Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Toy poodles - any thoughts?

41 replies

GeorgianMumto5 · 18/02/2013 21:44

Can't have a dog yet, but would love one. It needs to be a low allergen dog. Was thinking Bedlington Terrier; I think they are gorgeous but the DC aren't impressed. Today we met a toy poodle at the park and all three of us fell in love.

Does anyone have any experience? What are they like as family pets?

OP posts:
Original poster
GeorgianMumto5 · 18/02/2013 21:45

Sorry - clicked created before adding,'Thank you.' Rude!

OP posts:
tabulahrasa · 18/02/2013 21:49

Small... Lol

The only one I've ever known well was disabled, but she was lovely if a bit yappy.

Original poster
GeorgianMumto5 · 18/02/2013 22:45

Thanks. The lady I met today said they don't have the lung capacity to yap much. That's one tiny dog!

OP posts:
aladdinsane · 18/02/2013 22:52

We've recently got a miniature
She's 10 months old now and lovely
She has been very easy although not fast to house train. She is very easy going. She barked in her crate the first few nights then OK
She is good with DC and no allergies
We don't poodle clip her, I just trim her and she gets lots of compliments although everyone thinks she is some sort of doodle x
She can run and play but is happy with little exercise too

LadyTurmoil · 18/02/2013 23:40

I think they have the reputation of being very intelligent dogs (that's why they were used in circuses cos they could learn tricks quickly), easy to maintain with regular clipping. There is a Poodle Rescue, www.poodlesinneed.com/Pages/default.aspx I have no idea what they're like but they have a couple of toy poodles on there at the moment, a 1 y/o white one looks very sweet.

AgathaF · 19/02/2013 08:41

I haven't any experience with toys, but we have a standard. He's 13 now, so old, but he has been an absolutely brilliant dog with children - they get very involved with family life. Poodles are very clever, so easy to train, but they do need stimulation or they can get bored. They have a reputation for being almost intuitive, and I'd say that is very true of ours, and I would imagine most of them.

Owners of toys that we have spoken to have said that they can be yappy, but that could be because of how they are trained. I think most small dogs are yappy if it is not discouraged young. Have you looked at minatures?

We don't clip ours in a poodle clip either, just trim him to 3/4" all over every 6 weeks or so. Most days we get asked if he is a doodle (which is slightly annoying). Easy to do this type of clip yourself with the proper equipment, which saves ££££.

orangeandlemons · 19/02/2013 08:46

I don't find them low allergen. I'm allergic to all dogs including poodles

Original poster
GeorgianMumto5 · 19/02/2013 12:07

Oh, really, orangesandlemons? That is a bummer! Sad Tbh, I think I'd hav some low level of allergy with any dog, but that poodles or bedlingtons would affect me less. OK I probably need to borrow one for a weekend, to check. I cope with the guineas and hamster and the guineas' hay. I have some symptoms but I hey are manageable.

I'm going to look at those rescue dogs now. Dh won't agree, but OK sense a weakening that I shall gradually work at.

OP posts:
Original poster
GeorgianMumto5 · 19/02/2013 12:07

Please excuse typos - new Nexus tablet.

OP posts:
poachedeggs · 19/02/2013 12:11

The allergens are in the coat, not the coat itself. The saliva particles which remain from grooming are shed as dander, and this is what causes the allergic response.

Wiping animals down with a damp cloth a few times a day can reduce shedding of dander.

I live and work with animals and have animal allergies. I take cetirizine daily we won't talk about the asthma medication and provided I try and minimise contact with airborne allergens such as dried blood or aerosolised saliva I am OK.

orangeandlemons · 19/02/2013 12:49

Wiping them down made my no difference either, neither did any of that special pet stuff

cherryflip · 19/02/2013 12:55

I have a 10 year old Toy Poodle (rescue ) hes great with kids,he is not yappy great fun and love snuggles. I highly recommend them.Smile

MariusEarlobe · 19/02/2013 12:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

poachedeggs · 19/02/2013 13:49

What a shame orange :( you must have quite a bad allergy. My sister's ex boyfriend was dreadful, if he was anywhere near cats he had to immediately start gasping on his inhaler. I am the same with my mum's cat, but then he's special in other ways too psychotic Grin

bottersnike · 19/02/2013 13:55

We have a miniature, and he's gorgeous. Friendly, sweet and very cuddly. Hardly ever barks and brilliant with the children. Not the fastest to train, but that could have been us!
I would really recommend them as a breed. DH is allergic to most animals, and he's been fine with our poodle.
They do need a fair bit of grooming - combing, clipping, that sort of thing - but as long as you don't mind them not looking immaculate all the time, it's perfectly manageable. :)

