As popular as they are, you’d think poodles for sale were as accessible as a pack of gum. The truth is they’re not. Well, ‘purebred’ poodles that is. Unless you live and work inside a show ring, what you see trotting all around you could be poodle variations instead. In this article, we assume that you’re looking for a 100% pure bred poodle for sale that wants you just as much as you want him (or her). And we offer three of the most common places to search.

Professional Breeders

Professional breeders offer the best opportunity for finding 100% purebred poodles for sale. No other group dedicates as much time, care, and energy into preserving and improving the poodle that we’ve all come to love. Professional breeders for example, ensure that their pups are properly cared for, disease free, socialized, cleaned, and in many cases, potty-trained at the very least. They keep careful lineage records and they’re surprisingly selective of who gets to buy their pups. But professional breeders are also the most expensive.

You can find this resource in your local classified ads, on the internet, or right at the dog shows that they pride themselves for winning. You can also find professional breeders through poodle affiliate clubs. Poodle clubs host referrals that will put you into contact with those who breed AKC quality poodles. Visit poodleclubofamerica.org and akc.org for some quality leads in your area.

Shelters and Rescue Groups

If you’re not keen on buying an expensive poodle for sale from a professional breeder, you may have some luck at adopting an older poodle from an animal shelter or rescue group. For just a small fee, you can adopt a purebred poodle that’s already housebroken and eager to get daily hugs.

You need to be aware however, that some of the poodles in shelters and rescue groups might suffer from old age health issues, abandonment issues, or a lack of proper training. And they usually don’t accompany pedigrees. If you’re willing to put in the time needed to establish a new sense of trust between you and an adoptive poodle, take a look at shelters and rescue groups.

You’ll find them in your local yellow pages and kennel clubs. Both the poodleclubofamerica.org and akc.org websites will point you to additional resources as well.

Pet Shops

You can of course find poodles at pet shops, but we strongly caution against it. Pet shops obtain, treat, and sell their animals as inventory instead of as loving companions. As a result, many of them suffer from latent but severe health and emotional problems. We decided to include this resource only as a last resort for the poodle fan who’s willing to love the animal (not to mention pay for it‘s expensive health care) no matter what condition it’s in.

Having said that, we believe that you’ll get a better quality poodle from a small pet shop instead of a large, pet shop. Poodles sold from a small, family owned pet shop may come from a local breeder or someone that the shop’s owner actually knows instead of from the dreaded puppy mill.