[hbs2018]

Hi all!

I have been in contact with a breeder who currently has a female year old spoo along with a 6 month old male spoo. She additionally has a puppies that will be ready for homing in around a months time.

The older dogs are crate/leash trained along with having all current shots. Has anyone faced a similar situation?

What would be the potential downsides to getting an older dog? I am aware of the potential socialization issue, but am confident in the breeder and having properly treated the dogs thus far. What are other things I am not thinking of?

 

[Dechi]

Hi all!

I have been in contact with a breeder who currently has a female year old spoo along with a 6 month old male spoo. She additionally has a puppies that will be ready for homing in around a months time.

The older dogs are crate/leash trained along with having all current shots. Has anyone faced a similar situation?

What would be the potential downsides to getting an older dog? I am aware of the potential socialization issue, but am confident in the breeder and having properly treated the dogs thus far. What are other things I am not thinking of?

If the dog is well socialized, housebroken and knows basic commands, I see no disadvantages whatsoever. Older pups and young adults are an absolute blessing and definitely my favorite !

Puppies are nice, but so much work...

 

[hbs2018]

If the dog is well socialized, housebroken and knows basic commands, I see no disadvantages whatsoever. Older pups and young adults are an absolute blessing and definitely my favorite !

Puppies are nice, but so much work...

Thanks for the response! I definitely want to dig deeper on the socialization, that would be worst case to not fully investigate that and then have issues with that. I am in a very social area and any walks we go on will have plenty of interactions with other dogs (lots of spoos) and people. That is one that has me think a puppy would be a good idea, I can ensure they get the proper socialization.

 

[peppersb]

I would go and meet the older puppies. At 6 months or a year, you should be able to get a very good idea of their temperaments, and also their structure. Try doing a variety of activities with each one, and see how they react. Look for fear, shyness, aggression, curiosity, happiness, trust/mistrust, etc. You don't want a dog that is fearful, and you certainly don't want one that is aggressive. Try running around (does the dog follow?), establishing eye contact, making a loud noise, bouncing a ball, walking on a leash, touching/petting, etc. Or better yet, get some advice from a trainer. Ask the breeder about the energy levels of each of the dogs. Some poodles are very high energy and some are quite calm. You want one that matches your lifestyle.

Go with your gut. I remember going to meet a 2 year old golden retriever with a friend many years ago. She couldn't be bred because she had developed a heart murmur. My friend and I both immediately had an extremely positive impression of this dog. Just a gut feeling that this girl was the most adorable, sweet golden in the world. My friend took her in spite of warning from the vet about the risks of taking a young dog with a heart murmur. She turned out to be fabulous and lived to be 11 or 12 when she died of cancer.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Skylar]

Definitely go visit the older dogs and see for yourself how they behave and ask questions.

My dog Babykins was almost a year old when I got her. She was one of two puppies held back for conformation and they decided to take her sister into the ring and sell mine. She was completely toilet trained and partially crate trained and extremely well socialized. The only training she had was for conformation because one of her breeders is a professional handler. To this day, when we compete in dog sports people ask me if she’s a conformation dog because she always stacks. You could put your hand anywhere on her including all over her mouth as she was prepared for a judge to exam her.

She didn’t know how to sit or stand and her leash skills were limited to showing in conformation. I was ignorant when I bought her and assumed she would have some basic obedience but I realize now she was only trained for conformation. She learned all the basic obedience skills quickly so that was never a problem.

If this breeder shows in conformation and if the puppies were kept as potential show dogs then they needed to be properly socialized to be able to perform in competition.

As for training an older puppy, have no concerns, you can easily and quickly train basic obedience skills. If the dog is fearful, that may be a problem that you might not be able to overcome.

 

[Mufar42]

If this is a good breeder as you say I would most definately take a good look into the older dogs. mine is getting better an better as he gets older. He is almost 2. Still try willing to learn. I'd skip the puppy stage given he chance.

 

[Countryboy]

I'm with Dechi... as usual.

I love mature dogs. Mostly, they know the ropes already. Fit into a household with less friction, and adjust themselves very quickly.

Puppies scare me... :ahhhhh: lol

 

[hbs2018]

If this is a good breeder as you say I would most definately take a good look into the older dogs. mine is getting better an better as he gets older. He is almost 2. Still try willing to learn. I'd skip the puppy stage given he chance.

I talked to her on the phone earlier today and feel good about the situation. The breeder is Nancy Wilson (Bar None Poodles) in Texas. I have read good things about her on here and have seen a person or two with her dogs on here talking as well!

 

[hbs2018]

I would go and meet the older puppies. At 6 months or a year, you should be able to get a very good idea of their temperaments, and also their structure. Try doing a variety of activities with each one, and see how they react. Look for fear, shyness, aggression, curiosity, happiness, trust/mistrust, etc. You don't want a dog that is fearful, and you certainly don't want one that is aggressive. Try running around (does the dog follow?), establishing eye contact, making a loud noise, bouncing a ball, walking on a leash, touching/petting, etc. Or better yet, get some advice from a trainer. Ask the breeder about the energy levels of each of the dogs. Some poodles are very high energy and some are quite calm. You want one that matches your lifestyle.

