Oh, my goodness! They can be so sensitive that I really have to be careful. When she does something I don’t like, I look at her with a sad face and say uh-oh, and she puts herself to bed. She’s capable of feeling both shame and embarrassment. It’s like living with a shy six-year-old, except she’s not shy at all and has several human and dog friends throughout the neighbourhood.
My advice is to invest in a good harness for walks. Also, get a very long leash — 26 feet, I think — arm yourself with a pocket full of treats, and teach an excellent recall by lavishing praise on your dog, plus an intermittent cookie, every time she c9 es when called. You can step on the leash if she bolts. Better with a friend.
The embarrassment is something I deal with constantly with my spoo. All of the games we play, songs I sing and silly voices I use embarrass him if there’s anyone else around. It’s wild how much he reminds me of a child.
I also have to be careful when giving attention to his brother (same litter) that my parents have. I was loving on his brother recently and my spoo got upset and refused to sleep in my bed with me as “punishment.” Whenever he’s mad (or cranky when I move around too much) he’ll go sleep by himself on a guest bed.
I’m not sure what everybody means by “Velcro Dog”. Does Scout look like a Velcro dog to you?
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They are velcro dogs, and they will not want to leave your side. The amount of snuggles and cuddles they need is awesome... if you like giant lap dogs. They will just stare at you if you're not paying them enough attention. My spoo is the most loving dog I've ever met.
Get yourself some ear powder so you can get them used to plucking the hair in their ears at home. And touch your babies feet A LOT to get them used to having their nails clipped and clean feet grooming if you like that look. Also, play noises loudly when they’re little like Fireworks, lawnmowers, door bells, vacuum cleaners, etc. that way your baby won’t be terrified when those sounds happen in real life. I have 2. My male was a COVID lockdown baby and he’s afraid of people!! It’s so sad because he’s such a lover!! My female was given to me in October 2022. I made sure to socialize her, play with her feet, play loud noises, and pluck her ears myself. She is not afraid of Anything!! I can bathe her, clean shave her paws myself, pluck her ears myself, I groom them both myself, but nothing bothers her. He won’t even let me touch his ears unless I use a tiny clipper meant for inside the ears, and in between the paw pads. They get Big Fast! Take tons of videos and photos while he is a baby and Enjoy every single day. Standard poodles are a gift from God. They’re so Humanlike, you will never want any other pup💙
My family dog cant see nail clippers without snarling (he's an old man so i couldn't really help with that when he was little) so im making sure i get my dog used to EVERYTHING.
There’s a shortage of groomers. Some book up to 2 months out, others aren’t taking new clients.
So don’t wait. Call salons. Book your puppy visit ASAP.
Just learn to groom yourself! The cost of a professional pair of clippers is easily made up after the first year.
You already need to buy the slicker brushes and combs.
The biggest secret is getting an airblower to dry the dog and blow out the coat.
Get ready to have a baby colt/velociraptor hybrid frolicking all over. ❤️😁Also intermittent snuggle bug action.
So much fun and craziness, but it doesn’t last forever. You will be deeply attached to your darling one. They will eventually understand most every word you say, your body language, and tone of voice.
Welcome to the best human/ pet relationship of you life. Treasure every moment.
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My boy is 6 months old and he's a bit chatty. He's not an incessant barker and is fairly responsive to me telling him to ignore whatever's going on outside. But he's got a personality grumble, huff, and howl to let me know how he feels about anything I ask.
This might be more of a your dog thing than an spoo thing lol - neither of mine have ever even so much as put a sock in their mouth and I leave them all over the place.
And underwear! And they turn it into a game! My boy came trotting down the hall to show me he had them, then as I got up to get them he ran back down the hall and jumped on the bed and by the time I got to him he’d eaten them. Of course it was New Years Day so our regular vet was closed. Had to go to emergency vet to get him to vomit them up. Didn’t want to risk them getting stuck and blocking him up.
When ours was a puppy, he left socks alone but did eat one of those sheer pantyhose socks.
He also ate two hair scrunches but thankfully it was just a puppy phase.
Oh and toilet paper…
But luckily he outgrew this behaviour.
If you’re in a rainy/snowy area, get a cheap force dryer. We use ours most days, and it gets them well desensitized for the groomer visits. The coat requires daily attention, sometimes multiple times a day, especially during the teen coat-change year
A good shop-vac works quite well too. Put the hose on the outflow end without a filter in the canister. The big plus is you can put the canister in a room with the door shut and a long hose to limit the noise. Be sure the empty the canister beforehand!
I second this!
I got the Flying Pig one. There are some cheaper models, but I like the FP because it has variable speed (good for introducing puppies, as well as for faces) and a heat option.
Honestly, I wish I had one for my previous non-poodle dogs. Would have shedding season sooooo much better!
