In This Chapter
- Researching clubs and other organizations
- Getting the scoop on grooming and training
- Reading about travel, shows, and other fun activities
- Checking out health information
Kennel and Poodle Clubs
If you’re interested in showing
your Poodle or competing in performance events, you need to register with a
kennel club. The following major kennel clubs (which I introduce in Chapter Socializing
Your Poodle)
pack their Web sites with information and resources:
- The American Kennel Club (AKC) is the registry most dog owners know about. The Web site gives you information on all AKC events, as well as event rules and regulations. The site even includes an online store. For registration information, contact one of the following:
Phone: (919) 233-9767
www.akc.org (e-mail info@akc.org with questions)
AKC
5580 Centerview Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27606
- The United Kennel Club (UKC) is the second largest all-breed dog registry in the United States after the UKC. For information on UKC events, and to find out how to register your Poodle with the UKC, contact one of the following:
Phone: (269) 343-9020
Fax: (269) 343-7037
www.ukcdogs.com
United Kennel Club
100 E. Kilgore Rd.
Kalamazoo, MI 49002
Tip
If you want specific information on Poodles, the first place to look (well, other than here) is the Poodle Club of America at www.poodleclubofamerica.org. You can find breed information, breeder referrals, affiliate clubs, and rescue and health information.
Rescue Groups
Some folks buy their Poodles from
a breeder, but you may be a gracious soul who chooses to rescue a Poodle
instead (see Chapter Deciding
Whether a Poodle Is Right for You or more information on both options). To find some
information on Poodle rescue, see the Poodle Club of America site at www.poodleclubofamerica.org, or
you can e-mail Poodle Rescue at PoodleRescue@poodlerescue.org.
Grooming
Grooming is a vital part of
Poodle ownership. I cover grooming in Chapter Providing
Your Poodle with a Nutritious Diet, but you can check out the
following resources as well:
- Dog Grooming For Dummies by Margaret H. Bonham (Wiley)
- Poodle Clipping & Grooming: The International Reference by Shirlee Kalstone (Howell)
Training
A well-behaved Poodle is a happy
Poodle (which makes for a happy Poodle owner!). I cover housetraining in
Chapter Keeping
Your Poodle Clean and Attractive and basic training commands in Chapter Housetraining
Made Easy, but try the following resources
if you want more information:
- Dog Training For Dummies by Jack and Wendy Volhard (Wiley)
- Any book by Carol Benjamin; my favorites include Mother Knows Best: The Natural Way to Train Your Dog (Howell) and Surviving Your Dog’s Adolescence: A Positive Training Program (Howell)
- How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With by Clarice Rutherford and David H. Neil (Alpine Publications)
- How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend by The Monks of New Skete (Little, Brown and Company)
Travel
The following list gives you some
great travel resources:
- Traveling With Your Pet
This book published by AAA lists more than 12,000 pet-friendly hotels, motels, and campgrounds. The book also includes phone numbers, directions, and prices.
- www.petsonthego.com
- www.tripswithpets.com
- www.petswelcome.com
- www.pettravel.com
Performance Events andOther Fun Activities
Many Poodle owners have great fun
by allowing their dogs to participate in performance events. For sanctioned
kennel club events — such as conformation, rally, and obedience events — visit www.akc.org or www.ukcdogs.com
(I cover these clubs earlier in this chapter).
Therapy Dogs
You can take your well-mannered
Poodle to nursing homes, although some health facilities require dogs to be
registered therapy dogs (see Chapter Showing
Off and Enjoying Your Poodle’s Talents for registry tips). For more
information on how to train and register your dog for therapy purposes, you can
contact the following organizations:
- The Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org)
- Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (www.tdi-dog.org)
- Therapy Dogs Inc. (www.therapydogs.com)
Healthcare
The resources in this section can
help you find a specialist, prepare home-cooked meals, give medication, and
deal with your Poodle’s health issues. For information on specific problems
relating to your Poodle, you should talk to your veterinarian. (Part IV has
full details on Poodle health issues.) The following list presents resources
that deal with healthcare for your Poodle:
- The American Veterinary Medical Association, at www.avma.org, provides articles on various health conditions.
- The American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists allows you to search for an ophthalmologist in your area (www.acvo.org/locate.htm).
- The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society’s Web site lists certified veterinary acupuncturists by state (www.ivas.org).
- The American Veterinary Chiropractic Association can give you information about your Poodle’s chiropractic issues (www.animalchiropractic.org).
- The Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy has a Web site, www.theavh.org, if you’re interested in homeopathy for your Poodle.
- If your Poodle has a health problem that requires a special diet, you can find special homemade diets for dogs with heart or kidney problems, diabetes, or allergies at www.2ndchance.info/homemadediets.htm.
Memorials
When your Poodle is gone, you can
remember her in many different ways (see Chapter Easing
Your Senior Poodle into the Golden Years for more information about
saying goodbye to your Poodle). The following list gives you some resources you
can use to honor your Poodle’s memory:
- The Senior Dogs Project (www.srdogs.com/Pages/loss.html)
- Valley Monuments, Inc. (www.valleymonuments.com)
- My Crystal Companion (www.mycrystalcompanion.com)
- SoulBursts (www.soulbursts.com)
- Gray Parrot Glass Memorials (www.grayparrotglassmemorials.com)
- Comfort Pets (www.comfortpets.com/index.asp)by Susan M.Ewing
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