Our philosophy & Poodle 101

I have a bachelor's degree in psychology and have spent 25 years working as a child protection worker/ supervisor and then later, as a police officer. I am grounded in compassion, integrity and professionalism- all of which are the cornerstone of my breeding program. 

My husband, Andrew is the Director of Software Development for a Maine-based mental health company where he has worked for 24 years. We both have an obvious love for Standard Poodles and seek to enhance the best attributes of the breed. 

Our program is small, family operated and adheres to all the best practices including health (OFA certified/CHIC#) and genetic testing of all breeding dogs as well as not breeding before two years of age.  

We are serious breeders, not “Hobby Breeders or breeders that do this for fun." It is a serious decision to breed animals.  It takes time; not just in chores and raising puppies, rather in researching for the right lines and checking for genetic issues within those lines. There is the initial cost of getting the right dogs and then those dogs may not make the cut after investing in training, showing/performance, genetic testing and vet bills.  So, then we start again with a new puppy and the investment begins again.  When someone asks, “Why do your dog's cost so much?  I found one on Pet Finder for less.”  This is why:  A puppy is in investment in your family. I remind people you can invest in a healthy puppy now or spend money on vet bills for a less expensive puppy.  

Finn & Friends has health tested poodles because our mission is to improve this amazing and versatile breed. In your puppy packet you can request a copy of all the testing results, or they are available on the OFA site. 

We are deeply devoted to raising puppies using the best practices and science-based information. Our pups are born and raised in our home where they have access to us 24/7. We utilize Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), Puppy Culture and the Rule of Seven to help us give your new baby a proper jump start in socialization, resilience and sound temperament (see below). 

Finn & Friends will not breed any animal until 2 years of age and only after Health/ Genetic Testing is complete and listed on OFA.  We utilize University of California/ Davis VGL &/or Embark genetic testing on all our breeding dogs. Our dogs have OFA health certification (CHIC#); this certification gives Puppy buyers the knowledge that the parents of their puppy have passed important health testing standards.  Upon request, we will provide copies of all health testing to anyone on our official wait list, or they can be viewed on the OFA website any time. 

Finn & Friends has health tested poodles because our mission is to improve this amazing and versatile breed.  We complete the following testing: Hips/Elbows, Cardiac, Eye’s, PRA-rcd4, PRA-prcd,  GM2 Gangliosidosis, Osteochondrodysplasia,  Intervertebral Disc Disease (Type), Myelopathy (DM), Neonatal Encephalopathy (NE), Von Willebrand’s (VWD), plus 180 others genetic variations. 

Not all Poodles are created equal. Finn & Friends strives to give each of our puppies a jump start in life. It begins with Momma getting excellent nutrition, supplements, exercise and health checks. Puppies are born in a whelping room within our home and close to us.  We have invested in a state of art neonatal unit which includes a special incubator (Puppy Warmer), oxygen bubblier, uniquely designed whelping box and lots of collaboration with our vet. We begin (Early Neurological Stimulation) ENS at day 3 and continue to day 16. Puppies are exposed to the Rule of Seven to enhance socialization: 

By the time your puppy is 7 weeks old it should be exposed to the following situations:

• Been in 7 different, safe locations
• Eaten from 7 different containers
• Met at least 7 different people
• Ridden at least 7 miles in a car
• Been in a crate at least 7 times (more is better)
• Played with 7 different kinds of toys
• Been exposed to 7 different surfaces
• Been played with or taken somewhere alone, without mom or littermates, 7 different times

  We also use Puppy Culture in raising our wonderful pups.  Our puppies are given toddler interactive toys to increase cognitive skills. We have a puppy play gym (concept is similar to the play sets for infants and toddlers), we host puppy play days where we invite friends and families to come and socialize with our puppies. Puppies are beginning house training at 4 weeks (special whelping box design) and begin crate training before leaving our home. Puppies are exposed to the tv, vacuum and other family noises; and are encouraged to romp freely around our home. This is what we believe sets a Finn & Friends poodles apart. Like children, the most informative years are up to age 8. Our philosophy is the first 9 weeks of a puppy's life are critical for cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. This is why we keep our pups until 8-9 weeks of age.

