Pawrade breeder partner Denise wrings the mophead as she’s deep into cleaning the whelping area. The newborn puppies are nursing hungrily in an adjoining pen, and Mama gives them reassuring licks as Denise sanitizes their pen. Denise knows how crucial a clean pen is to the well-being of her puppies and dams. Denise hears a notification, leans the mop against the wall, and checks her phone for a much-welcomed break. A picture of an adorable Mini Bernedoodle pops up, and Denise grins from ear to ear. She loves it when her past customers provide her with updates on the puppies she’s lovingly raised, making all the hard work worthwhile.
Pawrade is fortunate to have caring breeder partners like Denise. She raises Standard Poodles, Mini Poodles, and Mini Bernedoodles on her 4-acre Indiana farm. Like all our breeder partners, Denise passed a rigorous application process with flying colors demonstrating a commitment to raising healthy puppies with a puppy-first approach, a promise to put her puppies’ health and well-being at the forefront.
Let’s explore a day in the life of breeder partner Denise and discover why she benefits from being a part of the Pawrade family.
How Denise Got a Head Start With Her Career Choice
Denise has been a breeder for over half a decade, getting her start before her schooling was over. “My first job was working for a family friend in his kennel. I started with that and then realized that it was not only super fun but also a good way to support myself and my family.” After earning her high school diploma, she began her career as a breeder at a young age and has done so for six years.
Meet Denise’s Chosen Dog Breeds
Denise has fallen in love with raising Standard Poodles, Mini Poodles, and Mini Bernedoodle puppies. Denise says, “I love that they do not shed and are good with families that might have allergies. I have allergies myself and was struggling with other breeds, but these dogs don’t cause flare-ups for me.”
Choosing parents
Unlike some kennels, Denise owns all her parents and has chosen them carefully for her breeding program. “I choose them based on qualities I like with calm, quiet personalities. I look for dogs that are not super crazy or hyper. All of my mamas have laid-back personalities which carries down to her puppies,” Denise explains.
Denise knows the importance of healthy litters and ensures her parents are healthy before breeding them. Denise notes, “I do genetic testing to make sure litters are not at risk for any genetic disorders. I also do color testing. However, as long as they’re healthy, I don’t focus on color or their coat and instead focus more on health and good personality.”
Standard and Mini Poodles
Poodles are consistently in the top 3 list of the world’s smartest dog breeds, and it’s easy to see why when you get to know the breed. Poodles come in Toy, Mini, and Standard varieties but share the same characteristics.
Denise shares why she loves Poodles so much when she says, “I love how intelligent and family-friendly they are. They are overall fantastic dogs and can have completely different personalities. I have one who is attention-seeking and good with families and children, which carries down to her puppies. My other Poodle is quite the opposite and likes to be alone. When around people, my Poodle is not up in people’s business. Each represents a good fit for the right type of family, something for everyone.” Denise also likes the smaller Poodles: One is under 40 lbs., and the other is under 15 pounds.
A versatile Poodle is just as happy playing fetch as he is curled up by your side after a long day. “My Poodles do best with active people or families who can give them plenty of exercise exploring out and about or have children to chase them around,” Denise notes.
Some people may unfairly assume that Poodles are prissy due to the elaborate haircuts owners can choose, but the opposite is true. They are extremely athletic in addition to carrying themselves with elegance and dignity. Poodles do well in dog sports like agility and need at least 45 minutes of daily exercise to stay healthy.
Part of the fun of owning a Poodle is choosing how to style their coats. Most Poodles have tight, curly hair that barely sheds and needs to be maintained regularly for a healthy coat. Owners can choose low-maintenance cuts, such as the summer cut or puppy cut, or opt for an elaborate cut like a Continental clip complete with pompoms on hips. Regardless of style, Poodle owners will need to schedule regular trips to the groomer.
Mini Bernedoodles
Denise’s Mini Bernedoodles are a combination of a Mini Poodle bred to a Mini Bernedoodle. A first-generation Mini Bernedoodle has a Mini Poodle father and a Bernese Mountain Dog mother. While Denise adores Bernese Mountain Dogs, “They’re just too big for me. Mini Bernedoodles are usually around 20-25 lbs. yet they still have that Bernese Mountain Dog personality I love,” Denise explained. She tends to breed Mini Poodles to Mini Bernedoodles to produce dogs that are more likely to be hypoallergenic thanks to their large percentage of Poodle genetics. This type of dog is called an F1B indicating the genetic parentage of the cross.
Combined with the laid-back, mellow personality of a Bernese Mountain Dog and the intelligence and athleticism of a Poodle, Mini Bernedoodles make lively, friendly companions and are social yet adaptable. Mini Bernedoodles can feature the signature tri-color of a Bernese Mountain Dog, but genetics makes it fun to see what colors and patterns are produced since Poodles carry over 30 color and pattern combinations!
Denise’s Typical Day as a Dog Breeder
Denise’s day looks different depending on whether she has a current litter to tend to at that time. “I feel like it’s chill when I don’t have puppies,” notes Denise. “I always keep everything cleaned and sanitized. I exercise the dogs, letting them go outside and get all their zoomies out in a long play session. I make sure they’re groomed with that fluffy doodle teddy bear look.”
Happy Birthday, puppies!
