Midnight Storm (Storm)

Storm may be one of the youngest members of the Mainely Standards pack, but nobody has bothered to explain that to her.

From the beginning, Storm has carried herself with the confidence of a dog who believes she is in charge. While the rest of the pack may disagree with her assessment, Storm remains firmly convinced that she is the boss and sees no reason to reconsider that position.

As a young black Standard Poodle, Storm represents an important part of the future of our program. In addition to her intelligence and personality, she brings qualities that will help us maintain the rich, dark colors we value while continuing to focus on health, temperament, and structure.

Storm is exceptionally playful and already showing signs of the intelligence Standard Poodles are known for. One of her favorite games involves turning the kitchen island into a racetrack. If she has something she knows she shouldn’t have, she’ll happily lead you on a game of “you can’t catch me” by circling the island just out of reach while proudly carrying her prize.

She is also responsible for teaching us an important lesson about crate security. Most puppies accept that a closed crate door means they are staying put. Storm viewed it as a puzzle. After repeatedly escaping her crate, she eventually taught us that both latches needed to be secured. We would like to say we won that battle, but the truth is Storm simply educated us on proper crate operation.

Like many puppies, Storm enjoys exploring the world with her mouth. Unlike most puppies, some of her favorite snacks appear to be paper and cardboard. Mail, boxes, packing materials, and anything remotely paper-like require close supervision when Storm is nearby. While we continue working on appropriate chewing habits, she remains optimistic that cardboard is a perfectly reasonable food group.

Despite her mischievous streak, Storm embodies many of the qualities we love about Standard Poodles. She is intelligent, confident, curious, and always looking for the next adventure. Whether she’s testing the security of a crate latch, organizing a game of chase around the island, or attempting to negotiate access to forbidden cardboard, Storm approaches life with enthusiasm and determination.

At Mainely Standards, we believe personality is part of what makes every dog special. Storm certainly has plenty of personality, and we look forward to watching her continue to grow into the remarkable dog we already know she can become.