Ten (or So) Great Sets of Poodle Resources

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

In this chapter, I provide easy-to-reference Web sites, books, and other resources to help you with travel, health, grooming, training, performance events, and more. Keep in mind that I can’t include every dog resource in this chapter. I may not mention your favorite training book, and you may know of a wonderful Web site for travel that I’ve omitted. I give you these resources only as a starting point. Explore. Enjoy. And start your own notebook of Poodle resources.

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected].

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: