[Newbie in BC]

Hi,

My name is Mel, I'm married, with 2 girls (10 and 7). I don't work outside the home. The four of us have decided we would like to get a dog. Because the girls and I are allergic, we are considering the standard poodle. They look like really great family dogs. We just lost our 15 year old kitty recently and so the time seems right to start seriously looking for a new addition.

I have questions, and who better to ask than the experts here!

I've heard from a vet who owns a poodle that poodle coats tend to 'hang on' to dirt, etc, unlike other coats. (she said you can't just towel it off). We have allergies to pollen and mold, and I wondered if those allergens would 'cling' to a poodle coat moreso than another, less "velcro" type of coat. Kind of a weird question I guess, but wondered if anyone had any insight.

Also, how much walking do you give your Standards? A half hour a day, hour, or more? Being on the wet coast, there is a lot of rain! If we skip a day, how bad is that? Don't get me wrong, we fully intend on commiting to a healthy, well-exercised dog, but some days the weather here is just plain nasty! Is it rain or shine - always!?

I'd also like to know if anyone knows of a good breeder in the Greater Vancouver or Fraser Valley, BC area. I've contacted Paris Poodles and would like to talk to others as well. We are looking for a healthy, laid back, intelligent dog. Whether it's registered or not doesn't really matter too much, we just want a good family dog with good genes. We need to be able to meet some poodles first, to see if we have any reactions to them.

While we like the Standard, our second choice if that didn't work out may be the Portugese Water Dog...anyone have any comments about these guys?

Thanks in advance,

Mel

 

[cbrand]

Poodle coats absolutely hang onto dirt and debris the way other dog coats do not. I find the best way to handle this is either to keep the poodle shaved very close or to use a Blaster dryer to blow the dirt out of the coat a couple of times a week. (See below)

Standard Poodles are active dogs of extreme endurance. A 30 minute walk won't even scratch the tip of a Standards athletic potential. (Just curious... are you new to BC?) The good news is that I have not found that Poodles are destructive if they don't get enough exercise. They are not like Labradoodles that will tear the house apart if the owner doesn't "take the edge off" the dog by wearing it out. Poodles want to be with you. If you are inside, they want to be inside with you. I find that the best way to exercise a Poodle is to exercise both its body and mind. Play frisbee or ball. Teach the dog tricks. Have the dog do practical work for you like picking up and handing you things that you have dropped. Poodles like to have a job. If you don't give them one, chances are they will invent jobs for themselves.

When looking at buying a Poodle puppy, become an educated buyer. Learn what constitutes best breeding practices for a Poodle breeder. Know which tests are expected for each variety and know how to interpret the test results: e.g. Prelim OFA scores are not an official hip certification.

Finally, since it sound like this might be first dog for you, I'd like to recommend that you get a Mini and not a Standard. I think your girls will really love the size. A Mini is big enough to keep up on a 5 mile hike but small enough to sit in your lap. A Mini will be more manageable for your family in respect to grooming and training. Plus, overall, I think Minis are healthier right now than Standards. I will try to track down some breeder of Standards and Minis in BC for you. Would you consider going down to Seattle?

Blaster
http://www.cherrybrook.com/index.cfm/a/catalog.catshow/catid/407/cname/Dryers_by_Chris_Christensen

Poodle shaved all over with a #10 blade.

 

[ArreauStandardPoodle]

Hi Mel...welcome to the forum. Hope you find it enjoyable and educational.

I am in Ontario and breed red Standards. One of my pups is in Kelowna and one is in Vancouver. I have never heard anything like what your vet told you about the Poodles "hanging onto dirt". If you keep a Poodle well groomed (brushed out thorughly once a week, and to the groomer every six for a clip and bath) I cannot see how they could be a problem. If you left a Poo to grow out forever, it will eventually be a mess that could cause problems for you, but most folks do not want a Poodle that looks like that anyway. You musr emember htough, there is not a breed that is non allergenic, only hypo allergenic which reduces rpoblems considerably, but does not neccessarily eliminate them.

If you happen to be on Facebook, I have a business page there with tons of photos and videos of my dogs and puppies. Go to the FB search bar and type in Arreau Red Standard Poodles and that will take you there. My web site is www.redstandardpoodles.net

If you have any questions about me or anyone else you might consider, please feel free to contact me by e-mail or PM me here.

Good luck in your search

 

[Newbie in BC]

Standard Poodles are active dogs of extreme endurance. A 30 minute walk won't even scratch the tip of a Standards athletic potential. (Just curious... are you new to BC?) The good news is that I have not found that Poodles are destructive if they don't get enough exercise. They are not like Labradoodles that will tear the house apart if the owner doesn't "take the edge off" the dog by wearing it out. Poodles want to be with you. If you are inside, they want to be inside with you. I find that the best way to exercise a Poodle is to exercise both its body and mind. Play frisbee or ball. Teach the dog tricks. Have the dog do practical work for you like picking up and handing you things that you have dropped. Poodles like to have a job. If you don't give them one, chances are they will invent jobs for themselves.