AgathaF · 19/02/2013 14:45

Marius that's interesting. One that I knew years ago didn't chase balls either. Our standard is the exact opposite. Even now he is arthritic and old, he still enjoys fetching a ball, and loves it if you hide it so it takes him a while to find.

happygardening · 19/02/2013 19:20

We've recently got a miniature he's the best dog we've ever owned. The breeder we got him from is allergic to all other dogs. Many breeders will let you spend time with theirs to see if you'll be ok. The miniatures are really not very big max 15' to the shoulder weight under 10 kg mine never yaps and he is completely barmy and has a massive sense of humour easy to train and absolutely full of life. People have this ridiculous idea that their spoilt drippy little dogs but his best friend is a working gun dog puppy and they spend most of their time rolling around on mud. You do need to groom them regularly and have them clipped every 6-8 weeks I'm no Vidal Sasson so I take mine to the dog groomers weeks it cost me £35. I would recommend them to any one. Everyone I meet says "what sort of doodle is that" and are completely taken aback when I say "its nots not a doodle its a poodle" "oh but hes so lovely!!
!??" The breeder we bought him from is a very big noise in the world of miniature poodles told me that the black ones are the easiest and I think the white ones the hardest but I might be wrong about the latter. There are lots on line going cheaply but its definitely worth paying the full price and going to a really good breeder the litters are small but they are often happy to sell you a fantastic puppy that is going to be slightly over height for the show ring mine is a beautiful example of the breed I'm so proud of him, fully health checked and God knows what else. Also a good breeder will have trimmed clipped them from a very early age to get them used to it this is essential.

digerd · 19/02/2013 19:48

My friend had 2 mini poodles, one black and one white. The white was a bit snappy and nervous and the black was not. She told me that is sometimes the case with the white ones. I love the colour of the apricots and the one I met was very lively and lovely. He was a medium size but still small.

oldqueencrepey · 19/02/2013 20:21

What do you mean your children aren't very impressed with the idea of a bedlington???
We have one and she is simply gorgeous. looks like a lamb but very much a terrier (stubborn / wannabe rodent killer / stubborn / feisty / stubborn) but such a character and such a sweetie.
They are lovely lovely dogs.

oldqueencrepey · 19/02/2013 20:22

oh, and we had a black miniature poodle when I was a child. It was EEEEVIL.

3mum · 19/02/2013 21:36

We have two miniatures. I got the first one solely because my youngest has allergies and eczema which ruled out most other breeds. She was so fab she was swiftly joined by another.

Having always had big dogs (labs etc) as a child, I am now a huge convert to poodles. Very bright and trainable, very eager to please and incredibly loving. Mine are very very good with children of all ages, but I got them as puppies and made sure they were well socialised - every small child within a three mile radius has petted them and/or dressed them up at some point.

Not wimpy dogs at all. They love a muddy country walk but are equally happy to settle for a trot around a city park. They are good with other dogs (always a bonus when you are walking them). Agree you either need to expect to pay for a groomer every 6-8 weeks or learn how to do it properly (I got a groomer to teach me).

My youngest does not react to them at all and he sits with them on his lap and love the no moulting!

Can you tell I am now a poodle fan?

Original poster
GeorgianMumto5 · 19/02/2013 21:40

Oh,I think bedlingtons are gorgeous. The DC have no taste! They say they look like sheep. Dd loves the idea of a poodle because the one at the park was lovely and because they fit her 'prettiness' criteria. Ds won't entertain the idea of any dog at the moment, although he did concede that Park Poodle was cute.

Said poodle chased a ball too - more than once.

Via that breed rescue link, above, I discovered that you can foster. That might be a good start for us, I think. Well, if we were approved and there were any locally.

OP posts:
happygardening · 19/02/2013 23:10

Gosh lots of poodle owners I so rarely meet others and we're surrounded by every conceivable dog breed. Mine chases a ball half heartily but primarily runs around with a stick in his mouth. 3mum is right fab with other dogs fab with children. who when he's due a hair cut think he's a teddy bear fab with elderly in local care home, people who hadn't shown any interest in anything love his soft curly fur basically not big chewers (especially in comparison with gum fog best friend) very intuitive but they can open kitchen cupboard doors!!! Basically the best dog we've ever owned and we've had lots. I would love one day a standard but they can be absolutely huge.

AgathaF · 20/02/2013 07:33

happy - our standard is huge. Someone described him as "the size of a small donkey". He is so, so gentle though, and always has been, with the children and their friends.

happygardening · 20/02/2013 08:28

People say standards are really barmy is that true and obviously need more exercise although miniature like a lot of exercise. I couldn't really get a standard on my car either but I do love them I saw a red one the other day he was gorgeous.