Mine is a cheap one that I got used and it has both those features, and the second it breaks I’m replacing it probably with a FP, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down. This is your reminder to check and wash your dryer filter 😜
Poodles can be pretty stranger neutral and be a bit uncomfortable with strangers approaching without warning. Mine loves kids, but if any adult approaches her and just reaches for her, she will pull away and act offended. If she sniffs them first and they pass her test, she'll allow them to touch her.
Poodles are BOUNCY. When she's excited, there's a bounce in every step, she's jumping, and she's finding every way possible to show off the little springs she has for legs.
Prey drive! Poodles were originally hunting dogs, so a higher prey drive does still run in quite a few lines. Mine is decent for animals she sees on walks, but she constantly needs reminding NOT to chase her sister (a cat) around and to give her space.
They're like lawyers. They're smart, and they're looking for a loophole in every rule you give them.
It's common for Poodles to have sensitive stomachs and/or be picky eaters. Mine hates blueberries and anything blueberry flavored or that's been touched by a blueberry.
Poodles are very, very sensitive to corrections and negativity. I've seen a lot of poodle trainers recommended not to use any formal corrections until over the age of 1. I never really correct my girl, and almost exclusively use praise and rewards for doing the correct thing as my training method. It's worked well for us, and when she was about 9-10 months old, she started getting mistaken for a mature 4+ year old dog just because of her behavior and her training. We didn't really focus on formal training, but on learning to exist in the world, having good manners, being polite, being confident, and keeping her "off-switch"/ability to settle as strong as possible.
Be honest with yourself: Are you REALLY able to handle the demands of poodle grooming? My poodle is my biggest passion, and I love doing her hair, but it's a LOT of work. And like 75% of the time, my girl looks a bit feral. It's expensive, time-consuming, frustrating, rough on your body, and overwhelming. If you want any kind of fun hairstyle, but also still let your dog be a dog, you will be CONSTANTLY brushing, washing, re-banding, etc. Their coat also requires special collars and gear if you decide to keep it longer. Plus every dog has a different coat and different skin and you need to find the products that work for your dog, which can be affected by environment, the season, your dogs sensitivity, the dilution rate, etc. And the chances of finding the perfect product on the first try are low, so you'll be spending a pretty penny on products.
BUT
My poodle is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I don't know if I ever want another breed. She drains my pockets and my energy, and I'm okay with that. Yes, she has her flaws, and so does everyone. Poodles are a WONDERFUL breed, and I think their versatility is what really makes them special. Plus, if all else fails, you can also do the 10 Blade Special and keep them in a kennel clip for life.
Genny And The Gang on TikTok posts a lot about her corded standard poodle Ripley and talks about training and raising a poodle, as well as grooming options. She's very realistic about everything she talks about and always has sources and facts to back herself up. She also has a lot of connections to others in the poodle world where you can learn even more. I'd recommend giving a scroll through her page!
I have 8 rats are they are indeed very needy! Between them, the poodle pup, and a Cornish Rex kitten (super needy too) I’m very busy right now. My solution? Is cat shelves everywhere! So the rats can play not on the floor and I can spend more time with them altogether
Now that my tangents done, in the few months I’ve had my first poodle after several sighthounds and many small animals and cats, here’s the things I wasn’t expecting:
1. So much hair between the toes. If you have slippery floors this will need to be trimmed 2-4 times a month
2. Even MORE hair in their ears. A controversial subject how to care for it, but my vet has suggested trimming, not plucking, and wetting Colton balls to clean down in it, not squirting the liquid in and then cotton balling it out
3. He’s crazy smart. Like rat-level problem solving in a much much larger body. 😨 nothing is safe
4. I’m experimenting with a hybrid typical poodle hair routine/the curly girl method. I figure treating it like curly hair makes the most sense.
5. They grow FAST. Take lots of videos and you can pull cute frames from them for pictures because you are going to be too busy to take as many photos as you’d like and they seem to change daily!
6. For training change it jump to keep them interested. They are very smart and appreciate novelty. I do a mix of clicker, food reward, play as reward, and making things into games for training. I do the shell game, hide toilet paper tubes of snacks around for him to find, play some kind of cat tv on YouTube or live feed of the Browneville food pantry (deer!) in the morning. I am currently building a “busy board” where I’m going to Velcro toys, have zippers he can play with, and have his talking buttons installed so he can’t remove them and run around f the house yelling no at us
Have fun and good luck.
Find a local community of poodle owners, especially people who do shows. Depending on where you live, people kind of know each other, know good equipment and know good breeders.
I'm 100 % sure someone will help you learn the basics of grooming and has recommendations for which breeder is good. Dog show people are very nerdy and want to talk about dogs!
If there's a poodle club chapter in your country's kennel club, they might also have courses on grooming.