When looking at buying a Poodle puppy, become an educated buyer. Learn what constitutes best breeding practices for a Poodle breeder. Know which tests are expected for each variety and know how to interpret the test results: e.g. Prelim OFA scores are not an official hip certification.

Finally, since it sound like this might be first dog for you, I'd like to recommend that you get a Mini and not a Standard. I think your girls will really love the size. A Mini is big enough to keep up on a 5 mile hike but small enough to sit in your lap. A Mini will be more manageable for your family in respect to grooming and training. Plus, overall, I think Minis are healthier right now than Standards. I will try to track down some breeder of Standards and Minis in BC for you. Would you consider going down to Seattle?

QUOTE]

Thanks for the reply...No, not new to BC. Born and raised here! And yes, I'd consider going to Seattle. I'm not sure what the requirements are for taking a dog across the border, but I'm sure it wouldn't be a big problem.

As for the Mini vs. Standard, I guess we would consider either, but the reading I've done sort of suggests that the Minis are more excitable, and more vocal, which doesn't appeal to us. But I guess that depends on the individual dog, too. If we were getting a Standard, we'd try to get one on the smaller side.

I certainly want to exercise the dog's mind as well as body. One of the things that attracts us to the breed is its intelligence. And the kids have lots of energy for playtime like fetch, etc. And yes, I was concerned about destructiveness stemming from lack of exercise. I will not be one of those bad owners who gets a dog they can't keep up with!

Thanks for the advice about getting educated...that's what I'm trying to do. Any good websites you recommend? Santa brought us a "Poodles" magazine to read through, and it has some good health related info.

Thanks again, keep the advice coming!

Mel

 

[neVar]

Ok so i've only had my poodle for a week but i lso have aussies who are ummm a good jump up the 'high energy' scale then poodles.

walks don't do much but a good game of fetch? of biking roller blading- playing at the dog park- fabulous wear out schemes. Kids in the back yard are very good puppy wear out machines.

 

[flyingduster]

Most poodles seem to be pretty laid back cruisy dogs, while they can certainly run and play for hours (and hours and hours), they're also happy to cruise about the house with their family on a wet rainy day and blob out on the couch too. hehe.

In saying that, Paris does get a bit nuts when she's been stuck inside a lot, she doesn't destroy anything or do anything stupid, she just goes into mad zoomies when she gets outside, and her indoor playing can get a bit rough and fast! lol

 

[Olie]

Welcome.

I am pretty new to poodles and share some of the same issues your family does and I have two standards. I think it's a good idea to meet and spend time with the puppies to determine if there could be a potential problem with alergies. All dogs need exersize for sure and poodles LOVE to play and run, but the beauty from my experience with Spoos is they also can be versatile and veg out as well. With 2 kids at that age I think like you said they can create lots of fun stuff and training too They are really smart dogs. I hope you find the right breeder. Do you have preference of what color you want?

 

[Newbie in BC]

Welcome.

I am pretty new to poodles and share some of the same issues your family does and I have two standards. I think it's a good idea to meet and spend time with the puppies to determine if there could be a potential problem with alergies. All dogs need exersize for sure and poodles LOVE to play and run, but the beauty from my experience with Spoos is they also can be versatile and veg out as well. With 2 kids at that age I think like you said they can create lots of fun stuff and training too They are really smart dogs. I hope you find the right breeder. Do you have preference of what color you want?

More and more, the Spoo sounds like a good dog for us! We'd like a darker color, black or brown I guess. Black seem to be cheaper, so that's fine by me! Yes, my older daughter wants to be "in charge" of the training! LOL, we are all looking forward to it...just hoping the allergy thing won't ruin everything as it often seems to!

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Mel

 

[Newbie in BC]

Most poodles seem to be pretty laid back cruisy dogs, while they can certainly run and play for hours (and hours and hours), they're also happy to cruise about the house with their family on a wet rainy day and blob out on the couch too. hehe.

In saying that, Paris does get a bit nuts when she's been stuck inside a lot, she doesn't destroy anything or do anything stupid, she just goes into mad zoomies when she gets outside, and her indoor playing can get a bit rough and fast! lol

Sounds like what we are looking for!

M

 

[Newbie in BC]

Ok so i've only had my poodle for a week but i lso have aussies who are ummm a good jump up the 'high energy' scale then poodles.

walks don't do much but a good game of fetch? of biking roller blading- playing at the dog park- fabulous wear out schemes. Kids in the back yard are very good puppy wear out machines.

LOL, the hope is that they will wear each other out!

