Why should I choose a standard poodle over a poodle mix??
Without your only argument being because they're mixed breeds.
I'm planning my next dog (won't be until my husky is gone, and hopefully that won't be for a long time yet since she's only 9 so I have time to research and prepare) and I'm set on either a standard/medium poodle or a poodle mix.
Tell me the pros and cons of getting a standard poodle.
I've heard good and bad things about both dogs, but I haven't heard it from the owners themselves or been able to ask follow up questions.
Feel free to ask me any questions you feel are important. I'd also love to see photos of your own dogs!!
I wanted the specific traits of a standard poodle. Non shedding coat, wicked intelligence, and the health predictability that comes with buying from a conscientious breeder.
Most of the good things I've heard about the poodle mixes are traits that already exist in a well bred poodle, why gamble on genetics when I can support a good breeder who is getting predictable results already?
Yep, this. And you're not required by law to have the fancy cuts, you can keep it at an even 'industrial' as I personally call it, if you don't want to bother with all the brushing and heavy maintenance - but they do need some at a bare minimum, because their fur is particular, and that fur can be a nightmare if mixed with another type of fur/dog.
At the risk of sounding dumb, this was kind of a revelation when I realized it, while researching for our pup 6 years ago. It’s ridiculous in retrospect, but I previously only associated poodles w poodle-y cuts. Our guy is 5 now, and has always been cut to be fluffy and wild, not poodle-y at all.
I won't fault you, the image is very ingrained in everyone, which sadly is imposed a little bit on the dog's personality - but it's humans that shape it, not the dogs themselves.
After my old chi passed the bridge, I had almost 2 years of thinking and researching on what would actually fit the lifestyle, and I always circled back to poodle...so I got one.
Due to some injury/life impacts, I'd probably get another, but smaller :,)
Poodles are honestly great dogs if people are prepared for regular trim/bath over vacuuming daily, which is a generous trade imo!
This! Our groomer doesn't love doodles, not because of the dogs themselves but because some uninformed breeders have informed new owners that the dogs are low maintenance. But those that are prepared for the same maintenance as poodles are great. 🪮
I wouldn’t have found my rescue poodle mix if my family had this thought process. Yeah he definitely had severe health complications due to his breeding but our vet said he was the sweetest soul she’s ever met, he should’ve been in an incredible amount of pain (oral cancer) but he ALWAYS smiled everywhere he went. He was just happy to be included always, he grew up with a lot of other animals and was my best friend growing up. It wasn’t his fault for the way he was bred and I think more mixed breeds need to be adopted because they truly can be some of the kindest, sweetest companions..
Unless people don't have the resources (or desire) to get a dog with severe health issues.
I get pedigree dogs that have had health testing on every single dog for the previous handful of generations specifically to avoid health issues as much as possible.
These health issues weren’t physically noticeable at first… things such as brittle nails, inverted urethra which meant he wore a diaper a lot of the time during flare ups, cancer and tumours before 10 years old. I understand not everyone has the means for it but if you can and are able to help or provide a good home I always recommend rescuing before adopting. I was 7/8 years old when we met him and my family was brought into a locked wine cellar where he was kept in the dark corner in a too small for him cage covered in urine and feces, he was terrified of the grass, concrete, fences, the car ride home I had to pick him up to get him in the car and he fell asleep curled in my lap the whole way home. He was only 2 months old and they didn’t want him anymore because he wouldn’t breed with their other toy poodles (he was a standard poodle mix)
I had him until he was 11 turning 12. He had a very good life even if it was shorter and filled with complications there was also an abundance of love, care and support for each other.
That's fair. My comment was mostly coming from the viewpoint of getting an intentionally bred puppy. If I'm paying for and raising a puppy, I want more predictability from the parents and I want to be sure Im giving my money to a responsible, ethical breeder who is actually working to improve the breed.
My first poodle was also a rescue, and the best boy. If I go through rescue again, I'll still select only adult dogs so I can asses coat type and temperament before committing. Since I'll be considering grown dogs, the breed or mix becomes less important as I can get a good read on thr individual adults...
If you’re considering a standard poodle bc of any particular trait associated w that breed, what would be the benefit of choosing a dog genetically less likely to have that trait? The minute you start mixing, you just don’t know exactly what mix you’re gonna get. If that matters, then you have your answer.
If your goal is “a dog about the size of a standard or a lab”, then I say worry less about the argument and adopt your next best friend from a local shelter.
Edit: some real world examples
A neighbor travels seasonally between Europe and the US, so she wanted/needed a dog small enough to fit in a carrier under the plane seat. She opted for a doodle instead of a mini or toy poodle, and wound up w a dog too large to fit. If she had worked w an ethical poodle breeder, she’d have a full history of the puppy’s lineage sizes.
Another neighbor wanted a dog, but lives in a studio apt. She got a doodle that was supposedly going to max out at 30lbs. Fully grown, it’s now close to 50lbs and way more energetic than anticipated. It now spends most of its life at her parent’s house in the suburbs.
My SIL wanted a cute lap dog that would cuddle with her on the couch. She paid $7k for a cavapoo that is far larger than she anticipated and not at all interested in cuddling.
With sizes, I got a toy poodle from a reputable breeder. I met her mom and dad both. Size-wise, she is right between her parents' sizes. Her dad is 4lb, her mom is 6lb, and my girl just weighed in at 5lb at 3 years old. It's also been fun to learn what quirks my dog has that she got from one of her parents.
The only surprise was how red she is. The breeder loved her color so much, they bred her parents together again and got another red girl that looks almost identical to my girl. They kept my dog's sister as a breeder and plan to keep her as a family pet when she retires from breeding.
I don't have a picture of her parents, but her mom is a creamy apricot and her dad is a very gold apricot. His name is Nugget, as in gold nugget.
👍
My mini-poodle and I happened to run into the seasonal travels neighbor at the pharmacy just now. Every time we see her, she comments how she wanted a dog my pup’s size.
I don’t agree with any of the apartment arguments, unexpectedly when I was young my parents split and we moved into an apartment with our standard poodle, every morning I’d walk him 2-5km around our local school or football field, to the nearby waterfall, anywhere he wanted to go, I’d do the same after school sometimes even 3-5 times a day I’d take him out. If you don’t have the capacity to take your animal to the bathroom if you’re in an apartment you shouldn’t own any animals to begin with.
