APAW – Poodle Pups for Working Roles

Puppy

Purchase a puppy, bringing them home around 8-10 weeks old. We carefully match each home to the pup that best meets their needs and desires. Various modes of assessment are used, including a professional temperament evaluation and vet assessment around 7 weeks, conformation assessment around 8 weeks, genetic diversity and CAER eye evaluations when possible, in addition to everything we have come to know about each pup while watching them develop.

Cost averages $2,500 including a $500 deposit to reserve a pup when the litter is on the ground.

Retired Adult

Apply to own an adult dog who is no longer part of our breeding program; they may be a young adult who hasn’t met our criteria to become a breeding dog, or may be a mature dog who has finished their breeding days and is ready to be doted on by their own family.

Cost can vary significantly depending on the dog/situation; older dogs often are just the cost of their spay/neuter, while younger dogs may be closer to $2,000-3,000 or so, based on age, titling/training, health status, etc.

Guardian

“Foster” one of our breeding dogs forever; can start at puppyhood or any time prior to their final litter. We maintain ownership, breeding rights, and provide continued support/care as need throughout the dog’s breeding career; the Guardian Home pays/provides food, grooming, vet care (non-reproductive) and at least basic training. The dog comes to us as needed for our breeding plans as well as showing/titling, and females live with us from late pregnancy through puppies going to new homes around 8 weeks old. When retired from breeding, we sign over ownership at no cost and the home is responsible for spay/neuter. We board our guardian dogs here when their family needs a boarding option.

Local only (within about 1.5 hours of us, currently based in central Massachusetts). Females typically have 2 litters with the last one around 6 years old; males are generally kept intact until around 8 years old but actual stud use is very limited, generally only 2-4 times total (between litters for us and potential stud service for other breeders).

**Note – during their time in our breeding program, guardian dogs need to be maintained on OUR choice of medical/lifestyle protocols; we follow a minimal vaccination schedule, only certain flea/tick treatments are approved (not all on the market are safe for breeding dogs), diet needs to meet our quality expectations, and in cases where medicine is needed it is chosen from the options known to be safe for breeding dogs. Once retired and ownership signed-over, the home may choose to change protocol choices at their discretion.

Co-Own

This is a custom contract and can vary widely, but is typically for a male. Generally it works like a regular puppy or adult purchase but at a reduced cost, and we maintain breeding rights (free stud use, if we desire). The dog may not be neutered until we sign-off that we do not have further breeding plans for him; if neutering becomes a preference for the home, the opportunity is first given to us to have his semen collected and saved for our future access. Cost varies based on contract terms and dog’s age/training/health testing at placement, generally $1,500-2,500.

Local homes encouraged (near Massachusetts), and/or access to a good reproductive specialist.