Genuinely interested - why all the poodle crosses? What puts people off a ‘proper’ poodle?

[MissShapesMissStakes]

I have a gorgeous mini poodle. He’s out first dog and so far has been a dream. Never made a sound at night, really lovely with the kids, easy to train (as he lives to eat!). He is such a cutie (I think). People round us all have poodle crosses and are always reall surprised when I say he’s a poodle and not a cross.

Do people think they are born with Pom poms on their feet and tail? (DH did! but I assumed he was the exception). But I genuinely can’t think of another reason. No shedding at all and they even come in small, medium and large!

@slinky I honestly thought I would never be able to have a dog, but with the rise of cockerpoos about 6 years ago I read that they were hypoallergenic. I looked into them, but they were just too big for my circumstances. I went to see him as a tiny pup, spent time with him, stayed around the area to see if any allergies developed and had completely fallen in love with him by that point. I do still get an allergic reaction if he licks me (almost like hives) but I've trained him not to lick me now. He's 4 and is honestly the most affectionate, loving wee dog ever.

See I thought cocker spaniels were bonkers too? My friend has one. It’s like she’s on speed. Always.

Assuming that’s a cockerpoo?

Lucia - I’m not offended. Honest

Crypto - interested what your dog looks like?

I did start by looking at poodle crosses. But then I read you never know if you will get a shedding dog or not and I didn’t want to risk it. Then I saw some poodle puppies and the woman let me rub my face in them. Just to test out the allergy of course

He’s definitely happy to be muddy. But he does draw the line at water that’s deeper than half way up his legs. He was very annoyed the other day when he jumped into his usual paddling spot but the rain had made it much deeper than he expected.

He's really cute

I have a toy poodle but she is trimmed to the same length all over, so people automatically assume she's a cross of some sort - it's all in the hair style!
She is a lovely dog, likes long walks and generally joining in with everything. People are genuinely surprised when they find out she's pure bred. I meet many poodle crosses but I have yet to meet another toy poodle on my walks.
She is easy to train, biddable, cuddly and an excellent and loyal companion. What more could one want?

In my opinion, it’s because people see poodles as ‘fragile/lap dogs’ and tend to only meet difficult/pampered/aggressive ones. Crossing them with something else gives them ‘friendlier’ breeds.
Or so is the answer my clients give me when I ask why a cross breed and not a poodle. Also, I wouldn’t recognise yours as a poodle either, but a cross.

I'm with you OP. I have two mini poodles which I also have just rough clipped like yours and people always think they must be cockerpoos.

However I can't see why anyone would cross them as they are the two easiest dogs to own. Bright, easily trained (I never use a lead, they just walk to heel and always come when called), fab with other dogs and small children and definitely not nippy. Love a walk but just doze on the sofa with the cats if nothing is going on.

They even turn round with their backs to me so I can lift them into the car more easily - not something I taught them, they just worked it out!

Thanks Panda

Longear - we have met a toy and a standard in our local woods. Standards are HUGE! Not met a mini yet. Meet many crosses.

Chris - maybe that’s it. People assume the messy ones getting mucky that aren’t cut like poodles are crosses. And only notice the pampered Pom Pom poodles as poodles.

Jones - They sound lovely!

It is their reputation of being high energy nutters so mixed with lower energy calmer breeds appeals.

Aaaah yes, those well known low energy calm Cocker Spaniels and Labradors ... (particularly as most used are the cheaper options of the working varieties of both, which are about as far from low energy and calm as you can get!)

Poodles are unfashionable, and the general public do indeed seem to think they are born with pom poms on their feet and tail, rather than being clipped.

I read this thread just as a guy with three poodles walked past me, so clearly some people like them

@Whitney168 I know it's hilarious all these first time puppy purchasers and I'm just like when they go on about cockapoo, labradoodle and even sprollies and sprockers, are they on glue!!!!!

What are sprollies?

I saw some Westipoos online when I was doing my (very long winded) research

Where i live it seems everyone has a cockerpoo, maltipoo(??) Or sproodle

Springer x collie - insane!!!

Friends have a woodle - welsh terrier poodle x, a couple of years old, castrated and still very bouncy and nuts. Our DDog always tells him off in complete vain, he hasn't ever noticed she doesn't like his enthusiasm

Here’s mine after running in the park for an hour. Not prissy!
Controversial but I think cockerpoos look like overweight poodles. They lose the poodle elegance! But I like them too...
Before we got ours, I was put off by the frou frou cuts although I do think standard poodles can look very elegant clipped. But we just keep to a rough cut.
The barking I think is unfair - our neighbours’ French bulldog barks much more than ours. Ours only barks when someone comes to the door.

Doing - lovely colouring!

Ours doesn’t bark at the door. But he has started barking at the flashing lights by zebra crossings. Think they freak him out.

Very cute. He doesn't look like a poodle though. What's his breeding?

He doesn’t look like a full poodle from those pictures and I’ve grown up with poodles

“Poodles tend to moult less than a lot of other breeds, often people want the temperament or looks of another breed but with less shedding! The mixing of the 2 breeds will often get this.”

Except it doesn’t you can get anything from a poodle coat right through to the other breeds coat, most likely a combination - but not necessarily the one you want...you do get for example labradoodles that have a poodley coat, but the lab tendency to moult like there’s no tomorrow.

If non shedding is important, don’t outcross a non shedding breed.

“It is their reputation of being high energy nutters so mixed with lower energy calmer breeds appeals.“

So why don’t they cross them with those breeds then?

I kind of assume it’s just because poodles aren’t fashionable tbh, because the alternative is that people don’t like poodles, but happily but dogs that are 1/2 or more poodle... which makes no sense at all.

Fazackerley Not all poodles are solid colours. She’s a parti. Mum was apricot, can’t remember what colour the dad was, brown I think. The litter was a mix of solid colours and 2 partis.

I never understand why anyone would spoil a perfectly good poodle with a lab!! (I love my lab but he's not the sharpest tool in the box)

I cannot understand why pups cost so much. It's not as if there is much specific breeding to get a desired look.
The result, a cross breed, (some may say mongrel) has fewer of the problems of in breed animal.

Some poodle crosses have super nasty fur.
Sparse, scraggly, patchy.
There. I said it. But true. Worst of poodle + worst of labrador/spaniel. Ugh.