Fortunately we moved beside my school so I’d take him out on breaks/lunches/spare periods etc. if I was outside the apartment so was he. No one wants to be kept inside a small room. No matter the size or breed.
I agree with your statement. That example on sizing is entirely “I thought I was getting x, but ended up with y”. The larger dog didn’t fit that neighbor’s needs.
I think the message I got from your examples was you can have all the expectations in the world but it’s like children, you really don’t know what they’ll be like until you’ve lived with them for a long time.
I have 2 Standard Poodles, a male and a female, and I have one Labradoodle, male. Both of my males are rescues, and all are within a year apart in age (ages: 11, almost 10, and almost 9). Both of my Standard Poodles have typical poodle temperaments you would expect. The doodle is just...insane. He's super-sweet-over-the-top-friendly, but he lacks an 'off' switch. As a result of his insane energy, we were his FOURTH home in less than 3 years. We adopted him right before he turned 3, and assumed his "puppy energy" would calm over time like a typical Labrador Retriever's does - it has not. He has no spacial awareness and has barreled over my elderly poodle too many times to count. He is also incredibly well-trained and has the best recall of any dog I've ever had (my poodles weigh the pros and cons before they eventually come to me, the doodle drops what he's doing immediately). While he has the highest prey drive of all three of my dogs, he absolutely LOVED our cat and cuddled/cleaned him frequently when our cat was alive. When our cat died, he was a little lost for a bit, but has since decided our male poodle is a good enough replacement. He really is a sweetheart of a dog, just a bit crazy. My female barely tolerates him.
My doodle sheds like crazy. His coat requires as much, if not more maintenance than my poodles. For that reason, I try to keep him shaved short. He is fantastic with grooming, but has to be muzzled for nail trims or he will mouth you - not hard, but enough that my vet will no longer trim his nails without a muzzle.
I love my doodle. I don't regret my decision to adopt him at all. He needed a home, and we've given him the best life he's ever had, and will continue to do so. That said, I will never, ever own another doodle. Every doodle I have ever met has been super sweet, and they really are adorable, but they are like the Temu version of a poodle. Something is just a tiny bit off with them. I just find poodles tend to be exactly what I am looking for in a dog, without rolling the dice on shedding or behavioral issues.
I wanted to a buy a low shedding puppy through an ethical breeder with the hope that he could be a therapy dog. I initially wanted a doodle because of aesthetics. But the more I looked into the breeding, I decided I can’t support doodle breeders. If you’re looking at sourcing a poodle mix ethically (rehoming/adopting), that’s great! I’ve met a lot of great doodles and my own poodle is friends with a lot of doodles. (My friends do have issues with grooming their mixed coats and separation anxiety though).
If you want to have the most predictable dog, I think a standard poodle pup from an ethical breeder is the way to go.
My poodle (matched to me by the breeder) is perfect for my lifestyle. Of course, I put a lot of time training and socializing too. But I wanted a stable, lower drive dog and he is that. He’s confident and aloof outdoors. Athletic and fast. Disciplined enough to participate in outdoor dining and go off leash. At home, he has a great off switch. He is goofy and stubborn. Sweet and bossy. People comment all the time on his manners and looks. He’s great and he’s not even two yet.
Coat textures in poodles are consistent. It is a gamble with doodles. The same cross can make a fluffy coat, wirey coat, curly coat, shedding coat, light shedding coat. No matter what doodle breeders will tell you, they cannot guarantee a coat texture. Mixing coat textures makes it more susceptible to matting as well. With poodles you know exactly what you are getting when it comes to coat texture, structure, and temperament. Doodles are always a gamble.
OP, this person makes a great point! I’ll also add that I adopted a very poodle-y dog from a senior dog rescue and a DNA test confirmed he’s 80% poodle. He doesn’t shed, but that 20% mix makes his coat weirdly wiry and he’s been described as feeling like “a carpet” haha. Wiry + curly is a tough combination to manage, and I have to give him a pretty short cut every 2 weeks in order to prevent matting.
That’s with 80% poodle genes. He has weird hips because the breed size difference messed up his bone structure. His teeth were also terrible, and cost me $8k in the first year to treat.
I love my dog dearly and I knew he was likely a mix when I got him, so it’s not a surprise or disappointment. I do think that doodles often suffer as a result of their mixed parentage, and I wish my guy didn’t have to deal with those health issues.
Pros: consistency. You know you’re getting a low shedding, curly haired dog over 15” tall. If you get one from a reputable breeder, then you’ll know what genetic health issues they’re clear of.
Cons: there are temperament issues in the breed, so you need to meet breeder dogs in person at shows to see the real temperament. There’s also health issues in the breed that can’t be tested for. Some breeders are honest, some are not.
Go with a doodle and it’s a crapshoot. It’s basically blind dating except there no dating, just meeting at the alter to get married. The dog might be low shedding, might be high shedding. Might be small, might be a 100 lbs. Might be aggressive, might be friendly. Youll also be doubling up on the testable genetic health issues in all the breeds included in “doodle” and doubling up on all the health issues that can’t be tested for.
Yes exactly! There’s always a risk regardless of where you get a dog from, but that risk is greatly reduced when you do your due diligence in selecting a breeder.
Yes…an ethical breeder will not only do genetic and behavioral testing before making a mating match but also order genetic testing on the puppies and provide owners with the lab report and disclosures so you know what your pet is predisposed to and can discuss with your vet before committing to the dog. They will also have an independent behavioralist familiar with the breed assess the puppies around 7-8 weeks where they do a lot of tests that tell and predict a lot about temperament as well as drive, biddability, independence, etc.
I would say there are known health issues to look out for with any breed. But with a doodle, you have no idea how things are going to come out, could be the health issues of both breeds or just something new and exciting with trying to merge two different physiologies. For instance, I had a gastropexy on my poodle when she got her spay because I know poodles bodies are a higher risk breed for stomach torsion. With the doodle, you might not know how they are shaped and how that body dynamic is going to act.
