[Skylar]

I don’t understand why some members here say that miniature poodles are not calm? Maybe I don’t understand the meaning of calm?

My dog is a couch potato. When I take her to run errands she’s quiet and well behaved. If the weather is miserable she doesn’t need long walks. She doesn’t bark when the doorbell rings or if we’re out driving in the car and someone is close.

Babykins can run when given the chance, she loves to run in the fields and enjoys a long hike. But I don’t think that makes her less calm.

So why are minipoos labeled as less calm than tpoos or spoos?

 

[Skylar]

Plus I assume Click’s minipoo Noelle must be calm or how could she function as a service dog?

 

[lily cd re]

Your mpoo is very well trained. Noelle is very well trained, but I think Click would tell you she was sort of a wild baby as was Lily. And my spoos are not like circus clowns because they are very well trained. I do think that young untrained mpoos I've known have been a bit more hyper than other sizes of poodles, but they were house dogs with little training.

 

[Skylar]

There’s some one in my AKC club who’s got utility titles on previous dogs has a very bouncy naughty spoo about the same age as Babykins and Javelin. Dog can’t retrieve because he’s too busy bouncing. We all enjoy watching his antics but it must be frustrating for his owner. He’s a gorgeous poodle, very handsome.

 

[Mfmst]

Rejoice! Good breeding and your training enrichment = poodle perfect. It doesn’t miraculously happen

 

[Poodlebeguiled]

I think too, it's dependent in large part on the individual dog and it's temperament. I don't like labels or extreme generalizations. Not when we're talking about living beings. There are lots of variables and loads of exceptions to the generalizations made. Lots. Some dogs aren't well trained but they're treated well and that too makes a difference probably. I've seen dogs that aren't well trained per say but they're well behaved anyhow and just chill on account of their personality.

Actually, I hate generalizations and stereotypes. I hear it all the time about Chihuahuas...another breed I've had and loved. I've heard time and again, "Oh they're hyper, yappy, ankle biting, ferocious, nasty creatures." Well, I've got news for those insulting people. Mine were laid back, calm, sweet and well socialized with people and dogs...very outgoing and well behaved. Some people I met loved them. But a lot of people are so obnoxious...much more so than the stereotypical prejudice they latch onto about dogs.

 

[Skylar]

Poodlebeguiled, I think you are right.

Proper socialization and training help - but it's built upon the dog's temperament.

Mfmst, she's not perfect, far from it - but she's a joy to live with and take anywhere. I do rejoice.

 

[jojogal001]

Skylar, my Zeke, a mini poo is also very calm. He loves to chill and lay on my lap, hang out on his bed, couch, cot... pretty much anywhere. He also loves to play but only short times per time. I didn’t do training with him, except basically teaching him how to live in my home. He had energy as a puppy and even a young dog, but had a really big off switch. He’s always been a real gentleman. I never understood either why everyone says poos are high energy and always going.

 

[Dechi]

I don’t think it’s meant in a bad way, and mostly, it’s generalization. It doesn’t mean you can’t have minis as service dogs, or that they don’t make calm pets for some of them.

I’ve had 2 minis, 1 was just at the ery end of the hyper scale. Almost impossible to deal with. The other one is Beckie, who’s most probably a small mini. Very calm in the house, but definitely has wayyyyyyy more energy than Merlin, and most dogs I’ve had.

 

[Dogs4Life]

Well my girl is a rescue, and I don't know if she's classified as a toy or mini (or if she is full poodle like I was told), but when she's excited it takes her a good 20-30 minutes for her to calm down. She's 7 and I am sure she was a bundle of energy as a pup. I just moved in with family so there is more excitement in her daily life and whenever someone comes home, even if they ignore her antics, it's a big deal to her. Today she went to her favorite chair (which was against the wall in my apartment and but can't be where I am now) to look out the window to see who was coming in the house, and she fell off the back of the chair. Fortunately, she didn't get hurt and but she also was completely unfazed. Some of this I believe is just her personality, because she is still playful and loves all the people she is close to (and we do love her playful side), but now that she is in a new environment I recognize that she needs additional training. There also are plenty of times when she acts like a couch potato; really depends on what is going on around her. So I would say it's a mix of personality and training. I think this would be true for most/any dogs.

 

[twyla]

Well I've heard toys are barky, I've trained mine to bark at half volume. My sole mini Fannie was calm as could be but she came to me when she was 8 yrs old.

 

[Poodlebeguiled]

Well I've heard toys are barky, I've trained mine to bark at half volume. My sole mini Fannie was calm as could be but she came to me when she was 8 yrs old.

I have one that is barky and one that's not so much. Maurice is an alarmist. One unusual sound outside, he has bionic hearing and he thinks he must sound the alarm.:director: And it happens a lot. And it's LOUD. How a 4.5 lb dog can have such a good set of lungs is beyond me. He'll stop at once when I tell him "chill the heck out, it's all good in the hood dude." And he's the less busy dog between the two of them. The champion lap sitter and quiet and calm the rest of the time. Matisse, on the other hand lets a lot of things go. I think he's the smarter of the two honestly. He seems to figure out what is truly alarming and what is just another one of those weird sounds, usually made by humans. So he may or may not join in with Maurice at times but he's a lot quieter over all, though he's more active, curious and wanting to do things more...busy. (probably again his intelligence) But very mellow and calm by the same token. Busy, active but has a super off switch...can be a total couch potato too. Versatile or adaptive to my mood.

