Frequently Asked Questions
If your question is not answered here, send us an email at sonoranstandardpoodles@gmail.com!
Do you sell breeding rights?
Unless otherwise specified, all of our puppies are sold as pets and are required to be sterilized by 2 years of age. I will sometimes grant breeding rights on a case by case basis. This requires a thorough interview to discuss your program and your goals. I will only sell breeding rights to an established, small scale, high quality breeder who performs and can provide proof of health testing their breed(s) to/above OFA CHIC minimums and who cares for their breeding dogs and puppies in a manner in which I am comfortable.
Do you offer shipping or transport?
We do not typically export puppies out of the country. For out of state clients, we highly suggest that you fly or drive yourself to come pick up your puppy and take him/her home, but on rare occasion we may hand deliver a puppy to their new family for a fee to cover the flight, drive and time it takes to do so. Please send us a message if you want to discuss this option.
Do you dock tails or remove dew claws?
We DO NOT dock tails or remove front or rear dewclaws for any puppies!
This is not done to save money, but to save our puppies the pain of an unnecessary amputation.
Although the procedure is commonly performed in the United States, it is falling out of favor in many other countries. The American Veterinary Medical Association opposes "tail docking of dogs when performed for cosmetic reasons and calls on breed organizations to remove mention of the procedures from their standards".
Although an argument can be made that dewclaw removal prevents common injuries, we do not feel that the low incidence of these type of treatable injuries justifies the painful digit amputation for all our puppies.
FYI our bernedoodle puppies MAY even have back dew claws as this is a trait common to Bernese Mountain Dogs.
If you feel passionately about your new puppy having a docked tail or removed dew claws, we are not the right breeder for you!
How big will my puppy be?
We cannot guarantee size of puppies at adulthood. Generally speaking, MOST puppies fall somewhere on the spectrum between the sizes of the dam and sire. However, it is possible to get some puppies smaller or larger than both parents! Remember we're dealing with mother nature here and do not have the ability to control everything, even though I would absolutely love to if I could!
Embark DNA tests performed on our puppies will estimate adult size based on genetics. However, we find that these can sometimes overestimate size for standard poodles and doodles by as much as 10-15 pound. Embark's size predictions do tend to be more accurate for our smaller dogs, under 30 pounds.
What food is my puppy on?
All of our dogs eat Purina ProPlan dog food. A small bag will be sent home with each puppy to get you started. If you choose to change your puppy's diet please do so SLOWLY over the course of several weeks to prevent upset tummies.
When can I meet my puppy?
We host Pick Day in our home when the litter is 7-8 weeks of age, so that families on our litter list can meet the puppies in person for selection. Each family will have a 30 minute appointment to meet any/all puppies available for selection. Families will NOT be able to meet puppies who are already reserved (no exceptions). If clients are unable to attend in person, we can do the Pick Day appointment via video chat.
In order to enter our home, we require families to remove their shoes and wash their hands prior to touching the puppies. Families are asked NOT to visit any vet clinics, dog parks, or pet stores at least 48 hours prior to their visit to decrease the chances of bringing germs into our home. We then do a deep clean after families visit.
To protect our puppies, I DO NOT allow visits from buyers prior to pick day or prior to placing a Reservation List Fee. However, I am happy to video chat to show any of the mamas or papas currently in our home.
Prior to pick day, I will do my best to provide photos +/- videos of the puppies at least every 2 weeks for families on the waiting list! You will get the temperament evaluations, our thoughts about what type of family would suit each puppy, as well as the DNA results for each pup including size estimates and coat type. Our goal is to be completely transparent and help you make the best choice for your family so you will get a LOT of information prior to pick day!
Puppies will go home at or after 8 weeks of age. If you've already chosen your puppy but have not picked up by go-home day, we will charge a daily boarding fee of $25 per day so please plan accordingly!
Can I purchase two puppies?
We do NOT recommend getting two puppies at the same time. We want each of our puppies to have the undivided attention of their family for the first several months of their lives! Raising two puppies at the same time can lead to long lasting behavioral issues. If you love your puppy and want to have a sibling with similar genetics, you can request to be added to the waitlist for future litters! Repeat clients get $500 off!
Will my puppy be microchipped?
Yes, we microchip EVERY puppy prior to go home day. This microchip is implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades You will register the microchip the day you take your puppy home. The most important thing to know about a microchip is that it is only as good at the information you register to it so DON'T FORGET to UPDATE the information if you move or change phone numbers.
Do you deworm puppies?
Puppies are dewormed several times before going home to cover for a variety of parasites with products, including but not limited to fenbendazole. A pooled fecal test is performed for every litter prior to them going home. Even with our strict parasite protocols, unfortunately we cannot guarantee your puppy will be parasite free and recommend you have a fecal sample evaluated the first week he/she is home and continue to deworm your puppy as instructed by your veterinarian.
Do you vaccinate puppies?
Vaccines save lives. Every puppy in our program receives at least one combination distemper and parvo combination vaccination before going home. This vaccine needs to be boostered every 3-4 weeks until your puppy is over 16 weeks of age. We also recommend that puppies receive rabies vaccinations by your veterinarian at the appropriate age. Talk to your veterinarian about your puppy's expected lifestyle to determine if other vaccines, such as bordetella, leptospirosis, lyme, or influenza, are recommended.
Puppies are not fully protected by their vaccinations until 2 weeks after their final series at 16 weeks. Precautions should be taken until then to protect your pup from exposure to these diseases. Never take an under vaccinated puppy to a pet store or dog park and put them on the ground. However, there are many safer ways to socialize your young puppy, such as using a stroller or carrier bag when taking them out in public.
My puppy's Embark test says "Baseline ALT Level May Be Low Normal". Should I be worried?
