looking for a poodle: questions, questions, questions

[treeleaf]

Hello from Washington State, USA!

I've been searching for a dog breed for six months.  The Eskies hair scared me off.  Brittanys make me wheeze.  Vizslas caused some stuffiness for both my husband and me (and the folowing owners into the bathtub, easily jumping a 6 foot fence, ability to open closed doors, and that the ones we visited kept knocking me over turned me off).  I was looking at rescues but I wasn't tempted by any except those that said "no kids" (I have a six year old son).  Because of our allergies I decided last week it was probably going to be a poodle. 

I had long-haired dachshunds before and a poodle-dachshund cross when I was a kid.

I guess my first question is how to find a breeder.  I'd like to be able to see the dog before I get it; I don't want to have them shipped.  I don't really like the idea of picking one before it's born. 

I had one poodle picked out from Canada but it's ready to go this weekend and I'm feeling I don't know enough about poodles to ask the right questions this week.

[Michael]

Hello - and welcome! I'll try to answer some of your questions, and others can add other points, and hopefully you can build from a lot of this to know what's best for you.

First, bummer about the eskies.....but that's a personal opinion. As for the rest...I think leaning toward a poodle is a great choice. Especially with allergy issues. Make sure you go purebred, though, as many of these "doodle" crosses that people tout are anything but shed-free or allergy free.

The next question is size. Though you only mentioned "poodle", you also referred to some larger dogs, so I'm not sure if you're thinking standard, miniature, or toy size. All three will fit the allergy requirement fine, and then you also have the whole colour range to choose from then. If you do have a size preference, that can help narrow things down some. If you're not sure on size, then that's probably going to be one of your first questions to try to tend to.

Once you've narrowed down on size, and hopefully have connected with some breeders, I think asking temperament related questions would be a good area to tend to as well. You have all the usual health, testing, pedigree, etc. questions as well, but definitely make sure you touch on the temperament topic. Some breeders will even temperament test their dogs and puppies. Since you have a 6 year old, make that clear to any breeder as well. They will hopefully be able to tell you that their dogs can be good with kids, but definitely let them know a kid is in the household! Poodles can be wonderful with kids, and vice versa, but it depends on a lot on the individual circumstances, etc.

BTW....that all can help with the size question too. Toys are great for a lap dog, small, energetic type companion, etc. But if you want a full sized, active dog, a standard is more fitting to that. Yet, interestingly enough, some of the most mild mannered poodles I've known have been standards, so you will have to make your own decision on that question. Minis are inbetween....larger than a toy, so they are a bit more sizable and can handle more rough play with kids. Yet, they aren't as heavy duty as a standard either. I've known families that have liked each size of poodles for different reasons, so the choice really will boil down to your preferences there.

Unless we can come up with a few breeder contacts in your area, I'd suggest the following. First, find out if there are any dog shows in your area in the near future (weeks, months). You can find dates and locations on the AKC and UKC sites, or even lookup if you have a local "kennel club" in your area. They may be able to tell you about any upcoming shows. Local training centers may also be able to fill you in on any such dog events coming up. If any are coming to your area, go! At least you go, but if you want to take the whole family, that is fine too. Find out when the poodles are showing and make sure you are there for that. Look for the people showing the poodles.....and try to get a chance to talk to them....ideally *after* they've shown, but sometimes you can even get to talk to them while they are prepping ahead of the show. Hopefully you'll find some that have the time and will take it to discuss their breed with you. Tell them you are interested in the poodle, but are just starting your search. Hopefully you can go from there. Talk to as many of the exhibitors showing poodles as you can! Learn all you can! Get business cards for later contact, etc. for those you'd like to talk to more. Some may not have much time or may not have puppies or know of anyone who does, but maybe they can put you in touch with someone who does. At the very least, you've hopfully gotten a chance to see more poodles in person and can narrow down some answers for yourself, and then go from there.