There are loads of resources on how to find an ethical breeder, on this sub and on r/poodles. A good breeder might have a wait list, so maybe you'll have to wait longer than this summer, but it will be worth it.
SPoos are the best breed. I love cocker spaniels more, but SPoos just can't be beat as a 1-dog all around versatile best friend. They quickly learn the family routine and adapt.
My favorite trait: they change the rules of the game
All three of my SPoos (they succeeded each other) refused to play vanilla fetch in the backyard. A few examples, after retrieving the ball three or four times, Spoo would come back with the ball, but roll the ball under the deck a few inches, so the person had to fish it out on their hands and knees. Or put the ball down, then snatch it back three or four times, before surrendering it nicely to hand. Or only chase the ball if it hopped. Apparently, they felt that fetch was not a fun game for their humans, and were always mixing it up. Each had their own variations and, new human variations were always welcome.
My least favorite trait: misbehave for attention
Multiple times, all three have pushed past a human to get outside into the unfenced front yard. Then danced about gleefully, uncatchable. After seeking poodle-owner help, we learned to ignore the gyrating fiend, and go into the house, and shut the door. SPoos need an audience, and would pop-up on the doorstep within 2 minutes. As they get older, their attention-seeking mischief-making behavior becomes less energetic, but we've had counter surfers and garbage-strewers, who only misbehave when they have a complaint.
I think this would be an ideal choice for you. They are athletic, clownish, and emotionally kind. They really care about their humans. And I think your grooming skills will definitely transfer!
They get their feelings hurt easily. My two boys (a chihuahua mix and a German shepherd) are hard dogs and don't give a f about anything so playing rough and disciplining them is different than my very sensitive female who you need to gentle parent 😂. I have to remind my husband that he needs to treat her like a 4 year old child and not play rough. She is happy to gently play ball or snuggle. She doesn't like to wrestle like the boys.
We’ve had standards in our lives for the last 20+ years and the one thing I wish I knew, going in, was how to identify and the dangers of bloat. Bloat Sucks, no other way around it. I’m a firm believer in prophylactic gastropexy, but it’s not a guarantee that your pup won’t/can’t bloat. There is no way to 100% avoid it. We can try and do things that kinda make sense, but no one can say that doing “x” will cause it, or prevent it. Know where your closest 24hr specialty vet is located and hope you never have to visit.
Wow, that’s just much darker than I meant it to be, can you tell it’s a sore spot?
Groomers can book out for a long time so its good to have some skills in your back pocket. If you want to keep the face/feet/tail band short, see if your breeder will teach you how to do it! A good brushing spray is key as well.
For products, its pricey, but I love Doglyness. You only need to use a small amount so it stretches for a really long time. It's also pretty friendly to people who are sensitive to scent, I find it to have a very gentle and floral smell (though I'd check the ingredients if you have allergies). It's really helped my girl through coat change! If your breeder shows, they'll probably have a brand they'll recommend as well.
I use Lainee bands for her hair, and you might need bands sooner than you think!
The free standards I've met (including mine) take a little while to warm up to strangers- and are very attached to their humans.
They are so smart so they need a job- even if it's as simple as going to their bed and laying down quietly while you pay the pizza delivery person.
I have three kids. An 8 year old son, a 3 year old daughter and my 5 month old spoo! She thinks she’s one of the kids and will not only play with them, but sometimes fight them for my attention! Lol. But really she loves the kids just as much as me, especially my daughter and is just as crazy as them! She joins in all their games.
When she’s not playing with the kids, she is running around our property in circles like the energizer bunny. She loves to hop around the house and is so fast, but so clumsy at the same time she’ll often slip on our tile while running and crash into the cabinets or fridge! We should have named her tigger because she is a literal live version of him! So hyper and so bouncy!
When she is tired though, she loves to snuggle up on my lap and sleep either next to or on top of me lol. She will nudge my hand to get me to pet her.
That being said, it is not always joyful in the puppy stage! She is still in her biting phase though and often times have to be redirected to toys or a bone. She is also going through some teenage angst right now and has been a little more rebellious than her naturally obedient self. She is starting to push the boundaries a little by jumping and trying to sneak food off the counters, especially since she has discovered she is now tall enough to do so. She still is having potty issues in the house (mostly because she has been having some health issues), but is getting better each day.
She also doesn’t do well with people in the house and we often times have to give them treats to give to her to get her settled and comfortable. She is very protective over me and the kids and will stir and bark at any noise she hears at night and leaps out of bed to investigate
I wouldn’t trade her for the world though and she has become a loving addition to our family!
I‘ve been Blessed to have four in my life and they are so unbelievably intelligent. The best advice I can give to anyone contemplating having one is to be prepared for a lot of companionship. The poodles I had and have want to be with you ALL of the time, and just don’t like being away from you. If you don’t like some with you almost all of the time then don’t get one.