Short answer, NO! You do not have to worry about this! This genetic variant is only reported because it can be useful for your veterinarian in order to interpret your puppy's future blood work. This is very common in Standard Poodles and it is NOT a disease, nor does it impact liver function in any way. Click the button below to read more!
What are "Weak Furnishings"?
Furnishings is the word we use to describe the fluffy facial hair on poodles and doodles. Furnished dogs have hair on their face and body that continues to grow throughout their life and must be trimmed. You will see a tremendous variety in doodle coat types, even within dogs of the same generation. Furnishings is arguably one of the most important genes for determining the doodle coat type!
Poodles typically have two copies of furnishings resulting in their characteristically low shedding hair coat. Weak furnishings, a trait that has been unknowingly present in poodle lines for many generations (because they almost always have two copies of furnishings), is now starting to become more apparent when a poodle produces a doodle puppy with ONLY ONE COPY OF FURNISHINGS. When a doodle puppy has only one copy of furnishings, that also happens to be weak, this puppy will appear "weakly furnished". There appears to be a spectrum of of expression for this gene, but in general, weakly furnished puppies typically have more sparse facial hair, especially for the first 4 to 5 months of their life. Some weakly furnished pups will grow so much facial hair as an adult that you can no longer tell they were ever weakly furnished, while others may have more sparse facial hair forever, and this can be difficult to predict. Weakly furnished dogs MAY also have an increase in shedding compared to a dog with a normal copy of furnishings. Weakly furnished puppies MAY also need less frequent grooming and may retain more of their original color (fade less) than a dog with normal furnishings.
IMPORTANT NOTE!
**Not all laboratories who test for furnishings can differentiate weak furnishings from a normal furnishings gene.**
Embark CANNOT differentiate!
We test all of our dogs for furnishings by PawPrint Genetics.
Animal Genetics can also differentiate weak furnishings, but labels it F2 rather than Fw.
Training
Dr. Jordy recommends positive reinforcement training methods, as these foster a trusting relationship between you and your puppy. Poodles & doodles are highly intelligent and sensitive dogs, so aversives (aka punishment) are not only unnecessary, but it can also cause lasting damage your relationship with your dog and increase your pet's fear resulting in worsening of behavior challenges.
Contrary to popular belief, training classes are actually designed to TRAIN YOU, NOT YOUR PUPPY. YOU are the most important training tool, so it is critical that you educate yourself about research supported training methods and that you PRACTICE with your puppy "outside of the classroom" even if you sign up for puppy classes.
1. Our clients receive a FREE 30 minute virtual lesson with NeuroDog Trainer, Dianne Keck.
We encourage our clients do this BEFORE puppy comes home so they can best prepare!
2. Baxter & Bella (Online training courses)
Our clients get 25% off a lifetime membership!
3. The Zoom Room (Dog Training Facility Peoria, AZ)
They also have a facility in Scottsdale, AZ!
4. Perfect Puppy in 7 days by Sophia Yin, DVM (Book)
5. Zak George New Puppy Survival Guide (Youtube Videos)
6. AVSAB Humane Dog Training Position Statement
Grooming
Your puppy will require grooming at home before they are old enough to visit a professional groomer. Dr. Jordy recommends brushing your puppy 2 to 3 times a week with a slicker brush, followed by a metal comb to check for mats. Poodle & doodles puppies should be groomed every 2 weeks, including thorough ear flushing, nail trimming, shampooing, conditioning, BLOW DRYING and thorough brushing. You can use a human hair dryer on LOW heat setting at least 6 inches away if you do not own a forced air dryer. Doodles and poodles should not be allowed to air dry, as it contributes to matted coats. Go slow and make it a positive with lick mats & peanut butter and other yummy treats FREQUENTLY through out the experience. Take lots of breaks and talk to your puppy in soothing voice throughout the grooming. Your puppies coat WILL change texture and potentially get curlier as they mature increasing the likelihood for matting, so it's important to start good habits when they're little while the coat is easier to maintain! We recommend taking your puppy to their first professional grooming appointment by 18 weeks and every 4-6 weeks thereafter.
1. The Pup Well - Grooming kits & Education Courses (online)
Spay/Neuter Recommendations
Your vet may recommend spaying or neutering at 6 months of age, but this recommendation is not supported by recent research (see below). Dr. Jordy recommends waiting until AFTER skeletal and sexual maturity before sterilization! Dr. Jordy recommends that females go through at least once heat cycle prior to spay. There are many documented health benefits of delayed sterilization including decreased risk of life threatening cancers, decrease risk of urinary incontinence, and decreased risk of orthopedic diseases including hip dysplasia and cruciate injuries.
After sexual maturity and prior to sterilization, your pet should be closely monitored when socializing with any other intact dogs. Females in heat should be supervised AT ALL times during their heat cycle (including when confined in a fenced yard) in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but this minor inconvenience is worth tolerating for your pet's long term health! Washable diapers can be easily purchased on Amazon to keep your home clean during her cycle.
Sterilization procedures include, but are not limited to traditional spay, laproscopic spay (ovariohysterectomy or ovariectomy), and neuter (castration). The recommendation to delay the procedure until after puberty does not apply to ovary sparing spay (OSS) or vasectomy sterilization since those pets retain their sex hormones. Sterilization that preserves your pet's ability to produce natural hormones can be done at any age. However, those procedures are not routinely offered by the majority of veterinarians.
1. Gonadectomy – Rethinking Long-Held Beliefs By Dr. Chris Zink (PDF)
2. Rethinking Spay/Neuter with Dr. Chris Zink (PODCAST)
Other Miscellaneous Topics
1. Heartworm Disease and Prevention by Heartworm Society
2. Fact or Fiction: Debunking Common Pet Food Myths by DVM360