Poodles

My spouse waited until I had developed criteria, decided on another breed, and talked to reputable breeders, only to drop the bomb they think it needs to be a poodle because of shedding blah blah blah they don't smell blah.

Poodles were not really on my radar to own, though I (usually) like them.

I research obsessively. Can I say I spent YEARS getting fixated on what breed?

Anyway, I'm torn on size.

Are standards and minis actually different for temperament, do you think, or the same level of individual/bloodline variance? Life partner would prefer small. I care more about calmer. I am happy to walk 5-7 km a day and do training and throw a ball but I don't want to have to be entertaining it all day. Resting waiting for something to happen would be good. I've read contradictory stuff on it. Standards need more exercise and Standards are calmer and actually need less?

Mini - takes up less room in the house, smaller crate, easier to fit in the car, less to comb. Easily carried.

Standard - more "she's got a dog with her" when I go walking at night or hiking alone. Lower pitched bark. Hopefully less vocal.

But I could go the mini unless it does make a difference in likelihood of calmness and being good with kids.

Personal experiences? I've met the other sizes but no mini that wasn't a cross. I've been told the mini is the most hyper/driven?

I have known darling toys but I think too small and fragile for me, my cats, and my 30+ km of walking I do a week. I really want a walking buddy (once not a puppy).

Opinions, please!

Not even a question! Go for the standard.

And if your partner is less than happy, remind them that they chose the breed so you get to choose the size.

I know two toys. The girl is as mad as rabbits - daughter and her bf were minding her when she started scatching herself silly, and it was apparently stress (so they weren't prepared to leave her alone after that in case of more stress - helicopter parents in the making). The other is a gorgeous gentle boy that's ready for a frolic any time, and is otherwise gentle and easygoing - is offlead at the park. He's also the only other dog, that my dog allows to commandeer his ball, which is quite odd, but the dynamic is probably why I adore him.

Both are lovely in my experience, including a mini who was rescued from a horrific puppy mill conditions.

The 4 or so pure-bred toy poodles I knew some years ago were all yappy, snappy little things.

The only standard I knew was very placid.

Mine is a mini and she’s amazing. Occasionally yappy, but very smart and lazy enough for our needs. She’s keen for a bit of exercise, but it is not excessive. She can be naughty, but not massively.

I love her, she’s my best friend. I would like a standard one day but I’d have to get a bigger bed, as we allow our girl on our bed.

I love that she doesn’t shed. I love the look of her clip when she gets it done - we have her clipped in a basic poodle clips.

She is mostly calm but gets riled up by one of our cats. I’m not sure how her temperament compares to a standard.

I can only say nice things about them, they are lovely.

Poodles are amazing and I am so glad we have one. She gives the best snuggles.

Poodles are definitely my favourite of the no shedding breeds.

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I have known really lovely toys but I feel like minis would be physically more resilient.

I've known mostly all placid standards aside from one that's just bonkers from boredom (owner is a lazy idiot backyard breeder). I don't blame the breed or even the individual dog really.

Minis seem to be the forgotten size? People seem to want teeny or big,

I kinda want the more robust end of minis or the smaller end of standards. Maybe I'll see about getting on waiting lists for both and see what breeder I gel with.

Or maybe I'll torment the spouse and get little like they like... leaves room for two.

A friend of mine has two standards and a mini. Her standards are way calmer. Her mini is always busy, busy, busy energiser bunny. I looooove her female standard. She's apricot and just an amazing, beautiful girl.

I have a toy and she’s so placid and rarely barks. I love her to bits. Poodles are very much what you put into them, and they are very smart.

The apricot standards are such beautiful dogs, saw one the other day. I would probably go the standard for walking safety.

What was the other breed you had decided on?

We have mini poodles.

They are extremely intelligent and great companions.

No digging in the garden,no killing wildlife, no hair loss and don't knock children or the elderly over.

Very few vet bills but they do have teeth problems as they get older.

Sorry for delay it ate my post three times last night.

My previous breed selection was a balance of wanting:

- Not more than 35 kg

- Highly trainable

- Likely to be good with children and cats

- not negative PR (I love several of these breeds but it adds layers to deal with)

- not smush faced to the point of health concern.

- Coat I could maintain myself.

- a breed I think is aesthetically attractive because I have to look at it for fifteen years.

Ended up at Smooth (not Border!) Collies. They look like Lassie but shorter hair. They do shed heaps. I think smooth/rough Collies and Samoyeds or Keeshonds are the visually prettiest of the "family friendly" breeds but the hair makes my spouse weep and wail.

(My favourite coat is Doberman / greyhound type glossy single coat but hard to find with the other things.)

Poodles do have a number of the other traits, minus the easy coat and "up ears." They certainly don't have "scary breed drama" whether you shave them short or have them shaggy. And I don't love their ears but their leggy streamlined body shape is nice.

I'm not actually against small dogs it's just it felt like many other small breeds were either extremely feisty active busy bees who aren't recommended with kids, or are quiet and calm and have lots of health/fragility issues.

The standard poodle I knew was gorgeous, placid and friendly.

in the Jewish ghetto when I lived there

That term has a specific meaning. Can you clarify what you mean?

Gotta say , I was wondering where the Jewish ghetto was ? Bondi? lol

I'm assuming Caulfield in Melbourne.

Can confirm that Caulfield/bagel belt is now cavoodle/groodle/moodle/spoodle territory.

The most important question, LDD - what will you name it?!

I have many options.

Poodles change colour sometimes which is a bit unnerving but at the moment I have a list:

Bread

Candy

The Devil - definitely a front runner if red, maybe other colours

Ghost, Wraith - most likely if white or silver.

Phantom - if black or apricot

Dybbuk - this was an unhelpful suggestion that doesn't break the Caulfield image.

Diamond - they are a girl's best friend

Dandelion - puffball looking dogs

Bijou - I said "do you really want to

be the insufferable socialists with the bikes and solar panels and a poodle called Bijou" and the love of my life went "sounds great actually."

Bon Mot - spouse's suggestion.

Then various foods including Pav, Meringue, Blackberry, Huckleberry, Prosecco, Nutmeg, Pumpkin, Pikelet, Scone. Scone is much funnier to me than Muffin

I’m voting for Pikelet.

Our Apricot/Orange was a Muffin.

They change colour? They do fade.

I half heartedly looked for one recently and they are ( like all puppies) very hard to find at them moment and very expensive.

Ooh, I do like Scone. Would you consider Pletzel? I tried to name one of the chickens Kreplach but apparently that was inappropriate.

Gotta be better than our little black girl who’s so imaginatively named Lily... sigh. It wasn’t my choice. I love the food based names you have suggested!!

I saw a most majestic silver standard on Insta the other day and now I’m seriously considering getting a second poodle. It would be really interesting to have a standard and a mini for comparison of temperament...

Our Apricot/Orange was a Muffin.

They change colour? They do fade.

I just meant Muffin is pretty normal/classic!

Black to silver or dark chocolate brown to cafe au lait/silver beige by adulthood is way more change than I'm used to in a dog lol. Makes colour based names hard. Red ones sometimes turn nearly white?

Cardamom, could do Kugel I suppose. I forbid both Greps and Futz (burp and fart, two names floated when I discussed snorty breeds)

Okelydokely you should do it for science.

I just meant Muffin is pretty normal/classic!

 

It was just a comment like Snap!