# Is a Poodle right for me?



## Paula rene (Apr 23, 2010)

There are a lot of breeds out there that shed less. Bouvier, Wheaten, Portuguese water dog, Polish lowland,bedlington terrier and many more. You should research them all thin pick one that is best suited for you family. If your not sure about a poodle I think you should keep looking for other breeds. You just might find one you like better if not then you will know a poodle is for you. Good luck in your seach for you new fur baby. Hope this helps some.


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## *tina* (Jan 3, 2010)

I think you should expose your wife to the different breeds of "hair" dogs and see what she reacts to less. Some people are allergic to the hair, but most are allergic to the dander and saliva. I will say that my kids are allergic to lots of environmental allergens (including dogs), and both can cuddle our Poodle than our short haired dog and come out A-OK.


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

flazer said:


> I suppose I’m more the German Sheppard type, or even the Pit Bull type but per the latter, don’t wish to have an animal inside the house (besides myself) capable of, well, you know.


Uuuhhh... no I don't. :doh: :lol: I have no idea what you're talking about here (but my husband never claimed that I was smart!) :wink:

Since I do not have allergies to animals (thank the good Lord!!) I can't really speak to the hypo-allergenic-ness (?) of the poodles over other non/low-shedding breeds. All I can tell you is that once a standard poodle came into my life, no other breed will do for me! They're wicked smart, their coats can be styled into an indefinate number of designs, styles, patterns (or simply shaved short if one prefers), they're easily trainable, totally "people" dogs and love to be with their families, and IMO they're probably one of the most beautiful breeds of dog in existence! Can you tell I love my spoo??

Since your choice of canine is severely limited by your wife's health concerns, I'd have to suggest allowing her to be the one to choose your new pack members. Find good, responsible breeders of the breeds in which you're interested and then do a meet and greet. Some breeders also have other pets in their homes (shedding dogs, cats, birds, etc...) and those can have an effect on your wife's allergies as well - so try to see if you can find a neutral outdoors place to meet the breeder with one of her specific breed so you can get a fair reading on how your wife does with it. Also ask the breeder to make sure the dog is freshly bathed and/or the coat blown out with a HV dryer to reduce the number of allergens carried in the coat from the other house critters (if necessary)

Good luck with your hunt - I don't know what I would do if anyone in my family turned up allergic to animals!! (I have cats, dogs, birds horses - used to have bunnies, too!) Let us know how it goes!


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## Locket (Jun 21, 2009)

What are you looking for in a dog:

- how much exercise are you willing to give daily?
- are you willing to brush the dog weekly and have it groomed about every 6 weeks or so, or do it yourself?
- how much time will you put into training?


Two pups is really not a good idea. It's A LOT of work and often times training and such takes doubly as long. Pups from the same litter need to be separated as they are more prone to bonding to each other than the family, and they can become co-dependent on one another which can exacerbate behavioural and temperament issues. 

Poodles are athletic, smart, willing to please, loyal companions. They do not shed, but their coat maintenance can be costly and time consuming. I consider myself lucky to get my two standard poodles and my gram's toy poodle groomed for $150 all together. I've paid that much just to have ONE of my standards groomed. 

They are awesome dogs. Incredibly strong, hardy and versatile. Their temperament is very similar to that of a German Shepherd in that they are aloof with strangers, deadly loyal to their families and protective at appropriate times. They are NOT the froo-froo type dog that they are portrayed as in the media.


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

Here is my take on this:

My BF like you has owned many breeds, Doberman, Chows, GR, GSD's. Over the years I have develped alergies so I agreed to have a dog but only a poodle because this dog met my needs as an owner and this included shedding. BF went and got a poodle before I had barely has yes out of my mouth. Almost one year later we now have two standard poodles.

My BF has told me he cannot imagine owning another breed. They are so so smart (smartest next to the boarder collie - the others listed are down the list a bit BTW - my BF is 6'4 265lbs and he has no issues with walking our spoos or our pomeranians! 

I have learned to groom them myself, and I enjoy it - but I use a groomer from time to time too. This is the biggest maintenance with these dogs IMHO. Unless you get a very high energy poodle. But both of mine love to romp, play and run but they also love to just hang out in the house and chill too. 