Mel

 

[mandi]

Welcome Mel and Family...You have come to the right place for poodle information (although we may be a bit breed-prejudiced!). I have 2 minis and their personalities are entirely different. One is very meek and mild while the other is a little mischief-maker. Neither one is a barky dog-one barks when someone enters the house and one does not. They are not hyper dogs...they play and sleep. One loves to lie in the sun and chase squirrels and the other just goes out to do what he needs to do (mornings they like to chase for awhile). Grooming will be less for you with a mini, need less food, space and exercise and I think a miini would be hardy enough for kids (as opposed to toy poodles).
If you are looking in the Seattle area, I think www.kamannpoodles.com would be a good bet. She is a small breeder which means she can take the time to socialize the pups and give you more personal assistance. Whatever you decide, good luck!

 

[cbrand]

RE Poodle coats picking up stuff...
I do a ton of hiking/camping with my poodles and their curly coats ABSOLUTELY hold onto dirt/dust/plant material more than dogs with even long straight coats (think Aussie). I hiked Mt. Sanitas one day with Izze, my cream girl. The dirt on Sanitas is made up of a reddish clay. By the time we got down, she was positively pink all over from the dust on the trail. Someone stopped me and said, "Oh is that one of those Apricot poodles?" Ahh.... no.

Owning a dog in the Northwest.....
Being a Northwest Native you know that rain is a fact of life. I lived in Seattle for 12+ years and I hiked many a trail with my dogs in a slow drizzle. Isn't that why God invented Gortex? You will be fine. One thing you will want to implement is a foot wash/drying station in the mudroom or garage where you can dip your dog's feet and dry them off after you come in from outside. Keeping your Poodle's feet shaved clean will also go a long way towards keeping the house cleaner.

Mini vs. Standard....

The Mini is typically a higher drive, more reactive dog. The up side is that the Mini is the performance dog of choice. All the top Obedience/Agility poodles are Minis. The downside is that some Minis notice too much and they become worriers who are afraid of their own shadow. Look for a Mini who has nerves of steel and who is a happy, outgoing individual. As far as being more vocal, Standards can be barkers too. I find though that dogs bark because owners allow them to. Want a quiet dog? Set that expectation early.

Here are some breeder resources for you in BC (from a breeder I know in BC):

Mini
Lynne Galloway [email protected] of Lyric Poodles (Black)
Rene Adams [email protected] of Evo Poodles (Black)

Standards
Deborah Foster, Violet Poodles http://www.violetstandardpoodles.com
Catherine Talot Nightsecho Poodles http://www.nightsechopoodles.com/
Dianne Hopper Carrington Poodles http://www.carringtonstandardpoodles.com
Suzanne Loblaw Reigate Poodles http://www.reigatepoodles.com

As with all breeders, make sure that all health testing has been done on breeding parents. If testing is not listed on OFA, then a breeder should be able to provide you with hard copies of testing. Testing by variety:

Standard:
Hips... after age 2 Certified by OFA or Pennhip. If OFA "Fair" then bred to "Good" or "Excellent". I would not accept a Pennhip greater than .50 and then it should be bred to a .20 -.30
Eyes... Certified by CERF within the last year
Thyroid .... yearly by vet
SA.... every two years up to about age 6
NE... one time test
VWB.... one time test
DM.... new test in 09 Not sure if this is a problem in Poodles

Minis
Eyes.... parents must be Otigen A or B (can not breed Bs together)
Hips
Legg-Calve Perthes
Luxating Patellas

Good sites for learning about Poodles:
http://www.vipoodle.org/ (specifically the Education section)
www.poodlepedigree.com
www.poodlehealthregistry.com

 

[Cdnjennga]

Hi Mel! And welcome!

I remember my family being in your exact situation about 20 years ago. We had family allergies, started considering the Standard, found the PWD and that's what we ended up getting. I'm now looking into getting my first dog, a mini.

Anyway, for the allergies, as someone else said you need to visit breeders and see how you react. We have found that sometimes bringing the dog into a controlled environment, such as a car, is a good test as the breeder's house may have other allergens that will contribute to a reaction.

Cbrand has given you great advice for poodles. PWDs are a great dog as well, but they are definitely high energy and need a family who is dedicated to meeting their needs. PWDs who aren't stimulated enough tend to get into a lot of trouble around the house.

PM me if you're interested, and I'll give you my mom's contact information. She is very involved in the breed (she was president of the PWD Club of Canada at one point) and knows of breeders out in your part of the country and south of you. She'll also give it to you straight about the breed and whether she thinks it will be a fit for you and your family.

 

[Newbie in BC]

Thank you to everyone who has replied...such a wealth of information! I'm on a steep learning curve...

I've sent out some emails to breeders (including a couple of the ones recommended), so we'll see what happens - I'll have lots more questions, I'm sure!

