The Bluebonnet Poodle Club serves Poodle fanciers in the greater Houston area (and sometimes beyond). We hold regular meetings with programs of interest to Poodle owners and sponsor two Specialty shows (March and July), training seminars, a Working Certificate trial, and other Poodle activities during the year.

We generally meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM with the exception of April (National Specialty) and December when our meeting is combined with a holiday celebration. An informal social/dinner hour often precedes the meeting. Click on our Calendar for meeting location and program details. You will find information about other scheduled club activities and poodle-related events there as well.

If you are interested in Poodles, in our club, or in becoming a member, take a look at the information provided here. If you want to find a Poodle breeder or someone who participates in the wide range of activities available to companion dogs, you’ll find them in Bluebonnet Poodle Club. Do not hesitate to contact any of us with your questions or, better yet, join us at one of our monthly meetings.

Board of Directors 2010
Officers

Directors

How to Become a Member
If you are interested in becoming a member, you may request an application from the Membership chair before or after the meeting. To apply, you or a member of your immediate household must own a registered poodle. Dues are $50 per year for one person; if more than one person in your household joins, dues are an additional $25 for each additional applicant (i.e., if two household members join, total dues are $75 per year).

The application period will last at least 12 months and begins when your completed application is read to the club at a regular meeting. During the first six-month period you must attend at least four out of the six meetings. At the end of six months, the club will vote to accept you as a Provisional Member. If you are accepted, provisional status lasts for an additional six months. In addition to attending meetings, you must to participate in club activities during this time and then petition the club for regular membership. A cover letter for the application form lays out the details step-by-step.

Important Club Contacts

Brief History
The first meeting of the Bluebonnet Poodle Club was held in 1956 at the home of Maurine Peach. There were six people present, and they became the founding members of the Club:

• Maurine Peach
• Joe Dawson
• Vivian Bates
• Shirley Roosevelt
• Joe Smith
• Harvey Richards

Maurine was the first president and was soon labeled the “Poodle Queen” by Maxine Messinger of the Houston Chronicle. The membership grew rapidly, and in 1957, two new members—Jimmy Andrews and Gaye Gordon—designed the Bluebonnet Poodle Club logo that is still in use today.

The Bluebonnet Poodle Club held its first Specialty in 1958.

Code of Ethics As a member of the Bluebonnet Poodle Club, I will always:

• Be honest in representing my dogs in registration, breeding exhibiting, selling, or advertising.
• Provide a pedigree at the sale of each puppy and disclose known possible defects or genetic abnormalities
• Keep my dogs in clean safe housing with attention paid to their nutrition, grooming, and medical needs
• Strive to improve the quality of the Poodle in my breeding program according to the Poodle Club of America’s Breed Standard.
• In the spirit of good sportsmanship, respect both the wins and the losses of others in competition.
• Avoid indiscriminate or excessive breeding for the purpose of selling puppies.
• Be supportive and loyal to the Club and to fellow members.
• Encourage the use of breeding stock that are screened and cleared from known hereditary problems; i.e., hip dysplasia (HD), sebaceous adenitis (SA), progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), chronic active hepatitis (CAH), epilepsy, Addison’s, etc. by supporting an Open Registry.
• Screen buyers and new homes for Poodles to avoid the risk of abandonment or the necessity of a rescue situation