# Irish Poodle? What?



## CharismaticMillie (Jun 16, 2010)

I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as an Irish poodle...unless the poodle came from Ireland? When googling, I did find an "Irish Doodle" which is a cross between an Irish Setter and a Poodle.

http://www.irishdoodles.com/


----------



## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

I would think it is a cross between an Irish Water Spaniel and Poodle. No secret club to my knowledge...lol!

I have seen them in "person". They are generally taller and stockier than a Spoo. Heads are considerably heavier. They are quite lovely to look at. Their tail is indeed peculiar. About an inch and a half of tight curly coat close to the body then a whip of a tail beyond that. I have no idea if it grows like that or if it is clipped to look that way. Their coat usually looks like you mixed deep red and deep brown Poodle coat. and their eyes are usually the amber-ish, green-ish tones of brown Spoo eyes.


----------



## Purley (May 21, 2010)

They just look like a crossbred Irish setter to me. The photos I found don't look anything like a Poodle.


----------



## lavillerose (Feb 16, 2011)

I have groomed an Irish Water Spaniel. Yes, the tails are like that! Or rather, it's a true "rat tail", meaning the tail naturally doesn't grow much guard hair, it's mostly short, wispy undercoat to a point that the skin shows through anyway, so it's generally shaved off so it's smooth. Their faces are naturally smooth coated as well, like other true spaniels. And the rest of the coat is dense, but quite silky compared to poodle hair (and it matts super easy!)


----------



## Fluffyspoos (Aug 11, 2009)

I considered getting an irish water spaniel for awhile, but was turned off by what I read as far as their temperaments go. They need to be socialized throughout their life time, and the coat is really quite fluffy and soft, very unlike the coarse hair of a poodle.

I had the pleasure of meeting one at an obedience trial, she was very friendly and out going to the people she knew down in the ring, but she got shy and timid around me and the other Utah girls. I had to sneak a pet in in order to feel the texture of her coat.

They hold that dark brown really well it seems, and yes, their tails and faces are naturally shorter.


----------



## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Maybe the Irish Poodle is from or has ancestors from Ireland?

The Irish Water Spaniels are very interesting dogs. There used to be a lady in my area who showed about three of them in Agility; one was crackerjack, the other two good performers if not stellar. Their personalities seemed to me on the "harder" end of the Sporting dog spectrum: think Flat-Coats rather than Goldens. I'm sure there's a decent amount of personality variance, though, just as in Poodles.

And yes, the hair is a surprise. Much softer than a proper Poodle coat. (Unless I happened to be touching as improper IWS!) The face and tail are that way naturally. Cool dogs.

--Q


----------