I enjoy having dogs with very different temperaments in lots of ways. It makes life interesting.

 

[jojogal001]

I know my poodle mix is an alarmist. She also played non stop for 14 hours a day when I got her at almost 7 years old. I’ve had to teach her to be quiet and she really loves that. She still has a lot of energy and will initiate play with me, but if I don’t respond, he off switch goes off and she’s perfectly calm. I love the energy but I also love the couch potato in her. She is the size of a mini.


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[Skylar]

I should also add my childhood minipoo was also amazingly calm and patient. She was a wonderful minipoo who had absolutely no training. I got her when I was 6 and my brother was 5. We rarely had young children in the house but I was always amazed at her patience when a toddler visited - she was fine to let the toddler pet her and even pull a little at her tail (not in a mean, painful way - just fluffy up her tail pom pom). When she had enough she just left the room. I was a huge book reader as a child and that dog spent most of her life cuddled up next to me on the bed while I read. Her second favorite activity was cuddling with my father when he came home work and shared his chair with her while he read.

We also had a tpoo when my kids were little - and that dog could bark. I wish Poodle Forum was available back then - and that the science of training dogs was more advanced - because I feel now I could have intervened and trained her to be less barky. Back then the best I could do would be to just tell her enough, it's time to stop.

jojogal001 - I'm glad to hear that Zeke is calm too - and that you were able to train Stella, your pom/poodle mix to be a calm dog.

Dechi, I do agree with you - it's a generalization and obviously if there are calm minipoos, there are also hyperactive ones too. And it's probably true for tpoos and spoos.

Dogs4Life - yes a mix of personality and training.

twyla. I could have used your training techniques back when I had a very barky tpoo. For such a little dog, she sure had a bark.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Dechi]

Well I've heard toys are barky, I've trained mine to bark at half volume. My sole mini Fannie was calm as could be but she came to me when she was 8 yrs old.

Merlin rarely ever barks. Beckie is a barking machine, but since I’m home most of the time, I have been on top of it. She knows she’s not allowed to bark, but her instinct is so strong, she will sometimes do it, but only one short bark.

It’s not just toy poodles that are barky, it’s most toy breeds. They’re so small, they bark out of fear.

 

[Skylar]

When I get my next minipoo I hope I can find another one that doesn’t bark. It’s so nice and peaceful.

 

[Carolinek]

Gracie is my first 100% poodle, she is a miniature. She is 7 months old and a ball of energy! Super smart, trains easily, and she will clearly keep me on my toes for many years to come. She does have a very nice off switch though and has recently earned the privilege of sleeping in the big bed with everyone else.

Lily is a poodle mix, with obviously much poodle in her, and is the size of a mini poo. At ten years of age, she is still a ball of fire, although is starting to slow down a bit. Her and Gracie play like puppies together, but Lily will tell Gracie she’s had enough after a while and retreat to the top of the couch.

Gracie and Lily are the most energetic dogs I have ever had. They also have very similar baseline personalities, which is super interesting given their very different origins.

I started Gracie in day care one day a week to give her the opportunity to play with other young dogs. Today was day two and the report I got was that she ruled the room and enjoyed getting everyone to chase her to see if they could catch her! It was good for her- the attached pic is her zonked out, although it’s dark and you may not be able to see much. I’m sure by tomorrow she’ll be raring to go again!

 

[Carolinek]

As far as barking goes, Lily and Gracie have that market cornered as well. But it’s alert barking, and not excessive...but they are the barkiest dogs I have ever had! Big personalities, and I love that.

 

[Moni]

Well my Mini Poodle is a lot of things - calm is not the first adjective that comes to mind. Which doesn't mean that we don't hear - "wow he is so calm" from strangers but that is training not personality. His personality is Go! Go! GO! If he was in the military he would be a Navy Seal (boy would he LOVE that!). He has an off button (with a lot of training) and he can appear calm, but it is like a coil that can appear small because it is just ready to spring into action. He is well bred, well trained and well socialized so he is not a nuisance, but he is an insane busy body and has dictatorial tendencies. He wants to be in charge and take over (and will, if not told otherwise) from directing traffic (when driving) to supervising any and all children and adults, who seem lost or distracted. He is quick to judge others (I don't know if there is a military term for this but basically he divides people into competent and incompetent through observation - this is said only partly tongue-in-cheek). He would be an excellent agility dog unfortunately his mom has decided not to dedicate every waking moment to dog sports anymore. His dad thinks he matches my personality to a tee (dictatorial and such - Ha!). He is a lot of dog in a very small body and he has definitely a heightened sense of importance (which I was told is a hallmark of the breed). I could see that he would be a trouble maker in someone else's house - but I think we have him well under control. My husband thinks he is great at manipulating me and I think he does great with my husband - and we are both right. The terms that come to mind when I think of Louie are Drive, Drama and Devotion...that about sums it up - the word "Macho" is thrown about a lot too.

 

[Eclipse]

It depends on the temperament and personality of the dog. I know a number of agility minis who are in no way couch potatoes and even though they are trained and well behaved have tons of energy and require lots of mental training and physical exercise.