# Standard Poodle 101



## NerdGirl (Feb 26, 2009)

Hello everyone! I'm new here and I don't yet have a poodle. I am considering getting a Standard Poodle in the near future. I've read up on the breed in regard to temperament, health concerns, exercise requirements, grooming, etc. I would really like to hear from some real Standard Poodle owners.

What information would you like to share with me (good or bad)?
How old is you SP?
What is the best thing about your SP?
What is the worst?
Have you experienced any health issues?
Is your SP trained to retrieve? Agility?
Favorite foods?
Suffer from separation anxiety?

Anything at all...

Thanks! I really appreciate your time!


----------



## SECRETO (Aug 20, 2008)

Hello,

I have 2 Standard Poodle's....Eli, 1.5 yrs and Sting 5 months. I'll talk about Eli since he's older and Ive I had him since 10 weeks. 

Eli is intelligent, obedient, loving, sensitive, focused and my absolute love! He likes obedience training,_* loves *_agility and would happily let me stack him up and run around the ring if he was conformationally nice enough. As of right now Eli know's how to sit, lay down, roll over, speak, high five, shake with what ever hand you ask and stay. He's a good boy!

The worst thing about Eli is the grooming which isn't that bad but can be exhausting at times. 

We haven't experienced any health issues but I try my best to provide healthy food, treats and good hygeine(sp) meaning cleaning his ears, reg grooming and bathing, brushing his teeth, checking his eyes daily and etc. 

Eli's favorite food is yogurt mixed in his kibble. He also likes raw hide chew's and dog treats. 

Over all owning a Standard Poodle has been nothing but a joy. I previously owned Amstaffs/Pit Bull's and I still love that breed but they just don't compare to a Standard Poodle.


----------



## NerdGirl (Feb 26, 2009)

Secreto - thanks for the info! What a gorgeous pup!


----------



## FUZBUTZ (Aug 23, 2008)

Hi, welcome to this forum. I really think the majority of the time it would be awful hard to go wrong with owning a poodle. We own 4 of them, 2 toys and 2 standards. My husband and I are in our 60's have been married since we were 18 yrs. old, and have had animals of all sorts all of our married lives and b-4. We have never been w/o a dog. I have to say that poodles are by far the best breed of dog we have ever owned. They are highly intelligent, very human like. They love being told how good they are, how nice they look and etc. They love to make their people happy. They hate getting in trouble or disapointing their people. We will never be w/o a poodle, they truely are a lot of fun to own.


----------



## starkeeper (Jan 27, 2009)

*I love standards and had one once but went back to miniatures*

because the standard was just too much dog for me!

She, Clara, could reach things (and did) all over the house (kitchen included).
She was big in her movements, her grooming, her rascal ways.
I did love her a lot but swore off standards after her!

Miniatures are a lot like standards. Some like to retrieve and do sporty things and are rascals too.

Just my experience.


----------



## T o d d (Sep 25, 2007)

NerdGirl said:


> Hello everyone! I'm new here and I don't yet have a poodle. I am considering getting a Standard Poodle in the near future. I've read up on the breed in regard to temperament, health concerns, exercise requirements, grooming, etc. I would really like to hear from some real Standard Poodle owners.
> 
> What information would you like to share with me (good or bad)?
> How old is you SP?
> ...


Moose is almost 2 years old now.

The best thing... he's smart, snuggly, and likes to be around and follow me. Important because it lets me do my own thing but yet he's there with me... that was super important to me. I also wanted a dog that loved to run and hike and Moose LOVES to run and hike!!

Worst thing? He eats everything but it's not really that bad actually, he's grown out of it a lot... lately it's been his farts they are deadly!!

No health issues other than when he ate fertilizer and had poops for a while and had to get medicine.

He retrieves stuff I throw, and if I point he runs that way, etc. Not prof trained, only by me 

He LOVES anything but we feed him Blue Buffalo it's very good for him but pricey.

Suffer? Nope, but he's SUPER HAPPY to see me when I get home : )


----------



## NerdGirl (Feb 26, 2009)

Thank you all for the responses! I have only heard great things about the SP's disposition and intelligence!