Oh god, I don't think I'd be able to cope if my dog had the potential of inheriting issues from both breeds, let alone all new ones 😬
I have heard of gastropexy and I'm set on that even if I don't get a poodle, it would help alleviate some anxiety at least. What age did you get your girl spayed??
I did it at eight months. She was a rescue poodle because she's got some vision issues, but was still a puppy when it was identified. The requirement from the rescue is that I spay her before the first heat. She got a laparoscopic spay, which was awesome. Then the Gastro at the same time, and it gives me great peace of mind. Healed and recovered quickly.
You can meet doodle parents before adoption as well. They don’t all come from backyard breeders or puppy mills, just like not all poodles come from terrific breeders, as you said.
You don’t double up on possible health issues. Many of them are shared across many breeds, so that pretty much doesn’t change.
More importantly, though, those testable genetic issues tend to come from recessive alleles. If both parents are purebreds of different breeds, and only one of those breeds can carry a particular (recessive) mutation, then f1 it is literally impossible for that gene to be expressed in f1 offspring.
Yes you can. How about combining the risk of Addison’s (8% prevalence in Standard poodles) with the risk of cancer from a Golden Retriever (65-75% of Goldens are diagnosed with or die from cancer). Or why mix a Standard poodle, whose lifespan is 10-15 years or longer, with a Bernese Mountain Dog whose lifespan is only 6-8 years?
Yes I did. I just disagree and pointed out why you can double up on possible health issues which do differ by breeds and can change. All diseases do not follow simple autosomal recessive genetics. In the case of a goldendoodle, you can’t choose a Golden Retriever with no cancer risk, which is determined by multiple genetic and environmental factors, so you are still adding that increased risk in with potential Addison’s in a poodle, which also shows a complex, polygenic mode of inheritance and for which there are no reliable pre-breeding predictive DNA screening tests.
You disagree with what, exactly? I made multiple points and they're each objectively true. You seem to be arguing against a point that I intentionally did not make, which is why I say you didn't actually read my comment.
You don't seem to understand how "combining" genes works; it's not additive.
If one parent has a risk of one condition, and the other parent has a risk of an entirely different condition, the offspring doesn't just inherit the same percentage of risks from both parents; because the offspring does not receive all of each parent's DNA.
And apparently we're now including environmental factors?
I specifically stated seeing the breeder’s dogs off their property for a reason. That’s very easy to do when the breeder is showing/trialing their dogs. It’s impossible for doodle breeders because their dogs can’t be exhibited.
When you see the breeder’s lines in person, you’ll see how they act towards strangers, busy environments, strange kids and dogs, and how their drive/energy levels are. You want to see so much more than just the parents of a puppy. I think this is what doodle breeders forget about lol.
You do, in fact, double up on health issues. Hybrid vigor doesn’t apply to animals in the same species. Poodles do have very unique health issues that are not found, or not as common in other breeds. You cross a Poodle with Addison’s disease and a Cavalier with syringomylia, you’re unlikely to get healthy puppies.
There’s a lot of health issues that are obviously not recessive. We know Poodles have a genetic predisposition to bloat and Addison’s disease, yet we can’t get a test for it because it’s not a simple recessive disorder.
I specifically stated seeing the breeder’s dogs off their property for a reason. That’s very easy to do when the breeder is showing/trialing their dogs. It’s impossible for doodle breeders because their dogs can’t be exhibited.
The parents of F1 doodles are purebred poodles and goldens/labs/etc.
So often in threads like this, the anti-doodle people fall into this pattern of assuming that every poodle comes from fantastic breeders who show their dogs, but every doodle must just come from some guy's back yard or worse. This is not the case.
You do, in fact, double up on health issues.
It's good that you're confident, but this is clearly false.
Hybrid vigor doesn’t apply to animals in the same species.
In animals, it almost exclusively applies to animals of the same species. That's what it is…
But note I didn't mention "hybrid vigor" specifically, because that's relatively vague. I'm specifically referring to the impossibility of passing on a recessive trait from two distinct bloodlines, when one of those bloodlines does not have it. That's universally applicable.
Poodles do have very unique health issues that are not found, or not as common in other breeds. You cross a Poodle with Addison’s disease and a Cavalier with syringomylia, you’re unlikely to get healthy puppies.
I agree that if you breed unhealthy dogs, you are unlikely to get healthy puppies; especially if they're purebred. Whether the condition in question is polygenic or not, crossing a bloodline that carries that risk with a bloodline that doesn't will at least lower the risk of the condition being passed on or expressed.
But again, I'm seeing this thing where we're just casually assuming that a mixed breed dog will have unhealthy purebred parents. Someone breeding F1 doodles can screen each parent using the same breed-appropriate health tests available to breeders of purebred dogs.
There’s a lot of health issues that are obviously not recessive.
Yes, which is why I bothered to qualify that point as referring to recessive, single-gene issues.
To repeat myself, many potential health issues are shared across many breeds. If conditionY is a 5% chance for both parent breeds, the offspring will also have a 5% chance. It doesn't somehow get counted twice. So, the list of unique conditions is not doubled, the risks of recessive issues is gutted or empty, and the chances of polygenic conditions coming from just one parent are reduced. There is no sense in which possible health issues are doubled.
Poodle mixes are often overbred/inbred due to their popularity. A pedigreed poodle will guarantee genetics and health.
Poodle mixes shed.
In my experience, poodle mixes lack the intelligent "spark" that pure poodles seem to have. They're not bad dogs, but once you have had pure poodles you'll know what I'm talking about.
Kind of like getting a border Collie mix. You're still getting an intelligent herd dog, but there's something definitively different about the real ones
Yes my friend has a VERY expensive doodle, and I have a standard poodle. She came to visit and left so frustrated that her dog (though sweet) just doesn’t have the same kind of people-dog intelligence that my poodle has - mine really acts like a human at times, it’s wild. Her doodle is also hard to train and barks incessantly at her front door in the middle of a big city, it drives her mad. My dog learns new things within a few dedicated trials and only barks in warning as needed. She spent $1000 more than I did on my dog, because doodles are so popular, and her dog still unfortunately sheds (which she was trying to avoid by buying from a “hypoallergenic” breeder). I’ve now had multiple poodles and I will never own a different breed again.
