Sproodle puppy - would you recommend?

[sahbear]

We are considering a Sproodle (Springer Spaniel Poodle cross) as our first family dog. Has anyone got experience of Sproodles? I am hoping it will be good with children and our cat, as well as a fun family pet. DH and I both had spaniels as pets when we were younger. DS1 and I are both asthmatic so I am thinking the sproodle fur is a good idea. I haven't actually met a sproodle so am interested in your experience of them.

Mine is very bouncy and loves to run. Sadly , she is not as well trained as the Springers I know but that is my fault not hers- she is very intelligent and picks things up easily. I know poodle crosses get a bashing on MN but it was the right choice for us :)

You're crossing two highly driven energetic and neurotic working breeds - it will need a lot of socialisation, training and exercise!

Please don't support designer mongrel breeds. I can guarantee they won't have been health tested and their temperament will be largely unknown.

If you have a known allergy to dogs, buying one as a family pet is a bit stupid TBH - you have no guarantee that the mongrel won't shed - there is no truth in this myth.

Buy a health tested puppy from a reputable breeder and don't be drawn in by crap crosses.

Please don't buy a faddy mongrel when there are tons of better options. Try rescues all over the country - you'll be amazed at the dogs that they have coming in, with the added bonus of potentially adopting an adult dog with a full assessment and not in need of house-training.

Otherwise, look at the Portugese water dogs, they have non-shedding coats, as do Wheaten Terriers. Both smart, lively breeds. Poodles are awesome though :-)

Another vote for poodles. I've had toy poodles for over 30years, they're everything pp say - very intelligent and energetic and lovable. I swear little Lula is the cleverest thing in the house some most days when my meds are wearing off.
Happy choosing, OP. [smile}

If it helps... I have a poodle, and here is his picture from his puppyhood to help in your research! . He is a mini / toy cross.. Great fun, great with the kids. He doesnt moult ( but does roll in fox poo!)

What's wrong with a Springer?

Both breeds are intelligent and high energy, why put variables into the mix too.

Our Springer is as close to bomb proof as I would ever go as far as saying about a dog.

They need a lot of exercise and stimulation though, as do poodles. We are usually out for about 2 hours in total a day and train him too.

How can any breeder of Sproodles be KC registered? It's not a breed. If both parents are owned, then surely that's breeding for profit/gain as it's not breeding for the benefit of the breed, as it's not a breed?!

Irish terriers are fab dogs of a similar size and don't really shed.

Tibetan terriers (notaproperterrier) are my dream dog, but I got outvoted.

I don't think it's any use. The OP isn't going to pay attention to anyone with concerns about dog breeders and designer mongrels. I wish they didn't have such cute names. They might not appeal so much then.

By strange coincidence I met a 'sproodle' this morning. Sweet, friendly puppy who had a lovely run around with my dogs.
The owners said she was very springer like with huge energy and that was certainly what I could see as well. Very high maintenance coat for a dogs that wants to spend her time flushing out in the woods though.....

They bought her from a Gumtree ad, i.e. puppy farm front. Here's where I have the problem. I can totally understand that people are attracted to certain dogs based on looks , but what I can't get is how anyone can even consider that a 'breeder' of 'sproodles' is interested in anything but the money it brings in.

I just really can't understand why poodles are not more popular as a choice when all the crosses are? Poodles were on our list and I just think they are excellent looking dogs. We went for a terrier in the end! Is it because of the image of poodles with the silly (sorry) haircuts?

If you like a springer get a springer, if you like a poodle get a poodle!

I'm convinced it's the silly haircuts that put people off poodles - but have attached a pic of our boy to show that they don't have to look like that! So many people have expressed surprise that he's a pure poodle, just because he doesn't 'look' like one!
We are very likely to get a second dog at some point in the future and have agreed that the only way we will ever end up with a poodle cross is if we rescue one - we certainly wouldn't dream of buying one. In the words of one of my wildlife heroes, Chris Packham, 'If you want something with poodle in it, get a poodle!'

I don't think poodles have recovered from their yappy, badly brought up reputation from when they were lap dogs and given blue rinses and hideous haircuts.

My friend has a lab and a sproodle. DS and I are both asthmatics ( and allergy prone) and since they got the sproodle I can't cope at their house without antihistamines and inhalers

Oh Foxes your boy is fab! :)

You can't guarantee what coat your dog will have. I know a couple of cockerpoos. One is like a poodle and one just like a cocker!!
Totally unpredictable.
I agree completely with the poster who said research the worst of each breed and see if you can deal with it.
Most cross breeds don't come from a place where the necessary health tests are done on parents. Tread with care.

No you can't tell by looking if they will shed or not, especially as a puppy's coat is different to its adult coat. As PP's have said, it's not actually the fur which triggers allergies but the skin particles so a so-called hypoallergenic dog can still trigger reactions.

It seems like you are set on going ahead regardless so if you know very little about poodles please do research thoroughly before getting a dog that is half poodle.

Lastly, all these "designer dogs" are prime puppy farm territory so please make sure you educate yourself in that regard before you even think about visiting breeders.

Thanks Bubble! He is very lovely - just coming up to a year and full of mischief . This was taken in the New Forest over Easter and my daughter and I reckon what he's saying in this pic is 'Why is there horse poo everywhere?' - unfortunately, curiosity got the better of him and he ate a bit !

In the interests of balance

Foxesarefabulous and Needastrong your dogs both look lovely. I am not going ahead regardless as I am in the thinking and considering stage! I take on board the comments about puppy farms but sadly these do not only affect crossbreeds but pedigree breeds also. I have done some google research on spotting a puppy farm, but I am not in the market just yet.... However judging by this thread people with Springer Poodle crosses do seem to have had a positive experience even if lots of you are against the idea....

If you do go ahead with looking at crosses you ned to be careful the breeder is doing adequate health testing. There seems to be a very common misconception that a lot of health tests aren't necessary when cross breeding however that's not the case.

Presuming you'd be looking at a first cross......

The springer parent should have had their hips scored with a result lower than 13 (the current breed average) and preferably as close to 0 as possible The final score is made up of two numbers, one for each hip, which should ideally be similar. For example if the dog's hip score is 7 then 3/4 is preferable to 1/6. They should also have a current BVA eye test (these are repeated annually) and a current BVA gonioscopy (these are repeated every three years). Finally, they should have had a DNA test for cord1-PRA.

The poodle (presuming the breeder is using a miniature) should have a current BVA eye test and have had DNA tests for prcd-PRA and macrothrombocytopenia. They should also have had a DNA test for von Willebrands disease type 1. It's very common for poodle cross breeders not to bother with this test, presumably because it's not present in most other breeds commonly used, however although rare it is possible for carriers to become symptomatic so it really is an absolute must.

That's the absolute minimum that should be done for this cross.

Ideally the poodle parent should also be hip scored with a score less than 10. For the springer parent DNA tests are also available for familial nephropathy, fucosidosis, hypomyelination and phosphofructokinase deficiency.

Whilst many of these conditions aren't present in both breeds and so puppies cannot be affected they could be carriers. Any decent breeder would want to know precisely what their puppies could potentially be carrying and would be keen to make use of all available DNA tests. If they're breeding crosses back to either parent breed then they should definitely be doing all available tests.

For any of the conditions for which DNA tests exist a dog can also be "clear by parentage" which means both their parents have been tested and were clear (or both were clear by parentage themselves) and so there's no chance of the dog being anything but clear.