Seren sits in her ex-pen, she’s staring at me while delivering her signature high-pitched bark. She is insisting I release her from her confinement.

“You get this prima-Donna attitude from your grandmother,” I tell her as I toss some treats into her pen to distract her. I know it will only work for a moment.

While Seren snuffles around her pen for the treats I tossed, Sojourner excitedly prances over to find out what Seren is snacking on . He stands with his four feet square, neck perfectly arched as he observes the puppy and her treats.

I understand the importance of maintaining healthy lineages; that is why I exhaustively research the pedigrees that go into my breeding program. My specific breeding process is research-based, taking into account the science behind maintaining a strong genetic pool. I enjoy reaching into the past to see which poodles have contributed to my gene pool. Sometimes I find a family of poodles that have offered a great deal to the health or temperament of my current line. And sometimes I will find a few “odd poodles out” that have not brought as many positive attributes to the overall poodle population. I weigh the good, the bad, and the mediocre when choosing pedigrees to move forward in my breeding program.