Help find a poodle breeder in the Pacific Northwest

[FrigidLizard]

I live in Alaska and am getting a toy poodle. I cannot find a local breeder that is AKC certified, so I am going to have to have a puppy shipped up. Can anyone recommend a breeder for me? I have looked at many websites, but I am hesitant to simply take them at their word since this will be my companion for the next 16 years.
I am looking for a typical toy, not a teacup. I am reluctant to ship a dog from any farther away than Washington or Oregon, but would consider a longer distance if the breeder has a good reputation for shipping the pups comfortably. Any dopers want to help me out?

Of course, I would love to adopt a mutt from the local shelter, but my and Mr. Lizard’s allergies prevent this. It must be a pure poodle.

[lavenderviolet]

25% of the dogs who end up in shelters are purebreds so don’t rule that out before going to the expense of buying from a breeder
I don’t know about Alaska but here, the local pound here almost always has some miniature poodles. I’d definitely try calling some shelters and rescues before you bother buying from a breeder. Petfinder.com is often a good place to start (although often the local pounds don’t list their animals on there because they aren’t there very long, so it’s worth calling or visiting to see what they have).
There are other non-shedding dogs that are often mixed with poodles such as schnauzers and bichons. Those kinds of mixes would also be good choices for people with allergies.

Here’s what the AKC itself says about people using the term “AKC” to make it sound like their puppies are of some special quality:

There is a widely held belief that “AKC” or “AKC papers” guarantee the quality of a dog. This is not the case. AKC is a registry body. A registration certificate identifies the dog as the offspring of a known sire and dam, born on a known date. It in no way indicates the quality or state of health of the dog. Quality in the sense of “show quality” is determined by many factors including the dog’s health, physical condition, ability to move and appearance. Breeders breeding show stock are trying to produce animals that closely resemble the description of perfection described in the breed standard. Many people breed their dogs with no concern for the qualitative demands of the breed standard. When this occurs repeatedly over several generations, the animals, while still purebred, can be of extremely low quality. Before buying a dog, you should investigate the dog’s parentage (including titles, DNA and pedigree information), the breeder’s breeding practices, the breed standard, and the genetic tests recommended by the Parent Club for the breed. For more information, go to About Buying a Dog and visit the Parent Club website.

Register Your Dog With the American Kennel Club

[Merneith]

Here’s the official Poodle Club of America’s rescue page -
http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org/pcarf.htm

And here’s the AKC Poodle page with tips for finding puppies

Poodle Dog Breed Information

Also, on petfinder, here’s a search for poodles in alaska looking for homes.

Good luck finding your dog! I’m a huge fan of poodles and also of their cousins, the Bichon Frise dogs, too. You might want to consider a Bichon. They’re about the same size as the toy poodles and they’ also don’t shed. Here’s their page, just for comparison:

http://www.akc.org/breeds/bichon_frise/