Poodles

[Iwannabesuewhenigrowup]

I've always had a thing for poodles, I'm not thinking about getting a puppy yet but in the future when my children are a bit older than i may do. Just wondering if living with poodles is what i think it would be!

My favourite size is standard because they're so eye catching and beautiful but we only have a small terraced house so i think they might be too big and a miniature would be the way forward. I'm relatively experienced with dogs and capable of grooming a poodle - not show clip etc but enough to get by. I would want a medium energy breed walk ie for an hour a day, I'm very keen to do clicker training and agility and similar. Work from home and that will continue. I need one that doesn't shed so I've looked at all the non shedding breeds and ruled out very small and very large dogs, ruling out terriers due to their prey and digging drive, ruling out breeds such as havanese as they are just way too expensive although theyre gorgeous. Thought about a rescue but i need a non shedder due to allergies to dog hair from moulting breeds. Id like a happy dog that'll cuddles up on the sofa, easy to train, sociable and good with (respectful) children.

What's it really like living with poodles and any other medium non shedding breeds i should consider?

Anyone with a Poodle I have ever stopped and spoken to when walking my dogs has always said what nice pets they make. I happen to love them even though I have never owned one, and there is an added bonus that they don't shed hair.
Go for it

They are incredibly clever little dogs and very loyal

Not my picture but this always makes me laugh

That picture did make me laugh id be a bit worried about getting a dog that can run rings round me!

Mine is a miniature he is an easy going cheerful obedient little dog. They are known to be an exceedingly healthy breed (if you buy them from a reputable breeder) he’s 8 and never had a days illness. Plus they are very easy to train. Mine rarely barks and being a non shedding breed is wonderful. Go the through the miniature poodle club they’ll know about future litters from breeders dedicated to the breed. I understand all poodles if they live long enough are going grey and we were told that some poodlr experts think black ones are the most laid back.
They love to be with you and cuddle up to you on the sofa that is when they are truly at their happiest. They are happy with a short walk or will easily walk 10 miles; mine walks at least an hour a day most days. Generally they have a low prey drive mine would walk through a field of livestock off a lead and not chase them although I always put him on his lead. Mine goes to the groomer every approx couple months it cost £40. Like you I love standards but although my house is big my garden is small and I’m not sure it would work.
They are highly intelligent and agile many do agility etc.
Everyone loves him and comment on what a nice easy little dog he is and he’s converted quite a few people to poodles.

I had a standard poodle who was an amazing dog and great with children.
They tend to be a bit mouthy as puppies sometimes.
That and the grooming requirements are the only down sides I can think of.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I must admit on the back of your responses i did Google reputable poodle breeders this morning . My children are only 4 so i need to wait a few years i think.

I have a mini poodle. He's our first dog and is 2 now. He's honestly been amazing so far. He wasn't a chewer or even very bitey as a puppy. He even slept through from day one! (Obviously not usual).

He's great. He loves us all being together. His recall is great. He was easy to train because he loves his food, pleasing people and is very clever (not always - he has walked into the glass door twice now ).

He is great with my kids. My youngest is 8 and can get upset and loud. But my mini will be straight to her wagging his tail, licking her feet, sniffing her ears and tickling her.

He does have a prey drive. He runs round the garden like crazy if a cat has been spotted there. And he loves to get rid of the pigeons. He loves to visit our Guinea pigs but I wouldn't trust him without us being there. He finds them way too interesting!
He will also bark when the door goes. But we haven't discouraged that as I don't mind. And he will stop when I tell him.

All the poodles I know are people dogs. Mine is a bit overwhelmed by other dogs. But that's because he has been jumped on by a few dogs now. So he'd rather avoid if possible. If he can't he just rolls on his back.

The no shedding is brilliant too. Never found a stray hair at all. I spend £35 every 5 weeks to get him groomed. But I like him quite short.

Oh my god he is gorgeous!

I think so!