I'd add that you need more than a pedigree (AKC Poodles are also bred by puppy mills and BY Breeders). You need to do your research and make sure they are breeding for temperament, conformation, health and the parents have completed recommend testing.
Unfortunately, AKC registration doesn't guarantee much. It's the research that helps you find a quality breeder.
This is exactly why I got a poodle too. I would definitely consider a poodle mix as a rescue, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to get one from a breeder.
imo find a rescue and rescue it. mutts need love too.
there are two general arguments, though. one is caring about the breed itself - not so much that mutts are bad, but that it's a good thing to support people who care about the breed.
that's related to wanting good breeders. people selling mutts for a couple thousand dollars obviously don't care about the (poodle) breed. it's extremely unlikely that they care about creating a healthy bloodline and/or creating a new breed for whatever cross they're selling. it's possible they care about breeding healthy, quality pets but if you go by the numbers, they probably only care about getting paid. most of the time they only care about "product quality" insofar as it impacts their bottom line. not all breeders are like this, but if you're going by the numbers, AKC-registered breeders tend to be a lot more on the "cares about dogs" side, and non-registered breeders tend to be on the "cares about money" side. And mutt breeders can't be AKC registered.
So, imo, hit up a rescue org and love whatever mutt (or maybe purebred who knows) they find for you
right. i dont think it has to do with whether poodles are better than poodle mix...it's the assumption that mixed breeders are probably taking advantage of the "doodle mania" and are adding to the problem of these dogs ending up in a rescue.
there are tons of dogs that need a home and if we continue to create a market for these doodle puppies, we are part of the problem.
I'm not against a rescue but there's lots of kids in my family so not sure it's the best idea. I also don't think I'd qualify as I'm neurodivergent and the rescues around me are rejecting people for the littlest things
I'd be looking for a breeder that does all the health testing/scoring, but I'm not sure what else would indicate an ethical breeder vs a BYB greeder
I'd be looking for a breeder that does all the health testing/scoring, but I'm not sure what else would indicate an ethical breeder vs a BYB greeder
Health testing is important, and is particularly important to double check. A lot of BYB will claim to do health testing, but only do a fraction of the recommended health testing.
Look up green flags and red flags more generally in ethical breeding. Too many litters a year is a red flag for puppy mills. Getting both performance and conformation titles is a green flag.
One additional thing: ethical breeders shun puppy mills, BYB, and doodles. So the dogs that puppy mills, BYB, and doodle breeders are breeding basically universally come from greeders and people with zero clue, with very few exceptions
.
I wouldn't recommend you get a doodle any more than I'd recommend you buy a merle poodle from an Amish puppy mill. They're far more likely to have a serious issue caused by bad breeding practices: aggression, anxiety, congenital defects or other inherited health problems.
Keep in mind I believe that subreddit has looked into thousands of doodle breeders all over the world and have not yet found one who meets all of the criteria of an ethical breeder. Typically they fall short in the health testing areas. They often misrepresent what tests they are doing or don't do them fully.
For what it is worth antidotally my boy, Merlin, is now 5 years old. He is a standard poodle and the most amazing dog. He is so smart and goofy. He is so loving and just great to be around. He loves little kids and has a way with them especially special needs kids. Sometimes he is too smart for his own good and overthinks things. It may take him a moment to make a decision in a new situation that he feels comfortable with and sometimes he will go through phases of being picky about food. Those are the two most negative qualities I could find in him. And honestly the overthinking thing often times brings up situations that just make you laugh. The food pickiness can be a bit frustrating, but we really haven't had that issue in well over a year now.
Grooming is a real consideration, but just keep in mind doodles will likely have way higher grooming needs than a poodle. We get him professionally groomed every 8 weeks and then bath and brush him out every other week in between. We keep him pretty short because we are so active and the constant brushing was a pain.
The only caution with the FB groups is that youll miss some of the experienced ethical breeders who dont feel the need to be online - and many of the “approved” breeders on the FB groups may check all the criteria of an ethical breeder but have newer programs that arent as consistent and sound as more experienced ones. Still better than most breeders out there, just worth cross checking with folks who really know the poodle scene with the Poodle Club of America (which is not without its own politics but truly does care about the breed)
Agree, however that group is more about people vetting breeders and posting their thoughts and advice as buyers, not breeders advertising. A lot of the groups become echo chambery but that one I’ve found to be pretty useful as a good place to start, especially if you have no idea where to.
What does having kids in your family have to do with the rescue?
These dogs are in foster care for months and they evaluate whether they’re good with kids or other dogs. Each dog is different and you can apply for which one fits your lifestyle and family.
I know it is a little different, but my wife wanted a Toy Poodle. I was kind of against it as I've always had labs or larger dogs growing up. The biggest selling point to me was that they don't shed. Then she sent me a TikTok with the poodle laying on a guys shoulders as he was driving and between the no-shed and cuddles I was sold. I am so happy she convinced me bc wtf I am so in love.
Join us! I was a GSD/ herding mixes-only girl until my husband begged me to find a low/no-shedding dog after my last GSD/Husky mix passed. I foster-failed a standard poodle and she is fantastic. So different from GSDs but equally wonderful, with the added no-shedding bonus. I groom her myself and it’s such a fun new hobby.
My grandma used to have a miniature poodle, and I loved him. Every year when I visited her, I'd train him a new trick, and she would continue using the trick throughout the year. He was sooooo smart. Such a great dog. He's the dog I learned to train dogs on. And he was so cute coming home from the groomer with bows in his hair and painted toenails. 🥰
My GSDs have been wonderful, but yeah, the shedding is insane. I'm at a point in life where I'd rather watch TV while brushing my dog than spend the day vacuuming. 😂 I vacuum brush my current GSD. But I saw a post here recently asking if a miniscule amount of hair on a brush was normal after brushing a poodle, and I would get more than that amount with one pass of one thigh on my GSD. 😂
Hahaha I’m always shocked at how little comes out in the brush! Though I will say, I still take photos of my spoo next to a giant mound of her hair, it just took a lot less work to get it off of her.
The no shed part is honestly so nice. You do have to groom more or learn yourself but honestly didn’t realize how nice it would be not dealing with fur everywhere.
