone to many AKC shows, watched and talked to people and have AKC show experience with other breeds and UKC experience with poodles. UKC judges seem to lean towards slightly different things than AKC judges. I trust myself to know what I like, although what I like isn't always what the judges like.  I prefer more moderation than some judges seem to, for example. 

I thought maybe there would be some tricks of things to look for.  I have heard that in a young puppy you want a head shaped rather like a shoebox, for example. How about eyes, I wonder? Almond shaped eyes are gorgeous, but hard to see in a puppy!

I will look up Pat Hastings puppy puzzle and look forward to seeing your pictures! Thank you for sharing.


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## NOLA Standards

OW, these photos are of Lombardi - now AKC CH Le Glorious Lombardi du NOLA's Caniche Rouge. (He finished his first weekend out after PCA - with another Major Win - all owner handled out of the BBE class.)

There were 13 pups in the litter, but he always stood out. 

He's not perfect - no dog is - but he IS a truly beautiful animal and was an easy one to pick.

Best wishes with your pick.

(First photo taken at 4+ weeks. Following photos between 8 and 9 weeks. Final photo puppy eval with my Mentor).


Tabatha
NOLA Standards


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## outwest

Thank you! Lombardi in the flowers is the sort of attitude and stance that my current girl (UKC GrCh, not AKC ) had that the other pups kind of lacked. She still stands that way and it is a pretty thing. 

Lombardis rear legs are much longer than my girls were, but the puppies I am looking at have long legged, short backed sire and dam, so I should get to see some more leg in them. I think I can choose the attitude pretty easily. It is the structure in a young pup that is harder to see. Plus, they change so much over the first 9 months! 

Mine ended up nice, but in need of more leg plus front legs needed to be set much further back. Lombardi has a nicely visible chest as a youngster! I am going to look for that. Here is my current girl as a little puppy, although I think she was slightly older. She had/has the attitude, but it is clear what the difference is in the front end, length of back and leg length!








In need of a bath. LOL

















And her face as a young puppy. She did end up with a pretty, slightly chiseled face with mostly almond shaped eyes. I think the squared off muzzle is nice?

















The differences I am seeing with your gorgeous pup are much longer rear legs with front legs set very nicely back under his withers, a chest in front and a much shorter back. I thank you again for the pictures of your lovely boy. It helps to look at puppies that turned out particularly nicely! I can only hope my puppy is close to being as nice as that, but I am not holding my breath. 

Anyone else who feels like posting pictures of their dogs as little puppies it is much appreciated!


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## sarahmurphy

Tintlet Poodles - Madonna/Rune

I can't figure out how to post pics exactly, but Spike is red collar boy in this litter from Tintlet. 

We have a limited registration, so we are not eligible to compete conformation or breed, but he's already an AKC STAR puppy and should be CGC in a few weeks...

sarah


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## outwest

Thanks Sarah! That helps.


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## sarahmurphy

If you look at the pics - Tally is co-owned, so she's probably the most likely show/breeding pup.


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## mom24doggies

I'm still practicing evaluating puppies, but just wanted to post some pics of Trev's face when he was a pup, since he has such a pretty head.  I like to see a definite chin, which slight chiseling under the eyes, and a sort of "blocky" appearance in a puppy. A long muzzle is also obviously desirable. 

The first pics are him as a puppy, second ones as an adult, and then some of him in between, he was probably 5 months or so at the time. Personally I think his eyes are a tad too round, although they are fairly small. Other than that I think he's lovely.


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## outwest

Trevor does have a beautiful face (I have always thought so). His eyes look great to me. I would be very happy for eyes like that.  His chin looks big as a baby, but as an adult it seems to have fit in just right. 

I was looking at the puppies ear sets in the infant pics on tintlets website. That's helpful, too. 

I looked at Tally. She has the nice boxy head for a baby.  Amazing how different all the puppies look.


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## tokipoke

Puppies are so cute it's gonna be tough to choose!

mom24doggies, omg Trev is gorgeous!! He really does have a beautiful face. He does not look like any mini poodle I have groomed. The ones I see just don't look right. If I didn't know Trev was a mini poodle I'd swear he was a small standard!


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## mom24doggies

outwest said:


> Trevor does have a beautiful face (I have always thought so). His eyes look great to me. I would be very happy for eyes like that.  His chin looks big as a baby, but as an adult it seems to have fit in just right.


 Lol, maybe I'm just crazy then! His chin is big because he had a small underbite, which as he grew disappeared. I guess his upper jaw just needed to catch up.  Obviously it would be better to get a puppy with a good bite, because it doesn't always turn out so great. 

Thank you Tokipoke.  I've had people tell me he looks more like a standard in the face, I guess because his muzzle is so long. When he was in those awkward teen stages, I was worried he was going to end up with too big of a muzzle, because he looked like he was going to do a face plant at any moment with that giant shnozz hanging onto him! But he grew into himself.  Now he's quite the sensation wherever we go! 

Good luck puppy picking ow! I'm sure you will do great, you seem to have a natural eye for it already....look at how pretty Bonnie is!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

When I was choosing Journey I looked for what I needed most. There was a much darker red sister in the litter, but her head and pigment did not turn my crank as much as Journey's. When her breeder described her substance and bone, I knew she was the puppy for me. My reds seem to have slighter skeletons and are almost too refined. So substance was key. 

Colour was not an issue for me, because we have that is spades. I had heard however, that red/apricot puppies who start off with a silvery hue tend to darken and hold their colour. The darkening portion of this statement is certainly true, as Journey's colour just gets richer and richer.

I asked for chest and pigment and tail set got all three, as well as a solid, substantial structure. All of these things are to our benefit for the future. And all were obvious is her photos from the breeder and forward once we got her. A bonus was her incredible feet!

I was incredibly blessed to find a breeder who listened and worked with me well.


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## outwest

Thanks for posting your pictures, Arreau. Dang, she does have magnificent feet!


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## petitpie

Baby Journey was
My choice pick of the litter,
Breeder, good as gold!


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## SarainPA

Who is the breeder? Have you been able to see some of the baby pictures of the parents? It would be great for you to see them and then be able to look at the parents and how they turned out.
Just a thought


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