I don't have much to add, I just wanted to share this picture of our six month old miniature

We're first time dog owners and he's been quite easy so far. The bitiness was annoying and upset our 11 year old at first, but it wore off after about 12 weeks, he sleeps through the night (on our bed), his leadwalking is coming along quite nicely, he's top of the puppy class at scentwork. And everybody thinks he's extremely cute

@AnnPerkins he's lovely! Love his ears.

I have a toy poodle. She was the most active and inquisitive puppy I have ever had, but was very easy to train and is a perfect companion. She just loves doing things, whether it's gardening, housework or anything else, she is right there taking an interest. She loves a long walk, but won't play up if you can only manage a short one. She likes going in water and is obsessed with retrieving balls. She is very gentle and loving and quite sensitive. The lack of moulting is wonderful as our previous dog was a jrt, and they moult like mad. I can trim her myself, but the groomer does a much better job of it than me.
Photo attached, fresh from the groomers just before Christmas.

Loving all the poodle pictures, they are a gorgeous breed.

I looked after a friends miniature poodle for a while. Lovely little dog - clever, easy to train, and cuddly. The only thing he did do was howl every now and then and was partial to a bit of a bark - but that’s most small dogs really ime.

Eeeeek!! I've been to see a miniature poodle this evening and may have accidentally handed over a deposit!

The Mum was so impressive and seemed so smart - she had a Paw Patrol toy that makes a 'Yelp for Help!' noise that she presses to go outside!

The breeder asked me loads of questions and would also like to be asked to look after the one I 'accidentally' chose if I were going away or needed him caring for which I thought is a good sign! i was so worried about scammers, puppy farms, fake families etc I had scared myself half to death.

Here is the accidental purchase:

Very cute!

Oh loving all the poodle pictures! Can't believe you're getting a puppy mrszlatan when do you get to pick him up? Thank you for the info you've cemented in my mind it will have to be a poodle one day

Gorgeous puppy. I love standard poodles but after reading this I’m drawn to the miniatures too.

@MrsZlatan congratulations. You won't regret it!
Our mini is an apricot too. Though he's faded since he was little in just two years. He's still very soft though. Not got the tight poodle curls which I think is an apricot thing.
This is him little and age two

Poodles make great pets. We've had standards for many years now. Great with children, easy to train (although they do need plenty of stimulation throughout the day because they are intelligent dogs), fantastic dogs to work with - agility, gundog, scenting etc. Real people dogs. Grooming requirements are not as bad as some, but they do need brushing regularly and clipping every 4 - 6 weeks, depending on what clip you like them in. We clip ours to about 3/4 inch all over, face and feet included, every 4 weeks or so. Because it's not a fancy clip it's easy to do myself with a decent set of clippers and a little bit of scissor work around the head.

Thanks agatha do you find they feel like "big" dogs to live with? I don't know if that makes sense but like labradors for example are big and solid and they take up a lot of space and they're so full on they always seems like big dogs to me. Do yours like cuddles on the sofa with you or are they quite aloof? Do they tend towards confidence or nervous especially with other dogs and strangers?

We've got a 17 week old miniature and he's a dream!

Never had a dog before so nothing to compare it to but he's so lovely, adores his family and is so clever. Still occasionally wees on the floor but the biting has all but stopped and he's slept through the night on our bed since the start. He's as mad as a box of chocolate frogs and full of energy when he's not sound asleep!

Everywhere we go people stop to coo over him. Which he LOVES. He adores people and dogs alike and begs to play with every dog we come across! He's a bit too jumpy yet but mostly other dogs are very accommodating of him.

He's mental with DS(9) which is a pain but they really love each other and are learning how to play without going over the top.

He's completely non shedding and hasn't set my allergies off at all. We have him groomed like a teddy bear (so he looks like a cockapoo rather than a 'traditional' poodle) every 6 weeks.

I really recommend them!

Here’s JuiceyPup :)

Oh he's gorgeous!