Wendy & Tony Riley     
Paierau Road               
Masterton                   

My name is Wendy Riley. My husband Tony and I live on a lifestyle block in Masterton. We have three adult children and five young grandchildren.

We have owned and bred dogs all our lives, namely British bulldogs, Irish terriers, fox terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and numerous cross breeds.

I have always been a fan of miniature schnauzers, loving the look and character of them. I had also heard of schnoodles and was fascinated by the mix of the schnauzer with the poodle.

At the time we were breeding alpacas and we swapped a young alpaca for a little black schnoodle we named Ella.

I was instantly blown away with how easy Ella fitted into our family and her intelligence.

Everything about my little schnoodle was easy and I was left wondering why I had persevered with some of the other breeds all my life.

One thing I was amazed with was how calm Ella was, and yet given the word always ready for a game.

I had been worried she may have been full on and hyper as I had seen in many poodles, but I have found the mix of the two breeds intermix well, keeping the intellect of the poodle with the companionship and devotion of the schnauzer.

I now breed different ratios of poodle/schnauzer, all aiming for that teddy bear look and unsurpassed personality. This I find helps fill the wants of different families with the aim of them having the perfect family pet

Colours vary from black, black with white, black & silver and salt & pepper. Over the years I have been breeding I have also brought in apricot and grey into my line. This is often a very soft muted colour. As with poodles and schnauzers, you do find that over the years the colour of your dog can lighten.

We are always striving to improve our line and while the teddy bear look is important, the health, personality and temperament of our puppies is utmost to the fore.