Give me your thoughts on a miniature poodle

[ItsABatFaceThing]

Not on the cards yet. It’s just something we are considering in a couple of years maybe.

My husband has always pulled a face at the thought of a poodle but he met a couple today and he really liked them

Ive always liked them and thought they’re lively , affectionate and intelligent little dogs.

any owners out there who can give me more of an insight?

Also in the table is a chow chow (yes, I know completely different but we have owned one before and u deans the breed) but I wonder if the miniature poodle might suit us

Fantastic little dogs!! ❤️ I have one.

Pros:

• Great all rounders, good mix of companion vs althletic. Happy with 60mins walk a day - doesnt need a massive 2hr adventure every day.
• Very Intelligent - second most intelligent breed actually! Only the border collie is smarter than the poodle. Learns really quick and easier to train than most.
• Independent - doesnt suffer from separation anxiety as bad as other breeds. I was able to leave mine for periods of time from young, and now she is three and is fine with up to five hours alone if needed. Her only limit is her bladder bless her.
• can really "read a room" if you know what I mean. Matches the energy around her be that human or canine.

Cons:

• that independence mentuoned above is great in some ways but means that they are not glued to your side indoors. If you want a dog who is OBSESSED with your every move then.....Mine is affectionate but on her terms. Sometimes I fancy a sofa cuddle but frankly she wants to be alone in another room 🤷🏼‍♀️ but when she chooses to be with me my heart melts
• Requires regular grooming appts... £££

I will also say : mine was 12 weeks when I got her and I dont know how to say this or have concrete science to back it up - but I just feel in my gut that those extra weeks with her mum just made her a more secure happy well adjusted little being you know?

No doubt more knowledgable ppl will be along, but that is my experience anecdotal with mine xx

Agree with @Somewherenorthofhere‘s post- even down to the fact my girl stayed with her mum longer is much more independent that most others I’ve met. Will add the boys tend to be a bit less independent (& so more affectionate and Velcro dog esq) than the girls.

Lovely little creatures

They are extremely intelligent and affectionate. They are very sweet. I don't think I've ever met a mean, miniature poodle in my life. I don't have one but my fondest memory was having one as a child. We had a male. He was a beautiful chocolate boy we named Cocoa. Absolutely brilliant - can't say one bad word about them!

I have one too and he’s amazing! I do have a boy and independence is something we are working on! He’s extremely loving, cuddly and fun but does like to be close to his people. He is getting better at being left for short periods, but I have had to use sitters for work days if family aren’t around.
My poodle has a teddy bear cut and some people mistake him for a poodle cross - they are always pleasantly surprised when I tell them he’s a poodle.

I had my boy at 10 weeks, fully toilet trained and gaining confidence.

We have one and she is great. She is happy to be on her own but usually does follow me around the house but not obsessively so. Agree with leaving alone in small increments from the start. Super easy to train as very clever and intuitive. Great with my kids and emotionally tuned in to them. Energetic, she loves long walks but doesn’t need huge daily ones. We usually do 60 mins daily. Doesn’t really smell of dog or shed, that’s an enormous plus for me.

Downsides: cost of grooming every 6 weeks (or learn to do it yourself); can be a picky eater, it took some experimentation to get food right plus ours is intolerant of chicken so took us a while to work that out; particular to our poodle, she takes time to allow non family members to touch her. She is not a Labrador who loves everyone after 1 second. Ours doesn’t really love other dogs but that was a due to a few incidents early doors but she’s very good at ignoring them on walks.

They are lovely wee dogs. They were my second choice but decided on a westie in the end

I have heard it said that

"The girls love you but the boys are in love with you"

Trade offs and pros/cons with both IMO. A independent non-velcro dog gives you more freedom outside the house without them but you might sometimes find yourself wanting on the sofa watching telly alone, but a more velcro-ey one will validate your every need for affection and cuddles without fail but not do as well with being left behind. 🤷🏼‍♀️