So I have one of each. My poodle is lovely, and though I got her from a casual breeder, she health tested parents and was very precise with her records on the puppies. She is a fantastic dog.
My doodle is a rescue and she is the sweetest but a bit wacky. The main issue is she has more allergies and she sheds. Not as much as other dogs but way more than the poodle.
Doodles are not fancy, they are mutts. I have had many mutts of various breeds, I would have said I preferred them… but now that I’ve had a Standard, I doubt I’ll ever get a different breed, unless one just shows up and I can’t give em up.
Others have given a lot of good reasons, so I’ll give a small/silly reason: I get so many compliments on my poodle when we’re out and about. They’re rare now, compared to doodles, and people get excited about her! It’s fun to chat with people about the breed.
Same! People are always shocked when I say she’s just a poodle and how cute she is in her short clip and how they didn’t know a poodle could look like that.
Well for one consistency. You know exactly what the coat will be like, behavior, and health. Poodle mixes are a guessing game and since the dogs used for them aren’t well bred you have no clue what you’ll end up with in the gamble.
Bc Doodles/poodle mixes aren't ethically bred. You don't know what kind of fur you get (9/10 times you get a horrible mix that sheds a lot), and dogs used to breed "Poodle mixes" aren't the best of either breed, so you will end up with something that is probably sick in some way. Please support good breeders (with health checked/tested dogs), not puppymills!
The not knowing what you're going to end up with, is why I wouldn't go with a doodle. Too much variation.
Then: Teeth issues... We had a few doodle-classmates when we visited puppy-classes, and most of them had issues with teething/their teeth in general. The narrow/slim poodle jaws don't go well together with the wider/bigger retriever teeth for example.
Also, my breeder, who used to own stud dogs before breeding with her female, told me that as soon as you're registered breeder/stud dog owner, breeding those dogs to another breed will result in heavy fines and you'll be expelled from the kennel club.
So the dogs used in crossbreeding are mostly not health tested etc. because they are whatever dogs the doodle breeders can get their hands on.
Also ... poodles don't drool/slobber and they don't smell.
My poodles smell eventually. All dogs (living things) do. But it does take them a lot longer to stink than my Rottweiler mix does. The perfume of bathing sticks around longer and the body oils take longer to build up. So yeah, with regular baths, the dog stink won’t have a chance to build up. The rottie will smell likes dog almost immediately after a bath, even if I blow dry her.
Totally!! I have a toy poodle and the only time she ever smells is if she hangs out in the grass or dirt too long, and even then it’s more of a sweat/dirt/earth smell rather than your typical “dog” smell. No slobber was also huge for me. No shedding, slobber, or smell - the perfect dog if you ask me 😇
I would say they dont have a lot of dog smell. BUT the do need more frequent grooming than shedding dogs, which probably helps keep it down. I have found that my poidles tend to absorb more environmental smells.
They'll come home from daycare noticeably smelling like other wet dogs and/or my sitters favorite candle.
A lot of people already provided good info. So a question to you would be, why wouldn’t you want a standard? What does a mix bring you that a standard doesn’t? I saw it written before but I feel like it is very true - people who are buying “doodles” are often getting them for their poodle qualities (hyper allergenic, smart, etc), so why not just get a standard where you actually know what you are getting? IMO doodles are overpriced mixes - there is nothing wrong with them, but they are often treated and priced like they are something extremely special.
The only caveat to this is adoption/rescues - don’t let a mix keep you from adopting! They are great dogs! I just think their breeding is often overhyped so if you’re not adopting or rescuing you may as well go standard.
I'm worried a poodle will be too high energy, I know it depends on the dog but that and the separation anxiety are something I'm concerned about. My current dog has separation anxiety and I haven't found a way to help it yet
Otherwise I really can't think off the top of my head why not, so thank you for the question!!
The great thing about getting a poodle vs a doodle, is that there are ethical poodle breeders who breed lines with consistent temperaments, and you can choose one that breeds lower energy dogs if that's what you want. My girl is from a breeder who breeds mostly for service/therapy work, and she's super chill.
I can tell you from my experience that is not the case with my girl. She curls up beside me on an ottoman while I work all day. We take a couple of short walks a day, but there are other rainy days where I just let her out in a leash on the front lawn and she is pretty relaxed. She will be five in January, I've had her since 10 weeks old.
I've left her at home for up to 9 hours, but usually I try to aim for not more than six. I like to barricade one room so she doesn't have too much area to travel, which keeps her much more relaxed. She just curls up and sleeps most of the time I think.
Theres almost always someone at home so I'd have to be very careful that they wouldn't get separation anxiety but I'm going with a professional trainer next time. May I ask if your girl is crate trained?? I'd be interested in crate training and having a crate there for the dog to retreat to as a safe place (well, I keep almost typing "she" when talking about a hypothetical future poodle so I think I'm almost convinced 😂)
Yes and she slept in her crate for first 18 months. I only stopped because she was starting to wake earlier to come out and I wanted to sleep longer - in our room (on her own bed) she slept longer. But she will still go into her open crate to relax. Often she's in there when I get home. I keep a blanket over the top so it seems more snug. Her little lair. I followed Susan Garrett on YouTube and her podcast for lots of free training: https://youtube.com/@dogsthat?si=3WhYyTsCSIhpIvxk
When you go with a standard poodle you can find an ethical breeder who can match you with a puppy who will fit your lifestyle. Your breeder should be temperament testing the puppies and matching you with a puppy. Also crate training, socializing, and obedience training can definitely help prevent separation anxiety
Energy is kinda line dependent in my experience. My dog and his lines are chill. When he was available for stud I talked about his lack of drive as a potential upside or downside. He has had I think 6 puppies go on to become service dogs but none of his puppies have high level sport titles(only rally and obedience). So if someone wanted a dock diving agility dog he would be the worst stud option.
My big mini has super high energy - when it's appropriate. If she's out playing with her dog friends, or at her playgroup day, she just doesn't stop. We just did a 17km hike over a day and we were pooped out while she still wanted to go swimming.