Go with your gut. I remember going to meet a 2 year old golden retriever with a friend many years ago. She couldn't be bred because she had developed a heart murmur. My friend and I both immediately had an extremely positive impression of this dog. Just a gut feeling that this girl was the most adorable, sweet golden in the world. My friend took her in spite of warning from the vet about the risks of taking a young dog with a heart murmur. She turned out to be fabulous and lived to be 11 or 12 when she died of cancer.

Best of luck to you.

Thank you for the response! I definitely will try and meet the dogs, after talking to her I think I feel better about the year old one and think it would fit better with me. My parents are going to try and arrange to meet the dogs later this month and then we will setup a meet when I am back home (closer to the breeder) in a month. I will pass on the recommendations that you have on when they/me meet the dog!

 

[Poodlebeguiled]

Puppies are adorable and it's so interesting watching them learn and discover their big, new world. They, like all babies bring joy and intense feelings of love in everyone they meet. But...they are a royal pita! I have almost always started with puppies and I told myself if I ever get another dog, which I probably won't due to my age, I would NOT get a puppy. lol. But if you've never experienced the joy of bringing up a puppy from an almost fresh slate, that's something to consider. Or maybe next time. lol. (I'm one of those kind of people who hang out on top of the fence.) :act-up: But if everything you need in an adolescent dog is in place, such as what was talked about...socialization etc, that just might be a whole lot easier. And you can still teach them everything. In fact, they are usually more able to settle down and get more into it...not as distractible. Good luck. Let us know what you find when you visit! Yay...neat that you have a choice. They're not always easy to find...those older ones.

 

[hbs2018]

Puppies are adorable and it's so interesting watching them learn and discover their big, new world. They, like all babies bring joy and intense feelings of love in everyone they meet. But...they are a royal pita! I have almost always started with puppies and I told myself if I ever get another dog, which I probably won't due to my age, I would NOT get a puppy. lol. But if you've never experienced the joy of bringing up a puppy from an almost fresh slate, that's something to consider. Or maybe next time. lol. (I'm one of those kind of people who hang out on top of the fence.) :act-up: But if everything you need in an adolescent dog is in place, such as what was talked about...socialization etc, that just might be a whole lot easier. And you can still teach them everything. In fact, they are usually more able to settle down and get more into it...not as distractible. Good luck. Let us know what you find when you visit! Yay...neat that you have a choice. They're not always easy to find...those older ones.

Yes for sure! I am hoping that I will be able to meet them. The breeder said that my parents could go down and meet them soon and then I could follow up when Im back at home. Im just hoping that the timing works out. It honestly is what I've been looking for a young, small standard.

 

[Mufar42]

I talked to her on the phone earlier today and feel good about the situation. The breeder is Nancy Wilson (Bar None Poodles) in Texas. I have read good things about her on here and have seen a person or two with her dogs on here talking as well!

Well then..there is your answer go see the pups and I bet you will come home with one. I love puppies however having raised many over the years I'd spend some time with an older one and probably take that route. My neighbor adopted thru rescue a standard a year ago. I totally love that dog, (I pet sit sit for them when they go out of town, she has 2). One trained from puppyhood and this rescue. He is better behaved than the one they raised. LOL He is very very lovable and has great house manners. When I go I always play with them a bit then sit over there for an hour or so. He always has to be touching me. Good luck in whatever you decide and I look forward to hearing more.

 

[kchen95]

I second what everyone else has said about the advantages of getting an older pup. Frankly, I think you're so lucky that these older pups are available from a top breeder - these opportunities don't come around very often!

My current two poodles, Vontae and Shilo, were 2 years old and 8 months old, respectively, when I got them, precisely because I wanted to avoid the puppy phase. They both came from top breeders who socialized them well - one in Taiwan and one in New Zealand - so well that frankly, I felt like I was basically cheating lol! I skipped all the bad stuff (housebreaking, chewing, cleaning/fixing/getting up in the middle of the night) and went straight to all the good stuff (catching frisbees/swimming/hiking).

This is not to say that raising a pup from 8 weeks is not a valuable experience in and of itself - I did that with Moses, my previous Sheltie who passed at 13 a few years ago. By the time I raised Moses to become an adult, he was every bit as nice of a pet as Vontae/Shilo are now, but boy, did it take a LOT more work to get there, purely because he was two months old when I got him.

If you feel that you're in the right point of your life to take the effort and go through that puppyhood process, there's nothing wrong with that - do it! But, just don't do it because you think somehow going through that process means you will bond with the dog more than if you got the dog as a older pup/young adult. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Vontae/Shilo are just as bonded to me as Moses was, and the fact that they came to me at different ages (2 months vs. 8 months vs. 24 months) didn't impact that one tiny bit.

Good luck - it's exciting for you and your family!

Kevin

 

[hbs2018]

I second what everyone else has said about the advantages of getting an older pup. Frankly, I think you're so lucky that these older pups are available from a top breeder - these opportunities don't come around very often!

