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!

[MissShapesMissStakes]

Purple - but then my mini cost less than the crosses I saw for sale (though to be fair I didn’t look round loads.)

I’m not sure about the pedigree/mixed breed health implications as I didn’t get massively into that. I assume it’s more to do with established breeders and knowing what medical checks they should have. But again, that’s just a guess. And something I did wonder about when I was looking into which breed.

[Whitney168]

I think some of it comes down to ... the belief that things are black and white when it comes to likelihood of health problems in pedigrees vs. crosses.

I think people like to talk the talk about cross-breeds being healthier than pedigrees. Not necessarily true, of course, any dog is a product of its parents - however healthy or not they are - plus appropriate rearing. The recent post on the Golden Retriever x Poodle with epilepsy demonstrated that well.

However, I still think it just comes down to fashion - the current trend for French Bulldogs and Pugs underlines that. Frenchies have exploded in numbers, and that certainly isn't for their good health. Pugs and the larger Bulldogs are going out of fashion a bit, but again their popularity was in no way driven by good health - just by fashion.

[Smoggle]

He is so cute. I think of poodles as being pointy, so the crosses sort of rounds them. Yours doesn’t look very pointy though, looks like my friends cockapoo!
You know that's because of how poodle's fur it clipped though? Any dog looks less round without fur.

[Uggss]

I had the same approach just 2 days ago. Ahh, lovely dog. Is it a male? Yes. Still a puppy? Yes. Is he a cockapoodle? No he's not. He's a toy poodle.
Now it might be quite trendy and the 'in thing' to have a poodle cross, but for all the heinz 57 cross poodle mutts out there not one cross breed has been recognised by any kennel club anywhere. (I'm not dissing cross breeds, they can and often do make excellent dogs)
So why do people automatically assume if it's a poodle it must be a cross?

[RandomMess]

No doubt my next rescue will be some sort of poodle x abandoned when no longer fashionable! Rescues full of staffers at the moment but in 5-10 years time it will be something different...

I hate this "fashion" thing with animals the cat world is full of main coones

[dangermouseisace]

We have a poodle cross- lab/poodle. We weren’t looking for a cross, we were looking for a puppy that would be born into a family home like ours rather than live in a shed, and that would be intelligent and fairly high energy, and not predisposed to attacking small furries. We had labs, spaniels and poodles in mind, but after meeting lab/poodle mum and big brother from a previous litter I was absolutely won over. Their temperaments were lovely and they were healthy dogs. It was cheaper than getting a pedigree TBH. The breeder said she didn’t understand people charging silly money for a crossbreed. I find it a bit embarrassing to say he’s a labradoodle (everyone thinks he’s a cockapoo because they seem to be a thing) because it isn’t a breed! I don’t care what he is though, he’s our dog and we absolutely love him to bits 💜

[tabulahrasa]

“So why do people automatically assume if it's a poodle it must be a cross?”

Because you can’t tell by looking if it’s unclipped and you so rarely see an actual poodle...

[Viedax]

My miniature poodle Moses, was with me for fourteen years. He was bright, fearless, noble, gentle and very loving. We were very close and I miss him every day. You really can't go wrong with a mini poo.

[MissShapesMissStakes]

Viedax - sounds like an amazing dog

[whatshappening101]

I have a cockerpoo that i rescued and it's only since getting him I appreciate the poodle breeding. My next dog will be a poodle for sure!

[WillDeleteThisLater]

I wondered this too yesterday in fact. The cocker mixes seem much more bouncy and when young, mouthy, than the same age poodles.
I prefer the poodles..

[gubbsywubbsy]

Your dog looks like a cockerpoo that's why people are surprised . Are you 100% it's a poodle . Def doesn't look like one .😬

[JonestheRemail]

Nope sorry that is exactly what a poodle looks like. The pointy nose and pom pom tail are purely a product of clipping. Here is a pic of one of mine. He gown splendid moustache.

[JonestheRemail]

gown = grows!

[MissShapesMissStakes]

He doesn’t look like the stereotype poodle that people think of.
He’s very much 100% poodle. Met both his parents.

What are you basing your ‘he doesn’t look like a poodle’ on?

[MissShapesMissStakes]

Actually after doing a quick google images search I think it’s more the shaved nose than anything else which people expect of a poodle.

[MissShapesMissStakes]

that is one impressive moustache!
I find that my dogs beard and top of his head seem to grow faster than the rest of him. The groomer used to leave his beard but now he’s enjoying the disgusting habit of mud rummaging (not a euphomism) I asked her to cut it much shorter. I like him like that now.

[RandomMess]

Geez I'm looking at that tache and wondering how manky it could get with food and goodness knows what else

[lljkk]

My grandmother had a small poodle that stank, sorry to lower the tone. Don't full poodles need special coat care to avoid tangles & stink?
What coat maintenance do you guys do (esp. dogs > 5 yrs old)

[MissShapesMissStakes]

He’s gone through a couple of different looks already.

He’s getting shorter and shorter cuts as I realise how mucky he can get. And as he doesn’t shed (at all!) then i really need to keep on top of his brushing. Also I need to get my moneys worth as he needs a cut at least every 6 weeks.

He wasn’t loving the bow tie look to be fair.

I’ve been thinking about whether he is ‘high need’ and so far he genuinely hasn’t been. His first night here he settled in his crate and cried for five mins. Then slept till 6. He sleeps till 7/7.30 now.
If the kids are in the garden and playing then he plays with them. If they are playing minecraft he sits on the settee next to them and dozes. If we go out he sleeps in his pen till we get back.

[evilharpy]

Poodles are fab. I’ve never owned one but have known quite a few in various sizes and they have all been lovely, fairly laid back, and very clever. If I was going to own a dog a poodle would be one of the breeds I’d like to have.

[JonestheRemail]

He is quite a tidy eater so thankfully the tache seems fine. They get a clip and a bath every 2 months or so, that's it. I don't groom in-between as there is no need.

[ScreamingValenta]

I love poodles, I think they always look so sweet and eager. I think perhaps people cross them in the hope of getting their intelligence and trainability into another breed, if they don't go for the aesthetics of a poodle.

[MissShapesMissStakes]

Lljkk - mine doesn’t smell. He’s only washed properly at the groomers every 6 weeks. Rest of the time I might hose him down when he’s mucky but that’s it. He really doesn’t smell. I am hyper sensitive to dog smells and he’s really not smelly at all.

[fikel]

This is my toy poodle. He is 2 1/2. Very very affectionate, never bitten anyone. He is a lap dog but has tremendous stamina. He will walk for miles, or just play in the garden. Doesn’t shed at all, doesn’t have a doggie smell. Incredibly intelligent and eager to please.
Everyone thinks he’s a cockerpoo