I prefer inside sogs myself. I am in SC and would NEVER EVER leave my dogs outside. 

Good luck to you both! I would love to know what you end up getting!

ETA - please whatever you chose - do not buy a doodle ;( Unless you rescue.


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## first poodle (Jan 12, 2010)

I got my first standard poodle last year after having several Border Collies over the years. My spoo is almost as smart as the BC and that was part of why I looked for a poodle. We didn't want a little dog so a standard was perfect. I love having a poodle, I'll probably never have another breed again. If Ginger is typical and I hear that she is, while smart she is still fun loving (BC is all work,work work!), she is totally devoted to us and while she loves a good romp in the park she can be a couch potato too. A perfect house pet!!!


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

Locket said:


> Two pups is really not a good idea. It's A LOT of work and often times training and such takes doubly as long. Pups from the same litter need to be separated as they are more prone to bonding to each other than the family, and they can become co-dependent on one another which can exacerbate behavioural and temperament issues.


I have to agree with the above. No matter what breed you end up choosing, get one pup now, then later when the dog is older, you can think about adding another.

Also, although you said you don't want to breed (yay!) and don't want a dog "with papers" as you put it, please understand that if you want to buy a purebred puppy of any breed, it's imperative that you research and find a responsible, reputable breeder, preferably a person who shows their dogs and also does another activity with them, such as a dog sport, hunting, etc. a puppy from this type of person with have "papers" but will be required to be spayed or neutered (which you want to do anyway). A puppy from a reputable breeder will not be cheap, but if the person is experienced and responsible and health tests their breeding stock, it will be very worth it. All purebred dogs are prone to certain genetic diseases and the breeders who are knowledgeable and test for and breed away from diease can provide you with a puppy that is highly likely to be very healthy. Pay more up front and pay less down the road in medical bills.

My husband has dog allergies and we have a miniature poodle in the house. He is still affected by the dog, but only slightly, whereas other breeds (especially shepherds, hounds, Chihuahuas and a few others) cause him to have extreme allergies. Poodles and other breeds like them are not hypoallergenic, so once you decide on the breed you want, make sure you wife spends time in a home where those dogs (adult dogs, not puppies) live so she can see if her allergies will be okay. 

Poodles and many other non-shedding breeds require a lot of grooming (it's the flip side of the coin to the no shedding). You will either have to put in a lot of time or money (I groom my dog myself and enjoy it, but it can take up to four hours for me to bathe, blow dry, shave and clip my miniature poodle). They need a professional groom every four to six weeks and frequent brushing in between, plus special ear care. A professional grooming can run anywhere from $60 to $90 or even more depending on the condition of your dog (is she matted) and what groomers in your area charge. 

I personally think the grooming requirement is completely worth it for the enjoyment of no hair in the house and a very "clean" dog. I also enjoy grooming my own dogs, it's a fun challenge. 

Poodles are so smart and such a joy to own. My father-in-law was always a "big dog" person, but wanted an indoor dog that wouldn't make the house all messy, so after talking to me and figuring out what he wanted, he ended up with a female standard poodle two years ago. He just adores that dog, does her grooming himself, takes her hiking and to the mountains and camping. They also train for obedience and agility together.


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## plumcrazy (Sep 11, 2009)

Olie said:


> ETA - please whatever you chose - do not buy a doodle ;( Unless you rescue.


And keep in mind any doodle will be less hypoallergenic than a pure bred poodle! And don't quote me on this but I do believe poodles ARE hypoallergenic (The definition of hypoallergenic is "having a decreased tendency to provoke an allergic reaction") they are not considered NON-allergenic (The definition of non-allergenic is "having no tendency to provoke an allergic reaction". ) There is a difference.


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## cbrand (Aug 9, 2009)

I grew up with a Doberman and I have owned a German bred German Shepherd Dog. I went to Standard Poodles because I was looking for an athletic breed that took direction well but also problem solved well (I want a dog that does what I tell it to do but one that makes good decisions when I'm not around.) Another issue for me was family and community friendliness. I take my dogs everywhere and frankly, people were always afraid of my Dobie and GSD even though they were solid citizens. I can take my Poodles anywhere. They fly under people's radar but the truth is that I get just as much personal protection from my Standards as I did from my Dobie and GSD. I like to call Standards: Dobermans in Drag.