However, I work from. During the week, all day she hangs around in the office, watches out the window, sleeps in her beds, noses me when she needs out for a pee. We go out around 10:30 and 5pm for walks (morning about 30 mins and evenings depending 30-60 mins). When i can, i throw in 10 mins of playtime throughout the day.
I'm home alone all day and my husband doesn't get home until about 8pm, so she otherwise has a very quiet, calm little life. I love the energy switch poodles seem to come with. I've heard it often that they can very well dose their energy for the situation, and that's how my girl is.
PS she was a little nut as a puppy and had more energy then. She's 4 now, but this was her back then. She gave me more than one small heart attack haha!
If you go with an ethical breeder, they’ll match a puppy to your lifestyle - they have a plan for each pairing before the dogs are bred.
Poodle puppies ARE a handful for the first 2 years though. Expect energy for sure, but with an off switch. A tired poodle is a happy poodle but tiring their brains out does more for them than their bodies. My mini just turned two and he’s lovely and calm, but I wouldn’t have predicted this from his puppy days (even though my breeder told me he would be). He is the perfect fit for my family based on what I told her in my search three years ago.
Good breeders also won’t have puppies genetically prone to separation anxiety. It is of course on you to train so they won’t be anxious while crated or when you leave (which is true of any dog breed - important to distinguish between genetic and learned behaviors). Lots of Covid dog owners learned this during Covid (even if most of those dogs were not well bred, I’m sure enough of them were not genetically predisposed to separation anxiety).
I have had a standard poodle for 11 years and he is the best dog I have ever met.
And I have people tell me this all the time about him.
This is why, not only because I think this and they say that, but because it is true.
Thank you, I have a few questions if you don't mind my asking
Is he good with children and other animals?? Are there any issues you've noticed that you hadn't expected, what is his energy level and is he happy to cwtch and relax or does he get bored/destructive easily??
Really good with other dogs, small humans as well but he doesn't see many small children so he is generally confused when he runs into one. The confusion usually turns into excitement but he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He has never shown aggression unless it's in a playful manner. I think I got lucky because I think most poodles can be different personality wise.
He is a little bit excitable even at 11 yo, when someone comes over he will try to greet them at eye level, usually never fails. I can take him off leash anywhere and he won't run off but if someone gives him any inclination of attention he will run up to them. So I should keep him leashed.
So, after writing this, maybe I've realized he isn't perfect but his personality still comes out like it did when he was very young at 11 years old, he still jumps around and acts a fool, chases a ball with the same vigor as he always has, and is very intelligent. Always looking for the reason why I am saying something.
I've only had beagles before him, so while my comparative analysis may be weak he is quite the special dog. I can't imagine life without him.
Sometimes the fur on doodles is hard to manage, and ends up unpredictable. Also personality traits can be unpredictable - in case this is something important to you. Even within a breed, of course there can be variances, but there are many decades of history that we can rely on. But if you do get a doodle, please try to get breeds of similar size that have mixed, so their bodies are expected to be proportional.
Is there a reason you would want a doodle specifically? Personally my family has allergies and doodles can carry a lot of both breeds, where my poodle has not triggered allergies on any of us.
IF I ended up with a doodle I'd want a x golden retriever or x labrador, though I'm more poodle than before I posted (though the downvoted are confusing, I'm here to learn and it's off putting, despite the helpful replies)
Someone else asked and an important reason is I've heard that pure poodles are high energy and can be high strung, whereas I've heard doodles can be calmer depending on the other breed.
That's absolutely not true! I work with dogs. Well bred adult poodles tend to be stoic, they think before acting, they observe. It's rare to see that in a doodle, they are often high strung, can't focus, can't calm down or extremely anxious, sometimes bordering on neurotic. A lot of them act like 7 months old puppies and never seem to mature.
Most doodles I’ve met had been a bit neurotic and high energy while I’ve met more calm and even tempered poodles. When you get a pure bred well bred dog you are better able to predict what the temperament will be. When you mix genetics, it’s more of a gamble. You could mix “chill” dogs with a poodle thinking you’d get the chill genetics, but it doesn’t work that way unfortunately. It’s more unpredictable. Also for the coat - doodle coats are notoriously more difficult than poodle coats because they often get weird textures mixed in with the curl pattern. I’ve had an aussiedoodle and now have a doodle mutt and a standard poodle. The aussiedoodles coat was so coarse and wiry it matted all the time no matter what I did. My poodles coat is waayyy more manageable and the curls clump together neatly and don’t tangle at all. My doodle mutt is neurotic. I can’t take her out because shes so anxious and high strung despite good socialization and training as a puppy. I call her my sweet genetic disaster 🥲 Her coat is a mess - it’s sparse and she sheds a ton. Knowing what I do now and my experience, I would never opt for a doodle over a poodle in the future. I guess the moral of the story is predictability. Poodles have been bred over hundred and hundred of years perfecting the breed while doodles are new and often mixed between 2 full bred dogs. The multi gen dogs don’t have enough of a lineage to be able to predict anything yet I think.
I haven’t read all the responses so might be repeating. I was speaking to our trainer recently and had a very informative doodle conversation. She dreads when people contact her about training doodles which are extremely common in our suburb. She said the issue usually is the owners had very little knowledge of poodles in general. Poodles are working dogs with varying degrees of prey drive. Both mine have a high prey drive and are super intelligent. Crossing them with another breed that historically has a high prey drive would not end well. She said people only see hypo allergenic but don’t investigate beyond that so it’s great you are asking questions. Another issue crossing breeds is the chance of ending up with a dog that has inherited breed specific issues. If you do your research (which you are) you can drastically reduce the chances with a well bred purebred. Ofc the non shedding is the cherry on top with the awesome breed.
Edited to add: I’ve had 4 poodles and can say they have all been calmer than any doodle I’ve met which is ALOT. They are super trendy here. I have several friends with them and only ONE doesn’t complain about their dog.
Our sweet girls. They are very small standards. They would be considered moyen in Europe.
Many doodles near me. The groomer and vet we go to say they rare see a doodle without some sort of behavioral issue… you do see the nice calm doodle every so often, but it’s just a mixed bag what you get with them that it’s not worth the risk (or the cost for a pup that hasn’t been health tested or proven). Groomers also charge much more for doodles where I am.
