# Differences in personality between sizes?



## Winterlily (Oct 13, 2010)

Just curious as to what personality differences you guys find between toys, minis, and standards? I often read things like "more the personality of a standard than a mini" and am wondering what you find those differences to be? 

I've had toys and one mini (though, he was not from a good breeder and may well have been an oversized toy), never a standard (yet!).


----------



## charity (Jan 23, 2009)

IMO...the toys that I have are more of couch dogs and bed buddies than my spoo. Gaelic is only 4 1/2 months though. But she is wide open! She acts just like the sporting dog that she is! LOL
The toys also seem to be less tolerant of strangers than my spoo.


----------



## Winterlily (Oct 13, 2010)

Thanks Charity!

I just read another reference on here of someone preferring the spoo personality to that of minis, but still don't know exactly what you all feel the difference is?


----------



## PoodleMomAnew (Dec 22, 2010)

I am new to spoos so am by no means an expert. My family had mini poodles when I was young and I remember them being very energetic to the point of being hyper. I suspect my mother did not get the dogs from a good breeder if she got them from a breeder at all though. My spoo is much more calm. That is the main difference I find but again I have only had Hunter a few months now.


----------



## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

I suspect you are going to get as many different answers as you get replies, because from what I've read and observed, every poodle, of whatever size, is an individual -- and how! There seem to be laid back toys and hyper spoos, and everything in between. Our mini, Beau, is pretty much a cuddly couch potato. He gets hyper on occasion, but never for long; he sometimes barks, but usually for good reason. When we first met him at the breeder's, he was 6 mos old. The other poodles -- both minis and standards -- were jumping up and down like pogo sticks and barking their heads off. Beau was calm and collected. Not wanting a hyper dog, his temperament (and supreme cuteness) made our minds up right there.

Bottom line: it's all about the temperament of the particular dog.


----------



## Roxi Rocks It (Mar 2, 2011)

I so agree with LEUIIman. I had a black mini that lived to be 19.5 yrs old and he was wired weired. He didn't like other dogs and barked at everything moving or not. He was not a cuddler either. On the other hand he never chewed or destroyed anything in all those years. My SPOO Roxi loves dogs and people and unless she is playing with other dogs she is very laid back. She is 14 mo. so sure she tests us but for the most park she is easy to live with...very balanced in temperment.


----------



## Winterlily (Oct 13, 2010)

Thanks guys - I really appreciate it.

I totally agree that there are no hard & fast rules - so much depends on the breeding and, more importantly, individual temperament. (My last poodle was a toy who was never, ever yappy, not hyper in the least, super social with everyone, etc etc... Not the stereotypical toy in any way.)

But I think a lot of why I was asking is because I continue to see references to the "standard poodle temperament" as opposed to the other sizes. So I totally agree that all are individuals, still you see references - on this forum a lot, even! - to the spoo temperament. Wondering what is meant by that, then?


----------



## neVar (Dec 25, 2009)

so much depends on the lines too- friends mom has a spoo ad was like WHY would you want one? apparently hes jumpy reactive and HYPER (and she has aussies so we're talkin spinny crazy doodle type hyper) she thought i was nuts- but met and loves bella. Her mom just got another (different breeder) and she loves her mom's new dog


----------

