SR Titan, WC, JH, WCX, SH achieved his AKC Senior Hunter title on 5/02/10, making him the 24th Standard Poodle in history to have attained this honor. read more
SR Misty, WC, JH, WCX achieved her first pass toward her AKC Senior Hunter title on 5/02/10. read more
SR Misty, WC, JH, WCX achieved her NAHRA Started Hunting Retriever title on 4/18/10. read more
SR Titan, WC, JH, WCX, SH achieved his first pass toward his NAHRA Working Retriever (Intermediate) title on 3/27/10. read more
Nat'l/Int'l CH SR Bear, CGC, WC achieved her NAHRA Started Hunting Retriever title, sweeping the 4 tests she was entered in. She completed her title at just 13 months of age. These wins qualified her for the NAHRA Started Brass Band award. Bear also swept her first AKC Hunt Tests 2/13-2/14/10, putting her 1/2 way to her AKC Junior Hunter title. read more
CH Kimber achieved her UKC Championship on 2/21/2010. read more
Nat'l/Int'l CH Ace took 2 Best In Shows and 3 Reserve Best in Shows at the IABCA Conformation Show 3/13-3/14/10. He is also half-way to his UKC Championship as of 1/30-1/31/10, taking Best of Winners against a very nice AKC/Canadian Champion. read more
Int'l/UKC CH Kiss achieved her UKC Championship on 2/14-2/15/09, winning Best of Breed and Best in the Gun Dog Group in 3 out of 4 shows. She earned her Int'l CH title on 3/13-3/14/10. read more
Nat'l/Int'l CH SR Bear, CGC, WC won Best of Breed Puppy on 1/24/09 and earned her Nat'l and Int'l Conformation Championships, as well as her Canine Good Citizen certificate, on 3/13-3/14/10. read more
Harmony Mountain Hunting Pudels
Home of the Original Retriever
Our Mission:
To share with others the joy of owning, hunting, and competing (in any venue) with one of the most versatile and intelligent of dogs. To accomplish this, we are committed to breeding poodles (aka "pudels") with the genetic health, physical strength, structure, and mental soundness necessary to avoid a complete loss of the very characteristics that have made them popular in the field, water, other competitive and fun venues, and as companions. Thus, we have carefully selected our breeding stock to blend dogs with retrieve drives, proper temperament and health, and those with structural qualities which will enable them to work without injury.
While approximately 70% of our puppies' purchasers buy them solely as companions, we take our goals seriously and have immersed ourselves in the training (ours and the dogs) that will prove to a world where survival hunting has nearly vanished, that retrievers' instincts haven't (even those of the forgotten retrievers, like the standard poodle). We are committed to continuing to learn new methods of training bird dog(s). We enjoy (really revel) in working with and watching all retrievers do exactly what
they were designed for--retrieving birds. If you are interested in a pup, please contact us at pudelpassion@gmail.com. You can learn more about training by clicking here.
Poodles Vs. Other Retrievers:
The main reason we chose a poodle was allergies. We have a severely-asthmatic daughter who changed our lives. We owned a pair of Labrador Retrievers when she was young who eventually had to be confined to one room in our home or outside--not the life we wanted for our furry family members. Upon their passings, we were determined to find a breed that could follow us to any room in our home without wreaking havoc with her allergies.
You read a lot about the poodle plague (aka an addiction to poodles). I think we all grow up seeing poodles in funny haircuts which, quite frankly, make them look like anything but a sporting dog. So how could someone get obsessed with something so funny looking? It's easy! Underneath all of that hair, is a dog that will consume you with its versatility, intelligence, and loyalty. (The irony in the Continental cut, i.e., the funny haircut, is that it was created to protect vital organs and joints on the water fowl retrieving poodle; yet, those shown in today's "modified" Continental cut are shown in conformation, not field or water.) The historically-correct cut was first described by Gervase Markham in 1621 (in the original waterfowl retriever training manual). The longevity of the cut, whether "original" or "modified," is a good sign that it isn't going anywhere. The good news for you, however, is that the choice of haircuts is yours once you own a poodle.
Why Placed in AKC's Non-Sporting Group?
Since just dabbling in history is not always enough, here's more. Poodles were placed in AKC's "Non-Sporting" category because they make wonderful companions, not because they don't have the brains, endurance, strength, or temperament necessary to compete in sporting events (our dogs are proof of that). If Standard poodles weren't viewed as the same breed as their smaller cousins (i.e., toys and miniatures), it is possible that they would have a different placement.
Adding to the problem is the fact that poodles with long coats tend to pick up every sticker, cockaburr, etc., that they run or swim near. This caused them to lose favor with hunters once short-coated retrievers were developed. It was the belief years ago that long coats on poodles were necessary for warmth, and lacking neoprene vests, that may have been true THEN. This is a different time. Keeping a hunting or field poodle in a shorter coat makes them no more susceptible to stickers and burrs than a lab, golden or any other retriever, and the advantage is that they don't shed (imagine how nice that is). We hope that their group placement will be re-evaluated at some point, but I would think we are far from that day since there is such a small number of poodles who have even been entered in hunt tests to prove their merit to the powers-to-be with AKC. We hope to one day be a part of history by participating in our beloved poodles' rightful placement in the Sporting Group.
Why Harmony Mountain in the Name?
We own 20 acres at the foothills of the Harmony Mountains in Southern Utah (near Cedar City). This property will serve as our future home and training facility. (The background picture on many pages was taken from our Utah property.) The background photo on the home page (of our very feminine and loveable Bear in early training) was taken at Powers Butte Wildlife Area in Arlington, Arizona by David S. Cantor Photography: www.davidscantorphotography.com. Many other pictures on our site were also taken in Arizona by David Cantor.