You can check the PCA (Poodle Club of America) website and see if they have a referral or breeder link for your area. They may be able to put you in touch with a local breeder. If you're still having problems finding anyone in your area, call some local veterinarians. Ask them if they have any recommendations for poodle breeders. If they don't have any recommendations, do a wider search on the web and maybe you'll find some a bit further away, but still close enough to you that you can go visit and talk to more about things. Hopefully you'll be able to build from some of these suggestions, or other suggestions others have.

I do recall a breeder down by LA (CA) that had a standard puppy from a litter this past summer still available a few weeks ago. I could drop her a note and see if she's still got the puppy if you were looking for a standard. I know it's a bit away from you, but she's got beautiful dogs and you could at least talk to her if you wanted.....maybe she'd know someone closer if nothing else. Let me know on that and I can see about connecting you there.

Anyway, hopefully others have some other suggestions as well, but maybe that can be a little to get you started. DO....keep us updated on your search! We'd love to know how it goes and what poodle you do end up with!

[treeleaf]

thanks, Michael,

My email got posted (by itself I swear! :->) before I was finished.  I decided not to add to it as I had been up almost all night the night before researching poodles and the breeder who had the dog in which I was interested.  By the second day, I got a number of replies and Zefi was great with her contacts and many recommended I not get that breeder's poodles.

I always had small dogs but we live in a neighborhood of loose big dogs.  We want a big enough dog it won't get eaten by the neighbor dogs (though I saw a Corgi puppy get a long fine with four dogs she met at once) and wouldn't be too delicate for a six year old boy.  We also want one big enough to go for 3 mile walks and the occassional hike.  I'm thinking either a large miniature or small standard but I'm open to suggestions.  My stepmom is looking for a second poodle.  She does want a miniature preferably an apricot.

I can see you have a poodle and eskie.  I was scared off by the "hair as condiment", "hair in contacts", "hair in beard" and "never wearing black clothes" on the eskie forum.  Is that true?  Or if the eskie was brushed outside once a week and kept off the furniture would it really be that bad?

I hadn't thought about trainers for contacts.  That's a good idea.  We went to a dog show in November and were impressed how friendly and helpful the breeders were (if you didn't try to catch them as they were heading into the ring!).  I explained to about 15 people that I was checking dogs for allergies and could I sniff their dogs and not one even looked surprised!  But I only lasted about an hour before I was wheezing and didn't get to see the poodles or eskies.

[Michael]

Hi - No problem on whether you posted before you intended or not....anything to go from is good!

As for the eskie hair, you nailed it with your last question about brushing. If you "contain" the shedding, it's far less to deal with. Basically meaning you brush regularly and outside if you can, etc. You do want a lint brush and regular brushes as well, but again, it's about "containment". The one/two times a year it does get a little wild is when they are blowing coat.....meaning not daily brushing, but a few times a day if you want to keep ahead of it. You do end up with some of the hair here and there no matter how hard you try to control it, but....poodle people don't usually admit this, but poodles *do* lose some of their hair and all over time. And if you are clipping them in your own home, you can easily get all the cut bits floating around the house/place. It's different, but it's down to your preferences. Poodles don't shed, but they *do* need to be groomed regularly....meaning actually shaving or trimming the coat. That's something eskies are the other side of the coin on. I love both.....for different reasons. If you keep the coat clean, it doesn't matter if a hair ends up here or there.....whether poodle or eskie....it's dirty, unkempt coats of any breed that are not a good thing.

But you sound much more like a poodle would fit into your life better than an eskie. And for the size question, a large mini or small standard does sound like a nice range.....if you can find one! They are not easy to find (I considered that after we lost our first poodle in '03 as I felt it'd be a better size to match my eskie), but if you're patient and have good connections, you might turn one up. A standard is far more likely to be taken "seriously" by those in your area and may just impress a few of the people around there too. But you have to look at what you want and what's best for you ahead of what the neighbours think.

It also sounds like you're already getting out and about to some of the shows, etc. to get a feel for things. Trainers, vets, anyone to do with dogs is worth giving a call. Worst they can say is "sorry, can't help you" but one just have a perfect referral for you and you can go from there. So, keep that up, and keep looking around. Let us know any other questions you have and we'll try to help as we can.