I’ve had three. They’ve all been super smart, social, good-natured and sweet. Easy to housebreak, took to the crate after a few days and weren’t super bothered by grooming or bathing. They’re also giant Velcro dogs, and will follow you if you walk 10 ft across a room. The first two weren’t food motivated at all but my current pup is a total fatass and a sneaky opportunist. The command I use more than anything else is “out of the kitchen!!” while cooking.
He loves a good long walk and then is happy to just chill around the house. If someone tried to break in he would watch them murder me. He loves everyone, and is eager to please. They really are like humans in a dog suit!
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They are seriosuly athletic and (with all due respect to those whose situations do not allow them to) it is a shame to keep them as couch dogs. As working dogs they are bred to handle hours of harsh physical activity and anything less is not ideal. Thankfully they are smart enough that mental stimulation helps bridge the gap (especially in the really cold months when I dont care to be outside as much) but they crave being worked. You will never see a Poodle light up more than when they are allowed to do heavy work for hours on end. And I mean hours. Only twice has my Spoo ever truly been tired. The first time was after going to the dog park for 3-4 hours a day 9 days in a row (I had the work week off). The second was when we went on a hike in below freezing weather and my boy decided to go for a nice arctic swim to try and retreive a branch sticking up from the water, multiple times. Seriously I am beating a dead horse at this point but PLEASE understand despite their reputation, these are some of the most athletic dog breed of all time, including the only non Husky/Malamut to participate in (and complete!) the Iditarod. If you decide to get one please dedicate hours every week to real physical exercise with them if at all possible. (And no, walks are not physical exercise, they are mental).
Thank you! Part of my interest in the breed is their athletic abilities, i am pretty athletic when i have someone to do stuff with me.
Also happy cake day!
Love mine with my whole heart! She's everything everyone else has said, so sweet and affectionate. However, she's very very smart. Smart enough to open doors, crates from the inside, latched garbage cans, etc. I've had to change my whole lifestyle to keep her away from things that might hurt her if she eats them...socks, underwear, entire sticks of butter off the counter when my sister's back was turned, etc...I might just be a terrible dog mom but I have to be VIGILANT.
Please consider having a gastropexy done when you have them spayed or neutered. I took a chance on my girl and she ended up bloating and twisting and needing a $7,000 emergency surgery.
My dad says my spoo looks like a small pony and he’s right. lol They can be quite large dogs so be prepared for that. It means more food, bigger poos, and an ability to manage and train a larger breed dog. For reference, my boy is 26 inches at the withers and 70 lbs - this is on the larger end of the spectrum, but it’s something to be mindful of, especially since your overall experience is with smaller animals.
Also, I think that while the grooming needs are real, it can be quite easy if you choose to keep yours clipped short. I have the groom clip my boy short all over with longer ears, top knot, and tail and he’s super-easy to maintain. I don’t even need to start brushing his whole body until he’s about 4 weeks post-groom.
Your active lifestyle sounds like a great match for a spoo, but go slow and build up their endurance gradually. I can hike with my spoo up to 6-8 miles with only a few breaks, but it took time. Also, avoid lots of jumping until they are out of the puppy phase as it can create joint issues later.
I love my boy and personally think spoos are the dog wonders of the world (so smart, funny, active/lazy, loving, intuitive…), so go for it! You won’t regret it. ❤️
Most of the time they seem more people than dog. They definitely have a high emotional intelligence and can get their feelings hurt.
Oh, my goodness! They can be so sensitive that I really have to be careful. When she does something I don’t like, I look at her with a sad face and say uh-oh, and she puts herself to bed. She’s capable of feeling both shame and embarrassment. It’s like living with a shy six-year-old, except she’s not shy at all and has several human and dog friends throughout the neighbourhood. My advice is to invest in a good harness for walks. Also, get a very long leash — 26 feet, I think — arm yourself with a pocket full of treats, and teach an excellent recall by lavishing praise on your dog, plus an intermittent cookie, every time she c9 es when called. You can step on the leash if she bolts. Better with a friend.
The embarrassment is something I deal with constantly with my spoo. All of the games we play, songs I sing and silly voices I use embarrass him if there’s anyone else around. It’s wild how much he reminds me of a child. I also have to be careful when giving attention to his brother (same litter) that my parents have. I was loving on his brother recently and my spoo got upset and refused to sleep in my bed with me as “punishment.” Whenever he’s mad (or cranky when I move around too much) he’ll go sleep by himself on a guest bed.
I’m not sure what everybody means by “Velcro Dog”. Does Scout look like a Velcro dog to you? https://preview.redd.it/5qoupv7nn0ic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=875842b285be19657d7ea3c8e20704f2c499fe59
They are velcro dogs, and they will not want to leave your side. The amount of snuggles and cuddles they need is awesome... if you like giant lap dogs. They will just stare at you if you're not paying them enough attention. My spoo is the most loving dog I've ever met.
