I was refered here by Julie Borst and I am seeking a standard to adopt or rescue. I have recently found out that these dogs are hyopallergenic and my 8 year old son had allergies. He wants a dog more than anything. We have a loving, happy home with three kids. Since learning about allergies, I have done a ton of phone calling and reading. I am convinced this is the perfect match for our family. We camp and go to fishing at the beach alot. We have a nice sized yard and are not in a position to pay what these dogs are worth. I would be willing to drive where ever I needed to get this dog for my family. We don't need to have a puppy either. If you can not help me, if you could refer me elsewhere I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank You, Debi Pizzo 661-285-8335 dgpizzo@hotmail.com

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

Answers

adopt standard

Hi, you are right about several things, standards are the most wonderful pet on earth and they are hypoallergenic. I am concerned, however, about your statement that you are "not able to pay what one is worth." I am concerned because if you cannot afford to buy one, you may not be able to afford any veterinary care that may surprise you. For example, last week my Lacy (2 year old sp spayed girl) had bloody diarhea. I took her to the vet and walked out two hundred dollars lighter. I would sell a kidney if necessary to ensure my dogs have medical care but I am in a position that I don't have to do that quite yet. I just want you to consider that the bigger the dog, the more expensive all of the care is. Next week my baby boy is getting his teeth cleaned. Now I grant you, I am using this anesthesia opportunity to have the preliminary OFA done, and everything else that I can think of, but the teeth cleaning alone is going to be over two hundred dollars.The total, for the OFA prelim and the VW will be close to 600.00 and this is not even an emergency! (Emergencies seem to be even more expensive, and usually occur when the vet's office is closed and the only game in town is the very pricey emergency vet's office) And this baby is only eleven months old. I feed both my standards the same diet. He just builds up tartar more quickly. Teeth are critical to the overall health of all of us, dogs included. Just like humans, tartar and decay in dog teeth can lead to heart failure. The larger the dog, the more expensive the meds. The heartworm medication is more, the flea stuff is more, there is more food. Even if you never have to have any emergency stuff done, the basics are more expensive based on the weight of the dog. So I would ask that you consider a toy or a miniature if your budget is tight. I am not trying to dissuade you, and I hope that you are able to provide a nice home for any poodle that you get. I just want you to enter into this commitment (which is for the lifetime of the dog, I HOPE) with your eyes wide open about how much stuff really costs. I hope that I don't sound negative, and I would love for you to have a lovely time with a standard, but please be sure that you can afford the medical care before you adopt ANY dog or cat.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2001

I concur with Susan, except to add that perhaps the biggest ongoing expense of any poodle is the grooming, which is NOT optional! I don't know what grooming costs are going for nowadays (I was a professional dog groomer so I can do my own...although I am between standards right now). I think my sister was paying $80 a grooming every two months for her standard (she lives in N. Virginia). I think my food and vet budget (for just annual shots/heartworm) was $35/month for my standard. I think a realistic minimum monthly budget for a standard poodle is $60/month. Do others agree? Karen

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

Hi...I'm new to these forums. Don't know if this thread is still active, but here goes. I really think that the cost for caring for Standards is relative to your personal expertise and the are you live in. Standard Poodles have shared my life for the last 33 years. Currently we have 7 Standards (a family group). I was a dog groomer and showed Standards as a young person and taught my children grooming from a very early age, so we have no grooming costs. It is not difficult to learn to trin your own dog. Fancy shampoos, etc. are not necessary. We prefer to bathe in Ivory liquid, or any type of human shampoo. Suave sells for $0.97 at our WalMart. When I started showuing years ago, the breeder who mentored me used Lux Liquid. The trims do not have to be fancy, although because of my expertise we can turn out any style we care to do. Vet costs are variable depending on the physical problems that your dog may have. An emergency like colitis with bloody diarrhea is different than teeth cleaning. We clean our own dog's teeth when they need it as well as administer nearly all the shots, excepting rabies. We do our own worming, nail trimming, minor first aid and in rare instances, some more major first aid. However...we do have many years experience with veterinary procedures, so the average newcomer may not have those capabilities. As for dog food...I have fed everything from the super premium brands to the really cheap stuff. The reallly cheap brands I recommend only to people who have chickens or waterfowl - it is unfit for dogs. We feed the WalMart brand Ol Roy or Sportsman's Choice free feed. We have found no difference in condition of the dog between that and Iams, Diamond, Purina One, etc. In stool consistency, yes. Some of my dogs are working dogs - Servce Dogs for the disabled. My Cody works in the footprints of his Dad, Dusty, as does his sister, Tally. Since I now have an electric wheelchair he does not have to pull a regular wheelchair, except on rare occasions. He does a great job. He also does stability for me to keep me from falling while standing, walking up stairs, etc. He carries things for me, retrieves, answers the telephone if I need it, and is learning light switches and touch lamps. We have fun and Cody gets to go everywhere with me, so he needs to be in top shape. Our cost for all seven for feed is between $25.00 and $36.00 a month, on open feed (they eat whenever theyu want and as much as they want). Purchased in bulk with , say, a group of friends, your basic shots cost approximately $3.00 each. Rabies shots here cost $8.00 at the vet with no office charge. Spay and neuter can be arranged through a program in most areas and the cost is variable. Here, depending on the program, it runs from $10.00 to $45.00. A good set of A-5 clippers can cost $135.00 or more with blades being $25.00 and up, but they can also be trimmed with the little buzz clippers that WalMart sells - granted, not as nicely, and the blades get dull quicker, but itis do-able. Scissors cost between $25.00 and $600.00 depending on how fancy you want them. I use Double Duck 88 stainless steel which cost $25.00 from a catalog. So you see, it isn't the cost that worries me about someone new to the breed. It is the dedication and devotion to the dog's needs. The emotional needs are more important than the physical needs. They are human dogs and need lot of emotional attention. Sorry for being so windy. Have fun with your Standards!

-- Anonymous, January 08, 2002

I hope you found a Standard Poodle for your family. Mine are priceless. I could never afford what they are worth.

-- Anonymous, January 21, 2002