If you do go out to get a Poodle, it is imperative that you do some research about health and temperament. A poorly bred Poodle can be a nasty thing: nervous, sharp shy, allergies, hip dysplasia etc. I would also caution you to never get two puppies at the same time. Poodles are physically and mentally active dogs. It is important in the first 18 months of life to give them lots of your time to keep their minds and bodies active and to set a lifelong training foundation. A bored and under trained Poodle can sometimes be an evil super genius. 

Finally, understand where your wife's allergies are coming from. Poodle don't shed, but their coats pick up lots of debris and dust if left long. Does your wife have plant or dust allergies? What about allergies to saliva?


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

cbrand said:


> I like to call Standards: Dobermans in Drag.


:rofl:


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## *tina* (Jan 3, 2010)

cbrand said:


> Finally, understand where your wife's allergies are coming from. Poodle don't shed, but their coats pick up lots of debris and dust if left long. Does your wife have plant or dust allergies? What about allergies to saliva?


Our poodle DOES pick up a lot of dust and debris, and because of this, I have to be very vigilant about brushing him daily, otherwise he does effect my kids. I have him in a short body cut with long legs, and those legs are dust/debris/grass magnets!


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

I already replied on your other thread, but another thing to remember with poodles (and most low shedding breeds) is that they can be groomed to look however you want them to look. A shaved down poodle looks quite different from the stereotype.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3190147951_b9b1eaa41d.jpg

Like others have said, you need to figure out what's important to you in temperament, size, health etc and go from there. This list has a nice run down of lower shedding breeds, including some rare ones. One that isn't on the list is the Barbet.

Dogs that shed very little, Dogs that don't Shed, Dogs that do not shed


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## PaddleAddict (Feb 9, 2010)

Cdnjennga said:


> I already replied on your other thread, but another thing to remember with poodles (and most low shedding breeds) is that they can be groomed to look however you want them to look. A shaved down poodle looks quite different from the stereotype.
> 
> http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3325/3190147951_b9b1eaa41d.jpg
> 
> ...


be careful with that list. There are a lot of made-up, scam, designer breeds listed (Doodleman Pinscher? Please!)


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## Olie (Oct 10, 2009)

PaddleAddict said:


> be careful with that list. There are a lot of made-up, scam, designer breeds listed (Doodleman Pinscher? Please!)


There are of plenty designer dogs in shelters awaiting adoption.  That is another thought, maybe take your wife to HS or shelters to visit some dogs and see how she reacts.


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## Cdnjennga (Jul 30, 2009)

PaddleAddict said:


> be careful with that list. There are a lot of made-up, scam, designer breeds listed (Doodleman Pinscher? Please!)


Ah yes, forgot to mention that! If you click through on the names though it makes it very clear which are not purebred dogs.


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## partial2poodles (Feb 11, 2010)

I am coming to you from a groomers standpoint. 2 pups roll and chew eachother and their front paws will put dirt and mud onto the other one. I can tell you that SINGLETONS stay much cleaners and cost less in grooming. The fur holds dirt like a used-up swiffer pad....definitely not a hypo-allergenic thing to have in your house.

The ONLY way to insure no allergy symptoms is short trims on both at all times and bathing 1-2x a week....it removes all pollen, dust and common dirt. To me, that is not a poodle. Poodles are luxuriously soft with fluff all over and they beg to be held and kissed. If you want a hypo dog, get a bald Chinese crested....just enough hair to look cute but not enough fur to hold in allergens on the coat.


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## *tina* (Jan 3, 2010)

partial2poodles said:


> The ONLY way to insure no allergy symptoms is short trims on both at all times and bathing 1-2x a week....it removes all pollen, dust and common dirt. To me, that is not a poodle. Poodles are luxuriously soft with fluff all over and they beg to be held and kissed. If you want a hypo dog, get a bald Chinese crested....just enough hair to look cute but not enough fur to hold in allergens on the coat.


My kids actually reacted worse to a friend's hairless (I'm going to guess a Crested mix) than to our short-haired dog. He had very dry, dandery skin. 

I don't know that going to the shelter would help, since there are SOOOO many dogs there, but maybe a private rescue group, where you can do one-on-one meets with the dogs.


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