House breaking

Puppy housebreaking takes effort and consistency. We very much follow the Monks of New Skete philosophy and highly recommend reading their book, The Art of Raising a Puppy. It is highly advisable to bring a puppy out to pee every 90 minutes or less. That being said, if you see ANY telltale signs of needing "to go" such as sniffing the floor, circling, going to the door or looking at the door, bring the puppy OUT! 

The problem with having a potty schedule is that puppies have a mind of their own! Schedules are of no use if a puppy cannot wait until the designated time to pee. Never be a slave to a schedule, always err on the side of caution. The benefits of a puppy housebreaking schedule are that it gives new puppy parents an IDEA of the maximum amount of time that many new puppies can wait before relieving themselves. Small puppies REALLY need to toilet very often and cannot be left for long periods of time without access to a potty area. They have tiny, bladders! Housebreaking your puppy is really all about waiting for their bladders to grow and mature.

Socialization

Socializing your Standard Poodle puppy is an important way to help ensure that he or she grows up into a confident, happy adult dog. We have begun this process and now it's up to you to continue. 

To start, you can carry her outside (until her vaccinations have been completed) to all the places you will want her to feel comfortable when she is older. Let her experience a variety of sights, sounds and smells.

Secondly, make sure you have lots of visitors over to your home, and that they all make her feel happy and comfortable.

All in all, if you let her associate strangers with pleasant experiences, she will be less likely to be wary of them approaching the house when she has grown up.

Make sure to include other animals and dogs in your socialization process, to minimize any risks of aggression in your Poodle.

Activity

Poodles are active dogs who require good exercise every day to suit their high energy level. Poodles are eager for all kinds of activity, and they enjoy keeping busy. Swimming is great exercise for them, and most Poodles love to get in the water. Bred as hunting dogs, their impulse is to retrieve, so tossing toys, sticks, or balls for them will exercise both their mind and body. They also thrive on going for jogs or long walks with their human. No matter what poodle-illiterate people may try to tell you, poodles ARE NOT froo-froo dogs! They love adventure! Hiking, camping, paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing.... bring it on! 

Feeding Your Puppy

Puppies eat more than adults because they are growing rapidly. You will want to offer them food 3-4 times per day until they are 6 months old and then switch to 2-3 times a day. Feeding amounts will vary based on the size of your poodle.

Trainability/Tips for Training 

With an intelligent breed like the poodle, it is extremely important to begin formal training the moment you bring your puppy home. The first few months of a poodle’s life should be about teaching them the house rules and boundaries, and making sure everyone in the family enforces them. Poodles will learn bad habits as easily as they learn good ones so make sure to reinforce positive behavior as much as possible. If you are a new or semi-new dog owner, taking your poodle to professional training classes is an excellent decision. If you want to have a successful, enjoyable long-term relationship with your poodle, setting the right tone from the beginning is vital.

If you are committed to training your poodle properly you will find they are very smart and pick up on things quickly. You can teach them a long list of tricks, commands, and tasks to keep their mind stimulated.

Grooming Needs

Poodles are a non-shedding breed and thus make an excellent choice for people with allergies or who don’t do well with excessive dog hair.

Poodles do, however, require a high level of maintenance to keep their coat in good condition. You should consider if grooming costs for your dog fit into the monthly budget, as they will need to visit a professional groomer every 6-8 weeks ($85- $100 a trip). If you don’t want to take them that often, there is the option to simple shave most of their coat off. This doesn’t harm the poodle, and their resilient hair will grow back over time. You will still need to bath, brush and trim them every 3-6 weeks. Many owners learn to do this on their own. You will need electric clippers, high-quality scissors, a brush and comb, toenail trimmers and either a book or good YouTube series on grooming a poodle.

Beyond the regular bathing/grooming regimen, you should be brushing your poodle daily. This is a great bonding time for the two of you and will keep their coat healthy and clean. Also, be aware that poodles are a floppy ear breed and as such need to have their ears cleaned routinely and hair plucked. Your groomer is a great resource for this! Excessive ear hair restricts air flow and leads to ear infections!