Oh, one more thing on the eskie fur. You may have read this, but a lot of people don't know it. It's apparently due to some of the oil in the shafts of their hair, but they have this sort of "scotchguard" feature. If an eskie goes out and literally rolls and romps in the mud and dirt...comes in just caked in dirt and water, all you have to do is stick them in a crate and let them dry. The dirt will actually fall right off! It does *not* soak into the hair or coat. Fresh cut grass isn't as nice, but the coat is still much more resilient than other white breeds. Pros and cons to every breed......I just happen to love both the eskies and the poodles.....

[zefi]

Hello Treeleaf, welcome to the PR.

I'm one of those people who live in fear of hair on everything, in the air and in my food. Mind you, I have a bad habit of brushing my show poodles in the living room using a dryer when its too hot or too cold to do it in the grooming room, so I have the occasional long poodle hair in or on things. Still, if I didnt have showdogs I'd have no hair with poodles... and for me that was the biggest draw to the breed initially. Or perhaps the second. The first draw was their look. I just look the look of poodles.

Good luck with your search for the right puppy. Keep us posted on how you're going.

[Sassysmom]

Hi from another Washitonian.  We have a toy poodle but since we take her for walks on a leash (would never think of letting her run loose alone) we have no problem with her as small as she is.  We built a small fenced yard for her right outside our front door so that when she does go out to do business or play we can observe her.

I emailed you too.  So look for an email from PatriciaandSassyg.  I know of one good breeder of toys.  How soon are you looking to get one?  I plan to have a litter about July. 

[treeleaf]

Hi Sassysmom,

A leash won't protect your dog from big dogs!  I was walking my dachshund on a leash and the next door neighbor's dog ran up to her and in one second ripped an 8 inch gash across her belly.  Only one little layer was left holding her insides together.  I saw the neighbor's dog pick up a small poodle and shake it. 

I wouldn't let my dog run around unsupervised either!  We have a fenced area for our dogs too, but I want a dog that wouldn't be mistaken for prey!  Besides the neighbor dogs there are coyotes and birds of prey in the neighborhood and we had a cougar here one summer.

But we also don't want a toy because we want a dog that can go for long walks and occassional hikes.

[treeleaf]

We found a wonderful poodle, half an hour from us, right size, nice color, good health records and pedigree.  Unfortunately, the poodle house smelled like dog allergens (which may be you need to have allergies to know what I mean) and my husband and son were rubbing their eyes and scratching.  The owner had another interested party and needed to know by the next day and I sadly decided that we won't get a dog at this time.  My food, outdoor and indoor allergies have been so horrid this last year I can't take adding another allergen to the house.  I don't know if it was the poodle or just that the dogs track in leaf mold and grass both of which I'm allergic.  We decided to see if I can get my other allergies under control before adding a dog to the household.  We are all so sad.

[zefi]

I'm so sorry to hear that. What would probably be best to do would be to find someone who has a poodle who doesnt mind you visiting, taking the poodle for a walk or playdates, and maybe even looking after it for a weekend while they go away. That way you can be aunt and uncle to the poodle for a while as a test run in your own home. Contact the poodle club in your area perhaps and see if there are any breeders or members nearby you can contact for help. I dont know about others, but I wouldnt mind an extra pair of hands for walks and play time and even someone I could trust to leave a dog with when I need to go away. It could work to their advantage as well as yours by allowing you to spend time with a poodle up close and personal before you make a committment to one and find it wont work.

[Michael]

Yes, do what you can to find other poodle owners/breeders in the area and see if you can lend a hand in walks, shows, anything. If you're concerned about a dog too small to be considered prey, then I'd definitely say large mini or small or bigger standard for sure. Even a mini can be small compared to a coyote or larger dog. Plus, all the other things you mentioned, I'd lean toward a bit larger sized dog. Finding a "large mini" or "small standard" isn't that easy, but don't rule it out. Just realize you'll probably have to go with a normal standard in the end, as they are far more common. Fully shaved in a pet trim, and with plenty of exercise, some standards are not that heavy or large, but will not be any pushover if they encounter a large dog or wild animal either.

Do let us know how your search goes and what you're learning and finding along the way....