The majority of a kennel’s focus is ensuring pups are born in a healthy environment. “I begin my day by making sure the kennels are nice and clean and that Mama gets enough exercise until she’s ready to give birth.
When it’s time for the puppies to be born, Denise takes a hands-off approach while still constantly monitoring Mama. “I usually keep an eye on Mama. My dams do not usually need help birthing. I let them do their job and make sure everything’s nice and warm with clean bedding.”
One crucial aspect of birthing puppies is to make sure they get that first milk called colostrum, a liquid full of fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, immunoglobins, and other components made in the first few days after birthing puppies that contains exactly the right formula for what growing, vulnerable puppies need. Denise loves the first few moments of nursing, expressing, “I love watching them first latch onto Mom! It’s so sweet because Mama is there being protective and that her puppies are getting what they need.”
Keeping detailed data
Denise keeps impeccably detailed records of all parents and litters. “For Moms, I have all their vaccine and deworming schedules, microchip information, if they are registered, their papers from vet visits, and other important information.
For puppies, I do the same thing, keeping track of the new owners’ information and their microchip info and name, birthdate, weights, and other notes to help owners understand their personalities.” Denise’s favorite milestone is when the puppies open their eyes and start exploring, something she will note in their files.
The puppies’ health is monitored every day starting with proper nutrition. “My puppies nurse until about 6 weeks old. During that 7th week, they stay in a separate pen to socialize with their littermates and give Mama a break. They are then usually eating on their own and have opportunities to eat when they need to eat.”
Denise ensures her puppies receive the proper healthcare on a schedule for robust growth and development. “I do my own deworming and vaccines,” says Denise. “The puppies are usually dewormed 4 times by 8 weeks or more if they stay past 8 weeks, and they all get 3 vaccines before leaving to go to their new homes.” Denise’s puppies (as well as all Pawrade puppies) come with a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian and a copy of all current vaccinations and deworming when they arrive at their new homes. Most of Denise’s puppies go home around the 8-week mark, but some do stay later.
Preparing puppies for their new homes
In addition to ensuring healthy puppies, Denise works closely with her puppies to prepare them to go home to their new families through socialization and potty training. She makes sure they have plenty of human interaction from the moment they’re born until the day they leave. “I have a bunch of brothers and sisters that love puppies, so they spend lots of time with children, touching and playing with them, and learning how to interact with people,” says Denise.
While Denise does not adhere solely to one formal puppy potty training method, she introduces the concepts of where to potty very early. “I have a divider in the pen with their food and beds on one side and an empty space on another for them to relieve themselves. At 8 weeks old, most puppies have figured out to make their mess on the one side away from their food and beds,” explains Denise. “Because of that, I’ve had 5 people reach out and say their puppies are easy to potty train. I think that helps that they have a general idea of what’s going on with housebreaking when they get to their new homes.”
After the adoption
Denise’s support does not end when the puppies go home. “The new owners can reach out to me at any time with questions they have or any updates they’d like to share. I love getting updates!” exclaims Denise.
Customers may have questions about any guidelines or extra services offered. “I don’t have any mandatory spay or neuter clauses, but all my puppies are sold as pets. I’m not opposed to selling them to be bred, but there would have to be stipulations and requirements with additional testing and an increase in price for the right person,” notes Denise. She offers registration paperwork for interested puppy parents.
How Pawrade Helps Breeders Like Denise Focus on Puppies, Not Marketing
Running a kennel requires so much work outside of just raising puppies. Many people might not understand other aspects of the business including marketing puppies for sale. She says before Pawrade, she did the marketing herself and also joined a third-party company, but it would prove to be more difficult than she had hoped.
Denise noticed the difference right away when she partnered with Pawrade. “I haven’t had as much success with the third-party company as I have with Pawrade.” Denise notes a few reasons why Pawrade stands out one paw above the rest.
Denise appreciates the responsive communication with Pawrade. “When I was with another company, it was hard to get one-on-one communication, something I really appreciate with Pawrade. If I need something or have questions, I can send a text and always get a great response. I hate being put on hold. The last company had a 3-hour wait. I don’t have time to sit there and get a hold of a person,” laments Denise. “On top of that, I’d have to talk to an automated message system rather than talking to a person. Having human interaction is key with Pawrade,” explains Denise.
Not only does Denise appreciate Pawrade from the breeder’s perspective, but she also notes customers enjoy working with Pawrade on the potential puppy parents’ side. The messaging system consultant, the breeder, and the customer communicate together in one spot where everyone can chime in with input. “It’s so important to have the communication between the breeder and the customer,” says Denise.
Despite the hard work it takes to be a breeder, certain moments make it all worth the effort. “I love watching the customers first meet their puppy when it connects with the family. It makes you feel like all the hard work and effort of what you’re doing is worth it.”
Find Quality Puppies From Breeders Like Denise at Pawrade
If you’re interested in a happy, healthy Standard Poodle, Mini Poodle, or Mini Bernedoodle, Pawrade is ready to help. All puppies from our breeder partners arrive with a health certificate, up-to-date vaccinations and deworming, a 3-year comprehensive health guarantee, 30 days of MetLife insurance, and more perks. You’ll never have to worry about being scammed thanks to our secure adoption process. Our Puppy Concierge team is ready to help you every step of the way. Reserve a puppy from breeders like Denise who are committed to providing puppies to fit every lifestyle and wish. Browse our puppies for sale to find your new best friend!
