ok, i hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but if you cant afford to get your dog groomed tregularly, then a poodle is not for you. i work for a standard poodle breeder, and know the people who run the Southern California Poodle Rescue, and they would not give you a poodle or let you buy one just based on that. and if you dont have money to afford grooming, then how are you going to affor the equipment. lets see, a tablle can be bought for about 100 bucks including the arm (a crappy table at that) good clippers are 200 bucks, plues you need al the blades which are 30 for the worst brand, each. brushes and combs are very costly if you get good products, and they need to be replaced frequently, as well as your blades. plus you need a stand dryer (minimum of 400 bucks) and a high velocity dryer (minimum of 200). you also need high qaulity bathing products. all of thesde things are needed for a quality grooming on a poodle.
if you are planning on buying from a breeder, i can gaurentee that a responsible breeder will not sell you a dog. my boss is selling puppies right now, and if someone isnt prepared to groom their dog regulary, she will not sell them a dog. poodle rescue is the same way. they dont just give you a dog just b/c you want one. my boss has 8 poodles and i can tell you that grooming them is very difficult, and they all need to be brushed saily, and groomed every 2 weeks.
i understand you want a poodle. they are great dogs. but right now, may not be the right time for you to get one. how much time do you even have to spend with the dog. poodles need their owners. they are not a dog that you can just leave at home all day in the backyard. my boss will not sell any dog to someone who works fulltime, b/c she knows that dog will not have a good quality life. you hear lots of stories about how difficult poodles are, and that is only b/c people get them and do not realize how much time they need with their owners, and that yes, they do need weekly grooming. stop thinking selfishly and realize that you are not in the right place for a dog like this, and that you will be hard pressed to find someone willing to give you one. and if you cant afford the grooming, how can you afford the dog. my boss sells pet quality poodles for $2000, and show quality for about $5000 (and she makes no profit off of that). if you can find a cheap poodle, who is bred or cared for by someone who doesnt care about the fact that you cant provide the needed care, then i would be willing to bet that dog will come with a whole mess of problems that will cost you more than a year of regular grooming.
