Addison’s Disease in Standard Poodles: What the Latest Research Is Telling Us
by sixgun | August 14, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Last evening, I participated in a presentation on current Addison’s disease research in Standard Poodles, presented by Steven G. Friedenberg, DVM, PhD, DACVECC, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Friedenberg is both...
Breeder Corner: Which Tool(s) Should I Use?
by sixgun | July 29, 2026 | breeding | 0 Comments
If two dogs have a 0% COI, does that make them a good breeding pair? The answer is no—and that's where the art and science of responsible breeding come together. No single number, test, title, or opinion should determine whether two dogs are bred. Responsible breeding...
Canine Temperament and Cognition Evaluations
by sixgun | January 7, 2026 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Understanding Canine Temperament & Cognition: What the Tools Really Tell Us Choosing the right puppy—or developing the right training plan for a young or adult dog—is not about finding a single “perfect test.” Instead, it requires understanding what different...
Dog Owner’s Guide to Social Media: Tagging Breeders, Co-Owners, and Sharing Responsibly
by sixgun | November 22, 2025 | breeding, Poodles | 0 Comments
Showcasing Your Dog Online: Proper Etiquette for Tagging Breeders and Co-Owners In today’s world of social media, sharing photos and updates about our dogs has become second nature. Whether it’s a candid moment at home or a big win at a show, these posts help us...
Cleared by Parentage: How OFA Uses It, Why It Expires, and What It Means for Puppy Buyers
by sixgun | November 19, 2025 | breeding, Health, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Cleared by Parentage: What It Really Means for Breeders and Puppy Buyers In the world of canine health testing, the term “cleared by parentage” (CBP) is often misunderstood. It sounds simple enough—the puppy is clear because both parents are genetically clear—but...
Stop the Confusion: What DNA Markers Really Mean for Your Dog’s Health
by sixgun | November 18, 2025 | breeding, Health | 1 Comment
DNA testing for animals has evolved from the early days of blood typing and parentage verification to today’s precision genomic sequencing capable of identifying thousands of markers in a single test. In the 1950s and 1960s, laboratories like the Veterinary Genetics...
Decode the Difference: Direct DNA Tests, Marker Tests, and What They Really Mean for Your Dog
by sixgun | November 17, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
Understanding DNA Testing in Dogs: Direct, Causative, and Marker-Based Results DNA testing has become an essential part of responsible dog breeding, but the terminology can be confusing—even for experienced breeders. Words like “carrier,” “at-risk,” “variant,”...
Decoding DNA: How Genetic Testing Is Transforming Dog Health and Breeding
by sixgun | November 16, 2025 | Poodle Pulse, breeding, Health, Poodles | 0 Comments
Canine Molecular Genetic Diseases — Explained Simply 1. Why This Matters Scientists and veterinarians are now using DNA technology to find, test for, and manage genetic diseases in dogs. Before this technology, breeders could only guess which dogs carried certain...
PennHIP vs. OFA: The Critical Truth Behind Accurate Canine Hip Evaluations
by sixgun | November 14, 2025 | Health, breeding, Poodles | 0 Comments
PennHIP VS. OFA: How Each Tells a Different Story About Hip Health Let’s delve deeper into the comparison between hip health evaluations and how they can be used together for optimal outcomes. When breeders or owners discuss hip testing, two programs tend to dominate...
Do Older Stud Dogs Give Puppies Longer Telomeres?
by sixgun | November 13, 2025 | Health, breeding | 0 Comments
The Real Science Behind Longevity in Breeding In my previous post, we explored what telomeres are and why they matter in canine health and longevity. As a quick recap, telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. They shorten naturally with age and...
PennHip Evaluations
by sixgun | November 12, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
What is PennHIP? The PennHIP (Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) method is an advanced radiographic protocol designed to quantitatively assess hip-joint laxity in dogs, thereby estimating the risk of future hip-dysplasia-associated osteoarthritis (OA). Candlewood...
OFA Hip Evaluations
by sixgun | November 11, 2025 | Health, Poodles, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
🩻 Understanding OFA Hip Evaluations: What Those X-Rays Really Show If you’ve ever seen an OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) hip X-ray and wondered what veterinarians are looking for, you’re not alone. Whether you’re a breeder, a future puppy owner, or simply...
Inbreeding
by sixgun | October 29, 2025 | breeding, Health, Poodles | 1 Comment
“What Level of Inbreeding Is Safe?” When people hear the word inbreeding, they often think it means simply breeding relatives. In dogs, this means pairing two animals who share some of the same ancestors. While this can make puppies more predictable in looks and...
Poodle History
by sixgun | October 28, 2025 | Poodles | 0 Comments
🐩 The Poodle — A Deep Dive into History, Sizes & Colors Few dog breeds blend elegance, athleticism, and intelligence as gracefully as the Poodle. Known today for their refined appearance and loving temperament, Poodles began as rugged working dogs built for the...
Poodle Pulse: Smart Product Recommendations – How to Economically and Methodically Find What Works for Your Dog
by sixgun | October 16, 2025 | Poodle Pulse, Uncategorized | 0 Comments
🧴 Finding the Perfect Formula: Testing Grooming Products Economically and Methodically One of the most frequent questions I hear from new Poodle owners and aspiring handlers is, “What’s the best shampoo and conditioner for a show coat?” The truth is, there isn’t a...
The Truth Behind the Poodle Trend: Separating Fact from Fiction
by sixgun | October 3, 2025 | Health, Poodles, puppies | 0 Comments
Poodles - Doodles Poodles and their many crosses—popularly known as “doodles”—have captured the spotlight in recent years. Their reputation as intelligent, trainable, and low-shedding companions has driven demand to new heights. Yet with popularity comes...
Meet Our New Poodle Chatbot: Your 24/7 Poodle Guide
by sixgun | August 28, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
At Standard Poodles of Forest Lakes, we’re always looking for new ways to support poodle lovers and puppy families. That’s why we’re excited to introduce our newest addition — a Poodle Chatbot, available right on our website. Think of it as your personal guide to...
Breeder Focus – Late Night Musings
by sixgun | August 13, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 Comments
I sat here pondering several recent conversations, and thoughts kept circulating in my head. This post is the product of those late evening thoughts. Hope you learn something from my rambling. 😉 What We Focus on as Breeders – and Why It Matters Breeding is far more...
Poodle Pulse: Overangulation
by sixgun | July 20, 2025 | Poodle Pulse, breeding, Health | 0 Comments
🚫 Why Too Much Rear Angulation in Poodles Is a Problem And why “more” isn’t always better You might notice that some Poodles in the show ring have long, sweeping hind legs that look dramatic or stylish when they’re stacked or moving. At first glance, it can seem...
Poodle Pulse: Collar or Harness?
by sixgun | July 20, 2025 | Health, Poodle Pulse | 0 Comments
Dangers of Collars and Harnesses Both dog collars and harnesses can cause injuries if not used properly, but wide collars and harnesses generally distribute pressure more evenly across more area and reduce the risk of injuries. Collars can lead to neck strain, trachea...