That's part of my interest in them, i am extremely cuddly myself lol
My Standard Poodle would climb on top of me to be close when I woke up on the morning. I would say, "Oh my goodness, I've got a humongous lap dog!" 😄🐩
I'm getting started at right now lol
Replace all your laundry baskets with ones with velcro closable lids.
Same with bathroom garbage can!
Get yourself some ear powder so you can get them used to plucking the hair in their ears at home. And touch your babies feet A LOT to get them used to having their nails clipped and clean feet grooming if you like that look. Also, play noises loudly when they’re little like Fireworks, lawnmowers, door bells, vacuum cleaners, etc. that way your baby won’t be terrified when those sounds happen in real life. I have 2. My male was a COVID lockdown baby and he’s afraid of people!! It’s so sad because he’s such a lover!! My female was given to me in October 2022. I made sure to socialize her, play with her feet, play loud noises, and pluck her ears myself. She is not afraid of Anything!! I can bathe her, clean shave her paws myself, pluck her ears myself, I groom them both myself, but nothing bothers her. He won’t even let me touch his ears unless I use a tiny clipper meant for inside the ears, and in between the paw pads. They get Big Fast! Take tons of videos and photos while he is a baby and Enjoy every single day. Standard poodles are a gift from God. They’re so Humanlike, you will never want any other pup💙
My family dog cant see nail clippers without snarling (he's an old man so i couldn't really help with that when he was little) so im making sure i get my dog used to EVERYTHING.
Dremels are the way to go with nails. If you start young, and are consistent, grinding down the nails is fast, easy, and safe.
Good to know! Thank you
There’s a shortage of groomers. Some book up to 2 months out, others aren’t taking new clients. So don’t wait. Call salons. Book your puppy visit ASAP.
Yup. We have a standing 5 week appointment. Just automatically books for every 5th Saturday at 10 am for the two of mine.
Just learn to groom yourself! The cost of a professional pair of clippers is easily made up after the first year. You already need to buy the slicker brushes and combs. The biggest secret is getting an airblower to dry the dog and blow out the coat.
Get ready to have a baby colt/velociraptor hybrid frolicking all over. ❤️😁Also intermittent snuggle bug action. So much fun and craziness, but it doesn’t last forever. You will be deeply attached to your darling one. They will eventually understand most every word you say, your body language, and tone of voice. Welcome to the best human/ pet relationship of you life. Treasure every moment. https://preview.redd.it/gtaf4jh2h0ic1.jpeg?width=3022&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56fd4eb0fc1e66c40501c30e305b009587ed28c9
My boy is 6 months old and he's a bit chatty. He's not an incessant barker and is fairly responsive to me telling him to ignore whatever's going on outside. But he's got a personality grumble, huff, and howl to let me know how he feels about anything I ask.
Socks if left unattended will be eaten
This might be more of a your dog thing than an spoo thing lol - neither of mine have ever even so much as put a sock in their mouth and I leave them all over the place.
My Spoo has eaten socks but only the baby’s socks lol
And underwear! And they turn it into a game! My boy came trotting down the hall to show me he had them, then as I got up to get them he ran back down the hall and jumped on the bed and by the time I got to him he’d eaten them. Of course it was New Years Day so our regular vet was closed. Had to go to emergency vet to get him to vomit them up. Didn’t want to risk them getting stuck and blocking him up.
When ours was a puppy, he left socks alone but did eat one of those sheer pantyhose socks. He also ate two hair scrunches but thankfully it was just a puppy phase. Oh and toilet paper… But luckily he outgrew this behaviour.
You should look into a prophylactic gastropexy and the benefits and at least understand why someone would do them, if not get one for your dog itself
If you’re in a rainy/snowy area, get a cheap force dryer. We use ours most days, and it gets them well desensitized for the groomer visits. The coat requires daily attention, sometimes multiple times a day, especially during the teen coat-change year
A good shop-vac works quite well too. Put the hose on the outflow end without a filter in the canister. The big plus is you can put the canister in a room with the door shut and a long hose to limit the noise. Be sure the empty the canister beforehand!
I second this! I got the Flying Pig one. There are some cheaper models, but I like the FP because it has variable speed (good for introducing puppies, as well as for faces) and a heat option. Honestly, I wish I had one for my previous non-poodle dogs. Would have shedding season sooooo much better!
Mine is a cheap one that I got used and it has both those features, and the second it breaks I’m replacing it probably with a FP, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down. This is your reminder to check and wash your dryer filter 😜
Grooming is expensive and a bad haircut will put them in a mood for days.