I have to say, Ive already learned so much...like looking for reputable breeders. A friend got a "mutt" puppy off kijiji, so I browsed it out of curiosity...I couldn't believe it when I saw a "breeder" (or should I just call them money grabbers) advertising their "older" dogs to the highest bidder, as they've outused their usefulness. :mffad: Wtf, who are these people?! Hopefully these dogs will end up with decent homes, finally. So sad! If anyone wants to rescue a Poodle, doodle, or PWD...they are on Vancouver Island. Sigh...

Thanks again,

Mel

 

[neVar]

newbie- my spoo came off kijiji- "free first to who showed up' (i ws there 35 minutes later driving through a blizzard) there is a CKC registered one who they got for breeding/showing but never did so now we're homing her. these two were just in one week on kijiji in saskatoon.

I understand breeders- who place retired dogs. but you rarely see them on kijiji etc

I also looked into PWD's and they are great dogs- a girl who works for me has an older one- what a sweety. they definatly are from the few i've met a bit more 'revved' then the poodles- but i wouldn't put them in the same class as my bouncey wiggly aussies *L*

 

[puppylove]

I also looked into PWD's and they are great dogs- a girl who works for me has an older one- what a sweety. they definatly are from the few i've met a bit more 'revved' then the poodles- but i wouldn't put them in the same class as my bouncey wiggly aussies *L*

I have a 5 year old Aussie and an 11 month old standard and that Aussie is at least 5 times more bouncy than the puppy! This is my first standard and I can't believe what a calm puppy he is...light years different than all my Aussie pups.

And I do find that dirt and debris sticks to the poodle fur much worse than any dog I've had. Aussies shed so much hair that by the time we get home from a dirty outdoor adventure all the dirty hair has shed away! (Or so it seems).

 

[bigpoodleperson]

Welcome! You have already gotten a ton of great information!! My poodle is 7 years old, and he is my first. I have found with him that he is the perfect dog for us! He is just the best dog ever (literally!! )! He does not bark unless there is something to actually bark at (not even people walking by, but if someone knocks on the door he will let out a few barks). He needs exercise, but not excessive. I feel that all dogs need some kind of activity a day.

I got Riley as a pet, and i was not looking for a high drive poodle. I got a wonderful family companion who fits in well with my family. My next poodle i am looking for a high drive dog. You need to tell the breeder what you are looking for and watch what lines your puppy came from (a ton of high drive performance dogs in the background my not be the best choice for you).

Just dont rush into this. Expect to wait and do research. There are some bad breeders out there. This form has some great threads on breeding and what to look for. Remember this dog will be with you for 11-13 (hopefully) years, so you want a dog you can live with for that long!

And as for the the poodle coat thing, i would agree. Just keep your dog clipped short and brush them often. They are like a cotton ball, and will pick up everything in their coats! I find they are cleaner then alot of breeds though. Visit with some poodles to make sure you dont react to them (but you had a cat, so you should be ok). Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[thestars]

Welcome to the board! I too am allergic to mold, some grasses like bermuda and some trees. Love my poodles!

 

[Newbie in BC]

Welcome to the board! I too am allergic to mold, some grasses like bermuda and some trees. Love my poodles!

LOL, I wish I was only allergic to some grasses and trees. I'm basically allergic to anything in the air....cats (yes, even though we had one...she definately caused me to react), dogs, grasses, trees (basically all pollens), mold, dust...you name it. I take Claritin every day, so I think I could handle it, but my youngest daughter seems to be reacting to more things (both kids have tested + for dog allergies), and she hasn't coughed since the cat died. So, we'll see...I've already found us getting caught up in the idea of a dog, before we've even been out to see any. We'll arrange some visits with them soon and keep our fingers crossed!

 

[spoospirit]

Hi Newbie and welcome to the forum.

I, too, am allergic to many things including all of those you mentioned. I do have cats and a golden retriever (tested positive to dogs) and two spoos. I, also, take Claritin every day to cope as well as Flonase because I can't live without my furbie family. I find that the poodles almost never bother me except during grooming. I do the full grooming on my spoos from bath to blow dry to shave and scissoring. So, when the small bits of hair get into my sinuses, I react.

I have had mutts, a Brittany Spaniel x, our current Golden Retriever and my two standards. All but the standards were off the wall and needed a lot of attention and play time to keep them calm in the house. I LOVE the standards. They play hard outside but as soon as they come in, it is like flicking a switch. They know that they are not allowed to rough play in the house so they settle down and chew on toys or sleep. If it rains all day or is too cold in winter for them to go out other than to do their business, they will veg out all day. If they are inside too many days in a row, they get the zoomies when they finally get to go outside again but they never tear the house up.

I wish you the best in finding that perfect dog for you and your family.