My current two poodles, Vontae and Shilo, were 2 years old and 8 months old, respectively, when I got them, precisely because I wanted to avoid the puppy phase. They both came from top breeders who socialized them well - one in Taiwan and one in New Zealand - so well that frankly, I felt like I was basically cheating lol! I skipped all the bad stuff (housebreaking, chewing, cleaning/fixing/getting up in the middle of the night) and went straight to all the good stuff (catching frisbees/swimming/hiking).

This is not to say that raising a pup from 8 weeks is not a valuable experience in and of itself - I did that with Moses, my previous Sheltie who passed at 13 a few years ago. By the time I raised Moses to become an adult, he was every bit as nice of a pet as Vontae/Shilo are now, but boy, did it take a LOT more work to get there, purely because he was two months old when I got him.

If you feel that you're in the right point of your life to take the effort and go through that puppyhood process, there's nothing wrong with that - do it! But, just don't do it because you think somehow going through that process means you will bond with the dog more than if you got the dog as a older pup/young adult. I can tell you with absolute certainty that Vontae/Shilo are just as bonded to me as Moses was, and the fact that they came to me at different ages (2 months vs. 8 months vs. 24 months) didn't impact that one tiny bit.

Good luck - it's exciting for you and your family!

Kevin

Thanks for the response! Im glad that you have had an enjoyable experience getting slightly older dogs! It sounds like these dogs will need a little bit of training work, but that would be solved by participating in a few classes which I already was planning. I am very lucky to have found this breeder and the girl that she has available. Its honestly a perfect situation for me. Hoping it works out, its going to be interesting logistics wise since she is a few hours from my parents and I am a 2 hour flight away from them at school. It will work out if its meant to be!

 

[IdahoLiving]

My TPOO came to me as an almost 8 month old from a breeder who had kept him back for conformation, but he did not make the cut and she had him available. Best decision I have ever made.
Sheilah

 

[Johanna]

I talked to her on the phone earlier today and feel good about the situation. The breeder is Nancy Wilson (Bar None Poodles) in Texas. I have read good things about her on here and have seen a person or two with her dogs on here talking as well!

I'd jump on that! This is, I suspect, a dog held back for conformation who just did not pan out for that activity. BUT . . . a dog who is going to be shown in conformation will have been socialized because it would be expected to be fearless in unusual environments. Dog shows are loud and confusing - so conformation dogs have to be very confident.


Best wishes!


Johanna

 

[hbs2018]

I talked to her on the phone earlier today and feel good about the situation. The breeder is Nancy Wilson (Bar None Poodles) in Texas. I have read good things about her on here and have seen a person or two with her dogs on here talking as well!

I'd jump on that! This is, I suspect, a dog held back for conformation who just did not pan out for that activity. BUT . . . a dog who is going to be shown in conformation will have been socialized because it would be expected to be fearless in unusual environments. Dog shows are loud and confusing - so conformation dogs have to be very confident.


Best wishes!


Johanna

Hi Johanna!

This is exactly the situation. She even went off to Ms Wilson’s handler for a while. We are working through the process and hopefully everything will work out!

 

[joedesimone]

Hi Johanna!

This is exactly the situation. She even went off to Ms Wilson’s handler for a while. We are working through the process and hopefully everything will work out!

Good advice from everyone here, hbs. I wish I had the foresight and taken the time to ask this question here and listened, as you are obviously doing.

Very smart of you to get an older dog. Another factor a breeder should consider, is the age of the prospective owners.

A senior citizen should not get a puppy.

 

[hbs2018]

Good advice from everyone here, hbs. I wish I had the foresight and taken the time to ask this question here and listened, as you are obviously doing.

Very smart of you to get an older dog. Another factor a breeder should consider, is the age of the prospective owners.

A senior citizen should not get a puppy.

Thank you for the kind words! I realize now that I never really should have been considering a puppy due to my circumstances (single male living in an apartment going to school full time). Ms Wilson helped explain why she didn't think that was a good idea and the reasoning why it would be unfair to both the owner and the dog. I totally understand seniors not needing to get a puppy, my grandparents recently got a Golden puppy and they have their hands full with it for sure.

 

[joedesimone]

Thank you for the kind words! I realize now that I never really should have been considering a puppy due to my circumstances (single male living in an apartment going to school full time). Ms Wilson helped explain why she didn't think that was a good idea and the reasoning why it would be unfair to both the owner and the dog. I totally understand seniors not needing to get a puppy, my grandparents recently got a Golden puppy and they have their hands full with it for sure.

You're welcome. Oh, since you've described your situation, absolutely. You perhaps (if you can afford it) might want to think of having a dog walker come in during the time you are at school.

Give your grandparents my good wishes! I imagine they are not as old as we are, and if not for the circumstances surrounding Ricky's death, I would not have gotten another dog.

Given that, in a year from now, you, I, and your grandparents will be glad we did it.

There is NOTHING like a dog. Good luck, hbs2018.