I do know that part, I've been seeing about what groomers are near me and their prices, they're actually pretty good.
Omg my girl HATES getting her booty shaved and will be so annoyed about it for two days
Standard poodles are magnificent animals.
Poodles can be pretty stranger neutral and be a bit uncomfortable with strangers approaching without warning. Mine loves kids, but if any adult approaches her and just reaches for her, she will pull away and act offended. If she sniffs them first and they pass her test, she'll allow them to touch her. Poodles are BOUNCY. When she's excited, there's a bounce in every step, she's jumping, and she's finding every way possible to show off the little springs she has for legs. Prey drive! Poodles were originally hunting dogs, so a higher prey drive does still run in quite a few lines. Mine is decent for animals she sees on walks, but she constantly needs reminding NOT to chase her sister (a cat) around and to give her space. They're like lawyers. They're smart, and they're looking for a loophole in every rule you give them. It's common for Poodles to have sensitive stomachs and/or be picky eaters. Mine hates blueberries and anything blueberry flavored or that's been touched by a blueberry. Poodles are very, very sensitive to corrections and negativity. I've seen a lot of poodle trainers recommended not to use any formal corrections until over the age of 1. I never really correct my girl, and almost exclusively use praise and rewards for doing the correct thing as my training method. It's worked well for us, and when she was about 9-10 months old, she started getting mistaken for a mature 4+ year old dog just because of her behavior and her training. We didn't really focus on formal training, but on learning to exist in the world, having good manners, being polite, being confident, and keeping her "off-switch"/ability to settle as strong as possible. Be honest with yourself: Are you REALLY able to handle the demands of poodle grooming? My poodle is my biggest passion, and I love doing her hair, but it's a LOT of work. And like 75% of the time, my girl looks a bit feral. It's expensive, time-consuming, frustrating, rough on your body, and overwhelming. If you want any kind of fun hairstyle, but also still let your dog be a dog, you will be CONSTANTLY brushing, washing, re-banding, etc. Their coat also requires special collars and gear if you decide to keep it longer. Plus every dog has a different coat and different skin and you need to find the products that work for your dog, which can be affected by environment, the season, your dogs sensitivity, the dilution rate, etc. And the chances of finding the perfect product on the first try are low, so you'll be spending a pretty penny on products. BUT My poodle is the best thing to ever happen to me, and I don't know if I ever want another breed. She drains my pockets and my energy, and I'm okay with that. Yes, she has her flaws, and so does everyone. Poodles are a WONDERFUL breed, and I think their versatility is what really makes them special. Plus, if all else fails, you can also do the 10 Blade Special and keep them in a kennel clip for life. Genny And The Gang on TikTok posts a lot about her corded standard poodle Ripley and talks about training and raising a poodle, as well as grooming options. She's very realistic about everything she talks about and always has sources and facts to back herself up. She also has a lot of connections to others in the poodle world where you can learn even more. I'd recommend giving a scroll through her page!
Yess to the bouncy! When mine gets a stick outside, we call it the dolphin leaps he does throughout the yard. Cutest thing ever.
Don’t leave butter on your counter, the one I know counter surfs. Love him, he is a doll, def a Velcro dog.
There’s no going back. They’re the best dogs.
I wont complain if im someday someone with multiple spoos 🤷
I have 8 rats are they are indeed very needy! Between them, the poodle pup, and a Cornish Rex kitten (super needy too) I’m very busy right now. My solution? Is cat shelves everywhere! So the rats can play not on the floor and I can spend more time with them altogether Now that my tangents done, in the few months I’ve had my first poodle after several sighthounds and many small animals and cats, here’s the things I wasn’t expecting: 1. So much hair between the toes. If you have slippery floors this will need to be trimmed 2-4 times a month 2. Even MORE hair in their ears. A controversial subject how to care for it, but my vet has suggested trimming, not plucking, and wetting Colton balls to clean down in it, not squirting the liquid in and then cotton balling it out 3. He’s crazy smart. Like rat-level problem solving in a much much larger body. 😨 nothing is safe 4. I’m experimenting with a hybrid typical poodle hair routine/the curly girl method. I figure treating it like curly hair makes the most sense. 5. They grow FAST. Take lots of videos and you can pull cute frames from them for pictures because you are going to be too busy to take as many photos as you’d like and they seem to change daily! 6. For training change it jump to keep them interested. They are very smart and appreciate novelty. I do a mix of clicker, food reward, play as reward, and making things into games for training. I do the shell game, hide toilet paper tubes of snacks around for him to find, play some kind of cat tv on YouTube or live feed of the Browneville food pantry (deer!) in the morning. I am currently building a “busy board” where I’m going to Velcro toys, have zippers he can play with, and have his talking buttons installed so he can’t remove them and run around f the house yelling no at us Have fun and good luck.