----------



## gwtwmum2 (Sep 14, 2008)

I own a standard poodle who is 6 months. I love him and I agree with what others have said. I will say that YES he does surf counters and can easily open my pantry door to help himself to the trash (if I don't remember to put something heavy in front of the door). These are things that keep you on your toes. So you need to set your mind for that. Also, depending on where you live, I would recommend getting a spoo puppy in the spring so you have all spring, summer, and fall to train before cold weather hits. (I got Wrigley in October and so it has been a bit more of a challenge to train since right after he got all his shots, the weather has been too cold to be outside much.)
That said - he has DEFINITELY been easier to potty train than my small breed dog. Even with the cold weather. He caught on to leash walking really well too. My only other word of caution with the spoo - definitely more expensive in terms of grooming and food (unless you teach yourself). But if you decide all of that is okay - they are SO worth it. Very sweet dogs.


----------



## NerdGirl (Feb 26, 2009)

gwtwmum2 - are standard poodles sensitive to the cold? 

I had a lab/golden cross that just recently passed away. Talk about counter surfing! When he was young he would eat EVERYTHING - socks, undies, paper towels. They would usually come back up, but still!

And as far as spending money on food, I've always fed my dogs super premium dog foods, so I'm used to the expense! LOL


----------



## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

NerdGirl said:


> gwtwmum2 - are standard poodles sensitive to the cold?
> 
> I had a lab/golden cross that just recently passed away. Talk about counter surfing! When he was young he would eat EVERYTHING - socks, undies, paper towels. They would usually come back up, but still!
> 
> And as far as spending money on food, I've always fed my dogs super premium dog foods, so I'm used to the expense! LOL


poodles don't have an undercoat so they can be sensitve to cold, unless you let the coat get long in winter. If very cold I put a sweater or coat on them or if it is snowing their snowsuit! lol I love it!


----------



## roxy25 (Dec 18, 2008)

How old is you SP? 5 months next week

What is the best thing about your SP? That he is really smart, regal looking when he trots lol Enzo Has a ton of energy which I like in dogs, he is soooooo SMART. I have trained him a trick or something new within 5-10 mins! 

What is the worst?Bad thing is he is so hyper that he does not focus in my sessions with him. I am going to exercise him before a training session and this will probably do the trick. ( PS not all poodles are the same this is just speaking for Enzo) He also gets car sick !

Have you experienced any health issues? No health issues so far we plan to health test him when he is 12 months old. 

Is your SP trained to retrieve? Agility? Not yet we plan to take him to a lake and see how well he does in the water. We plan to show Enzo so I will be working on maybe agility next with him

Favorite foods? I feed him innova adult food small bites. His favorite human food hot dog. He also loves natural balance food the sausage kind.

Suffer from separation anxiety? He did try to pick that up when we first left him home alone but now he is used to it


----------



## gwtwmum2 (Sep 14, 2008)

I would say that Wrigley isn't bothered by the cold at all - BUT I've let him grow a nice wooly coat over the winter. My chinese crested must have on clothest to go out, but Wriggs love to run and play - snow or not. He does hate rain - but really, who doesn't? 
Wrigley is from health tested parents and his breeder offers a five year health guarantee. He is still young, so no health problems but I've definitely tried to protect us from future ones with the parents and guarantee (I figured if the breeder was offering five years - she must be very confident of her dogs).
I think the expense on food is two fold - yes, the good food is more expensive BUT Wrigley eats more than my Crestie -so I could buy her a good bag of food and have it last a few months, Wrigley's only lasts about a month.
I'll be excited to see what you decide - are you looking at all sizes of poodles?


----------



## NerdGirl (Feb 26, 2009)

hahaha! Great picture, Pamela!


----------



## NerdGirl (Feb 26, 2009)

gwtwmum2 - I'm looking at Standard Poodles only - black or chocolate brown. I'm debating between the SP or a Labrador. I prefer big dogs. The pug in my avatar was a rescue that I just couldn't say "no" to.


----------



## gwtwmum2 (Sep 14, 2008)

I had a lab growing up. GREAT dog but I would say that the shedding makes the poodle the choice for us. Also, our lab grew up to be the best dog ever BUT his first 18 months, we could've called him "Destructo" as he ate EVERYTHING. Wrigley likes to chew, but he is much calmer in general than Buck (our lab) was. The nice thing about a standard poodle is, you can always clip them down to have more of a lab look but you can grow them out too. 
I love black and brown! Both are great colors!


----------