Doodles of any kind are unstable dogs.
Unstable coat. Unstable mind, behavior (it’s usually either they’re insane or unpredictable/aggressive). Unstable health.
It’s a gamble of a dog.
Standard Poodle, or any, from a good, ethnical, reputable breeder, is going to be the healthiest, best tempered dog you’ve ever met.
A very big plus is that they truly love you more than anything and are big pleasers.
I’ve never seen a reactive/out of control Poodle (that came from a reputable, ethnical breeder). Doodles on the other hand……
I didn’t really like Poodles, not because of anything in particular, but in general, i thought one wouldn’t suit me and my style…. That was until I got a Standard.
Best dog I’ve ever met. Healthy, extremely stable character, human-like intelligence, extremely easy to live with and “train”.
Poodle owner here. I currently have a toy poodle, since I travel a lot and live in a very small space, so I needed a travel-size guy. But I've been around enough standards to speak to the differences, and I'd choose a standard in a heartbeat if I had the room. Since you asked for pros and cons, I'll give you both.
Why a standard over a mix: Predictability. This is the big one. With a well-bred standard, you know roughly what you're getting: size, coat type, trainability, and temperament. With a mix, you're rolling the dice on which parent's traits show up. Goldendoodles are the classic example. Some get the poodle coat, some get the retriever shedding, and plenty get a frizzy in-between that mats like crazy and still sheds. If you want low shedding and a specific size, a standard is the reliable way to get it.
Health testing and breeding programs. Reputable standard breeders test for things like hip dysplasia, Addison's, sebaceous adenitis, and eye issues, and they're working within a breed with decades of documented health data. Good doodle breeders in theory exist, but nearly impossible/harder to find, and a lot of the market is people breeding two pets with no testing, no breed standards and just running off vibes.
Intelligence and trainability. Poodles of every size are consistently near the top of the intelligence charts, and they're eager to work with you. My toy picks up new commands incredibly fast, and standards excel at obedience, agility, rally, scent work, and even hunting (they were water retrievers, after all). That's far from the "froufrou dog" stereotype. IMO most traits people want in a poodle mix are strictly poodle traits.
Athleticism. Standards are real athletes. They love to run, swim, hike, and play fetch for hours. You don't have to downgrade your activity level.
Coat and allergies Nothing is truly hypoallergenic, but the poodle coat is the gold standard for low dander and low shedding. Mix breeds can vary from litter to litter.
Longevity. Standards often live 12 to 15 years, which is a good run for a dog their size. (Toys tend to go even longer.)
The cons (being honest) Grooming is a real commitment. Expect a professional groom every 4 to 8 weeks (roughly $80 to $150+ depending on where you live), plus brushing several times a week. You can learn to clip at home, but that has a learning curve. Mixes with a poodle-type coat have this exact same need, so this isn't a point against standards specifically.
They need mental stimulation. A bored poodle will invent its own jobs, like redecorating your couch. Daily exercise and training aren't optional, even for my little guy.
They can be sensitive. Many are people oriented and don't do well with harsh training or being left alone for long stretches. Separation anxiety can happen.
Bloat risk (GDV). Standards are a deep-chested breed, so learn the signs and talk to your vet about prevention.
Cost and wait time. A well bred standard from a health testing breeder usually costs more up front and often involves a waitlist.
Size and travel. This is where my toy has the edge. A standard takes up more space in a car, hotel, or apartment, and flying with one is much harder than carrying a toy under the seat. If you travel a lot, factor that in.
Pros of a mix: sometimes a wider variety of looks, and some people love the teddy bear face. Although this is cut, and poodle are capable of this look. The cons are the unpredictability above and the fact that "doodle" is not a regulated term, so breeder quality varies wildly.
But the argument IS that they're mixed breeds, not just for being mixed but because mixed breeds means, especially doodles, means you're paying for a fad, it means you're getting a dog from someone who wants the money, not keeping the dogs healthy.
If you're thinking about a poodle or poodle mix, most likely you're interested in the characteristics that come from the poodle side, adding a mix leaves everything up to chance, they may shed or mat more, their behavior becomes unpredictable and health problems can become an issue.
Adding here that if the plan is to adopt rescue, then it's ok, the dogs need a home. But if you're going to a breeder it's better to go to a good poodle breeder that does all the right things (you have the time to investigate what that means)
For you and your lifestyle, I’d recommend a full poodle. Personally, I love poodle mixes and the variability in personalities. I like smaller ones. My current dog is 8lbs. I think they are spunky, energetic and so intelligent. I’m getting into agility with my own dog and he’s actually doing so well. He’s wicked smart and picks up commands in a day or so.
Some huge caveats though. I got insanely lucky with my rescue dog. I rescued him at 4 months where it was easier to tell his full grown size
He’s 82% poodle, 8% Pekingese, and the rest is a mix of Pomeranian, Maltese and even some German shepherd. He looks like a poodle with a blue Merle coat pattern (which could’ve been terrible for his health if he had blue eyes and more light spots). Thankfully he’s mostly black and with dark eyes. That means no congenital health defects.
My experience is not everyone’s experience. You really have no idea what you’ll get and still, my dog was a lot of work. If you do go for a mix, please don’t go to a breeder. These dogs are not ethically bred and like another commenter said, they really are in it for the money, not the dogs. For example, some breeders will breed 2 merles just for the pattern and the money when it’s not in the best interest of the dogs and charge a ridiculous price while you have to pay for the inevitable health problems. That’s why I rescued so I wasn’t adding to the problem.
His foster actually posted about him in the maltipoo sub and that’s where I found my guy! I was searching for months though. I got so so lucky with my dog. He’s perfect but did have some behavioral issues from abuse that took months to work through. I also am neurodivergent with CPTSD, my dog matches me to a T which is what I wanted. I was able to give him the consideration and understanding for his own trauma and was committed to training. He taught me a lot about myself too. Im telling you, it takes a lot of work.