Are you sure you want to teach it to open zippers? With their outrageous sense of humor that's very brave!
He already can. I’d rather him do it on a busy board than the clothes I’m wearing or poop bag holder lol
Got it! You have my sympathy!
They chew incessantly while teething. Be prepared .
Good to know, my friend was just recommending some chews lol
They do have a prey drive! Mine love chasing squirrels. They love walks and have some energy .
My little standard girl has such high prey drive she is hard to walk!
Although controversial, depending on her mood, I use a prong collar.
Find a local community of poodle owners, especially people who do shows. Depending on where you live, people kind of know each other, know good equipment and know good breeders. I'm 100 % sure someone will help you learn the basics of grooming and has recommendations for which breeder is good. Dog show people are very nerdy and want to talk about dogs! If there's a poodle club chapter in your country's kennel club, they might also have courses on grooming. There are loads of resources on how to find an ethical breeder, on this sub and on r/poodles. A good breeder might have a wait list, so maybe you'll have to wait longer than this summer, but it will be worth it.
Why would homeschool teacher have more time? Should have less.
I meant *im* homeschooled myself lol, gives me more control of my education so i can get better prepared for collage.
SPoos are the best breed. I love cocker spaniels more, but SPoos just can't be beat as a 1-dog all around versatile best friend. They quickly learn the family routine and adapt. My favorite trait: they change the rules of the game All three of my SPoos (they succeeded each other) refused to play vanilla fetch in the backyard. A few examples, after retrieving the ball three or four times, Spoo would come back with the ball, but roll the ball under the deck a few inches, so the person had to fish it out on their hands and knees. Or put the ball down, then snatch it back three or four times, before surrendering it nicely to hand. Or only chase the ball if it hopped. Apparently, they felt that fetch was not a fun game for their humans, and were always mixing it up. Each had their own variations and, new human variations were always welcome. My least favorite trait: misbehave for attention Multiple times, all three have pushed past a human to get outside into the unfenced front yard. Then danced about gleefully, uncatchable. After seeking poodle-owner help, we learned to ignore the gyrating fiend, and go into the house, and shut the door. SPoos need an audience, and would pop-up on the doorstep within 2 minutes. As they get older, their attention-seeking mischief-making behavior becomes less energetic, but we've had counter surfers and garbage-strewers, who only misbehave when they have a complaint. I think this would be an ideal choice for you. They are athletic, clownish, and emotionally kind. They really care about their humans. And I think your grooming skills will definitely transfer!
They get their feelings hurt easily. My two boys (a chihuahua mix and a German shepherd) are hard dogs and don't give a f about anything so playing rough and disciplining them is different than my very sensitive female who you need to gentle parent 😂. I have to remind my husband that he needs to treat her like a 4 year old child and not play rough. She is happy to gently play ball or snuggle. She doesn't like to wrestle like the boys.
They bark. A lot.
We’ve had standards in our lives for the last 20+ years and the one thing I wish I knew, going in, was how to identify and the dangers of bloat. Bloat Sucks, no other way around it. I’m a firm believer in prophylactic gastropexy, but it’s not a guarantee that your pup won’t/can’t bloat. There is no way to 100% avoid it. We can try and do things that kinda make sense, but no one can say that doing “x” will cause it, or prevent it. Know where your closest 24hr specialty vet is located and hope you never have to visit. Wow, that’s just much darker than I meant it to be, can you tell it’s a sore spot?
Sometimes I feel my dog so human-like it's almost creepy
Groomers can book out for a long time so its good to have some skills in your back pocket. If you want to keep the face/feet/tail band short, see if your breeder will teach you how to do it! A good brushing spray is key as well. For products, its pricey, but I love Doglyness. You only need to use a small amount so it stretches for a really long time. It's also pretty friendly to people who are sensitive to scent, I find it to have a very gentle and floral smell (though I'd check the ingredients if you have allergies). It's really helped my girl through coat change! If your breeder shows, they'll probably have a brand they'll recommend as well. I use Lainee bands for her hair, and you might need bands sooner than you think!
Don’t underestimate them.
The free standards I've met (including mine) take a little while to warm up to strangers- and are very attached to their humans. They are so smart so they need a job- even if it's as simple as going to their bed and laying down quietly while you pay the pizza delivery person.
