THOUGHTS ON A BREED: POODLES
KAY PEISER
ability in the show ring, not to mention the haircuts they are required to be in for showing. Most Poodles when groomed tend to “show off” as well. 6 What about the breed is most misunderstood by the general public? The “general public” tends to look at Poodles as simply a “fluffy foo foo” dog and they are so much more. People are often surprised by what great watchdogs they can be whether in the home or the car. A lot of people also do not realize that the continental trim is designed specifically for the Poodle when they are retrieving. 7. What advice would you give a newcomer? Best advice? Find a reputable breeder known for the health, temperament and overall quality in their dogs and use that as a starting point. If you are going to show and/or groom your- self, then choose someone to follow as a mentor who will help you learn things as you go and make the experience positive. 8. What is your funniest experience at a dog show? It was the Ocala dog show and Bill and I were just getting together. It was a Sunday and we had to break down and drive home. Bill wanted to help and he was great help with the heavy stuff. Then, it came time to empty the buckets, you know, the ones we use when we scoop up after the dogs? Well, let’s just say that was his true introduction to every aspects of dog shows. I’m happy to say it did not scare him off as we have been married now for over 13 years. “...CHOOSE SOMEONE TO FOLLOW AS A MENTOR WHO WILL HELP YOU LEARN THINGS AS YOU GO AND MAKE THE EXPERIENCE POSITIVE.”
BIO
Kay grew up in the sport of dogs. She traveled to dog shows with her parents, Dick and Ida Baum and her three sisters, Nancy, Jill and Lynn. Her first juniors dog was a Doberman but she has shown many breeds over the years. She still has poodles, but has also done quite well with her Chinese Cresteds in recent years. 1. Where do you live? What do you do outside of dogs? I live in Micanopy, Florida.
As far as anything outside of dogs, most everything I do involves dogs to some extent, but I would say travel is the one thing I do most outside of actual dog shows. 2. Number of years owning and/or showing Poodles? I got my first Poodle to show about 31 years ago and have never been without Poodles since. I have bred many titlehold- ers under the Kaylen’s name. I have actually been showing dogs for about 52 years now. 3. Describe the Poodle in three words: Smart, beautiful and misunderstood. 4. What makes a Sporting dog the ideal companion in the 21st century? Not only are they fantastic house pets, but Poodles are also hypoallergenic which makes them ideal for people with allergies. 5. What about the breed makes it a great show dog? People tend to forget the Poodle is a retriever even though it is in the non-sporting group, so they have a natural athletic
S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , J ULY 2015 • 277
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