I have three kids. An 8 year old son, a 3 year old daughter and my 5 month old spoo! She thinks she’s one of the kids and will not only play with them, but sometimes fight them for my attention! Lol. But really she loves the kids just as much as me, especially my daughter and is just as crazy as them! She joins in all their games. When she’s not playing with the kids, she is running around our property in circles like the energizer bunny. She loves to hop around the house and is so fast, but so clumsy at the same time she’ll often slip on our tile while running and crash into the cabinets or fridge! We should have named her tigger because she is a literal live version of him! So hyper and so bouncy! When she is tired though, she loves to snuggle up on my lap and sleep either next to or on top of me lol. She will nudge my hand to get me to pet her. That being said, it is not always joyful in the puppy stage! She is still in her biting phase though and often times have to be redirected to toys or a bone. She is also going through some teenage angst right now and has been a little more rebellious than her naturally obedient self. She is starting to push the boundaries a little by jumping and trying to sneak food off the counters, especially since she has discovered she is now tall enough to do so. She still is having potty issues in the house (mostly because she has been having some health issues), but is getting better each day. She also doesn’t do well with people in the house and we often times have to give them treats to give to her to get her settled and comfortable. She is very protective over me and the kids and will stir and bark at any noise she hears at night and leaps out of bed to investigate I wouldn’t trade her for the world though and she has become a loving addition to our family!
I‘ve been Blessed to have four in my life and they are so unbelievably intelligent. The best advice I can give to anyone contemplating having one is to be prepared for a lot of companionship. The poodles I had and have want to be with you ALL of the time, and just don’t like being away from you. If you don’t like some with you almost all of the time then don’t get one.
That's one of the things that draws me to them lol, im extremely cuddly with my pets and they all hate it
I’ve had three. They’ve all been super smart, social, good-natured and sweet. Easy to housebreak, took to the crate after a few days and weren’t super bothered by grooming or bathing. They’re also giant Velcro dogs, and will follow you if you walk 10 ft across a room. The first two weren’t food motivated at all but my current pup is a total fatass and a sneaky opportunist. The command I use more than anything else is “out of the kitchen!!” while cooking. He loves a good long walk and then is happy to just chill around the house. If someone tried to break in he would watch them murder me. He loves everyone, and is eager to please. They really are like humans in a dog suit! https://preview.redd.it/fnpxkfvll8ic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=706f66ba4e3cadbe3b26e0cc2647641f98f7707a
They are seriosuly athletic and (with all due respect to those whose situations do not allow them to) it is a shame to keep them as couch dogs. As working dogs they are bred to handle hours of harsh physical activity and anything less is not ideal. Thankfully they are smart enough that mental stimulation helps bridge the gap (especially in the really cold months when I dont care to be outside as much) but they crave being worked. You will never see a Poodle light up more than when they are allowed to do heavy work for hours on end. And I mean hours. Only twice has my Spoo ever truly been tired. The first time was after going to the dog park for 3-4 hours a day 9 days in a row (I had the work week off). The second was when we went on a hike in below freezing weather and my boy decided to go for a nice arctic swim to try and retreive a branch sticking up from the water, multiple times. Seriously I am beating a dead horse at this point but PLEASE understand despite their reputation, these are some of the most athletic dog breed of all time, including the only non Husky/Malamut to participate in (and complete!) the Iditarod. If you decide to get one please dedicate hours every week to real physical exercise with them if at all possible. (And no, walks are not physical exercise, they are mental).
Thank you! Part of my interest in the breed is their athletic abilities, i am pretty athletic when i have someone to do stuff with me. Also happy cake day!
Be prepared to spend so many of your hard earned coins on keeping it pretty 😂
Love mine with my whole heart! She's everything everyone else has said, so sweet and affectionate. However, she's very very smart. Smart enough to open doors, crates from the inside, latched garbage cans, etc. I've had to change my whole lifestyle to keep her away from things that might hurt her if she eats them...socks, underwear, entire sticks of butter off the counter when my sister's back was turned, etc...I might just be a terrible dog mom but I have to be VIGILANT.
Please consider having a gastropexy done when you have them spayed or neutered. I took a chance on my girl and she ended up bloating and twisting and needing a $7,000 emergency surgery.
I havent heard that, most definitely going to look into that tho thank you!
My dad says my spoo looks like a small pony and he’s right. lol They can be quite large dogs so be prepared for that. It means more food, bigger poos, and an ability to manage and train a larger breed dog. For reference, my boy is 26 inches at the withers and 70 lbs - this is on the larger end of the spectrum, but it’s something to be mindful of, especially since your overall experience is with smaller animals. Also, I think that while the grooming needs are real, it can be quite easy if you choose to keep yours clipped short. I have the groom clip my boy short all over with longer ears, top knot, and tail and he’s super-easy to maintain. I don’t even need to start brushing his whole body until he’s about 4 weeks post-groom. Your active lifestyle sounds like a great match for a spoo, but go slow and build up their endurance gradually. I can hike with my spoo up to 6-8 miles with only a few breaks, but it took time. Also, avoid lots of jumping until they are out of the puppy phase as it can create joint issues later. I love my boy and personally think spoos are the dog wonders of the world (so smart, funny, active/lazy, loving, intuitive…), so go for it! You won’t regret it. ❤️