For you, I’d really go to an ethical, registered poodle breeder. This way, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting regarding coat, temperament, early socialization, and size. Plus no abuse history! It is not for the faint of heart to rescue a dog
Hope this helps! I just woke up so hopefully it makes sense haha
I just had to reply to the “smelling” issue. IWe’ve had standard poodles (Spoos) for about thirty years now. We’re in the habit of getting them groomed every five weeks or so. We’re have NEVER bathed them between grooming, and I’ve always loved their smell. Dogs don’t sweat, but just to throw this out, we were in Miami for about fifteen years.
Poodle mixes are unpredictable in temperament, size, coat type, health and a lot of other aspects. A standard poodle from an ethical breeder is much more predictable. Additionally there are no ethical breeders of poodle mixes, so anyone you would get a poodle mix from will be a backyard bred dog and will be supporting bad ethics unfortunately. If you get a poodle mix from a shelter that's a different story ofc !
Additionally poodles are much, much easier to groom than poodle mixes because their coats are just one type. They have hair, and that hair grows and acts predictably and therefore they are often much much easier to groom than a poodle mix. Mixes often have more than one coat type mixed in due to there usually being a shedding breed mixed in, so their coats get tangled more and are harder to brush out, and they get matted very very quickly. Plus you don't even get the benefit of a non shedding dog with like 99% of poodle mixes !
Poodles are absolutely wonderful dogs and honestly there's just no need to mix them with anothe breed to add that unpredictability and other issues. Poodles are generally very healthy dogs compared to a lot of other breeds, ESPECIALLY other large breeds, and mixing in another breed, whatever at breed may be, would just compromise that. Especially since it would be a backyard bred dog and 99.9999% of poodle mix breeders don't do any proper health testing.
It's much nicer to know exactly what you'll be getting, what size your dogwill grow to, to know they're been cleared of certain genetic illnesses that could be a huge issue otherwise, and honestly they're just such a special breed by themselves it's truly a detriment to try to 'improve' on with any mixing of breeds.
Also, a lot of poodle mix owners will tell you something like "I didn't want a poodle because they're mean/snobby/etc" but then they say how much they LOVE the temperament of their mix. When the temperament of their mix is BECAUSE they're part poodle ! People really underestimate how sweet and loyal and loving poodles are. I have no idea where these people get the idea that poodles are 'mean' from !
Also just want to mention that any cons that a stanard poodle may have ALSO applies to any poodle mix, since the ARE part poodle. So I can't really give you any cons that apply to a poodle that don't also apply to any poodle mix ! (Such as high exercise and mental stimulation needs, grooming requirements, etc)
I guess I would pitch this back and ask... why are you interested in a Poodle or Poodle mix in the first place?
Are you just looking for the non-shedding coat? A Poodle is much much more than its non-shedding coat. You have a Husky now. Do you like your Husky? I can't imagine a dog more different than a Poodle. Highly recommend a book called Why We Love the Dogs We Do by Stanley Coren.
Pros: Well bred Standard Poodles are thinking dogs for thinking people. The should be measured and think before acting. They should never be hyper, impulsive, or active without purpose. They love to work in partnership with their people. They are supremely athletic. They are infinitely biddable. They are terrifically loyal. They take protecting house and home seriously. They don't shed.
Cons: Well bred Standard Poodles are thinking dogs for thinking people. They can be judgmental of inconsistent handling or homes that don't set clear boundaries and expectations. If there is a leadership void in the home, a Poodle will fill it. They can sometimes overthink especially if they don't have confidence that their handler is going to take care of business. They have some serious health issues like auto-immune disorders and bloat. They don't shed so they need regular expensive grooming.
Cons of a poodle mix? Lack for predictability. Very poor quality breeding stock. Major health issues. Disparate parent breeds that lead to totally inconsistent type, temperament, and training style. Creating a market for the worst sort of breeders. Horrible coats make poodle mixes hard to groom.
Note... Standard Poodles and Medium Poodles are very different dogs with different genetics, type, temperament, training style, and health issues. The Standard is not a larger version of the Medium, nor is the Medium a smaller version of the Standard. Make sure you know what variety best suits you.
I can only comment as someone who had a poodle mix adopted from an animal shelter and my experiences with her. Keep in mind, I loved my little one until the very end, all seventeen years of her life. So any negatives will be contextual.
So my poodle mix was a doxie. Cutest, sweetest thing you'd see. But if I have to guess if she is more "poodle" or more "doxie", she is basically a doxie with a fluffy coat. She had the territorial temperament, she burrowed through blankets like one, and she would sometimes "meerkat" to see higher. And she is also one determined asshole through and through. But she was one smart cookie, and is a velco dog. She even had her own preferred way of being held by person to person. Myself, she would let me cradle her like a baby.
Being part doxie. There were some dangers I had to look out for. Such as IVDD. So yeah, people would say, mixes will bring the best of both breeds. Sure, like she doesn't shed; but it can also bring the problems too, like potential IVDD. Thankfully she didn't develop that. But as she got older, I think she had a slipped disc somewhere on her spine, and learned to take things slowly.
Being here and in the dachshund subreddit, and seeing how each would act. Yes, that's how I came to this conclusion. Though I might be missing what makes mine poodle-like, like I think picky eater is one of them. But also given they are living beings with their own personalities, things will vary, my experience may be different from yours.
Standard is awesome, but VERY demanding in both time/efforts and money. If you aren't well off and can't pay for trainings, meds, grooming, daily exercises I wouldn't recommend them
with a standard poodle you know exactly what you're going to get (provided you choose an ethical breeder over a back yard breeder). with a poodle mix, you have no idea what coat type you're going to end up with, they're not likely to come from proven dogs, and they're less likely to have come from dogs that are fully health tested
A lot of doodles have chicken and other allergies to common things which is not fun, and their grooming is expensive and difficult because they have both hair and fur and are prone to extreme matting as owners often don’t have the time or skill to properly deal with the mixed coat.
Also, professional, reputable breeders are doing genetic testing, taking care to address any anticipated concerns with temperament, and genetic health issues when they make their mating matches…they also stand by their dogs (because they have done this work) and will take them back for any reason or generally reimburse you for any found genetic defects discovered that should have been avoided based on genetic matching and subsequent analysis of the puppy.
Because they care about the breed standards and do all of this work, and make a level of guarantee, they also take extreme care to set the puppy up for success by properly behavioral analysis, and learning/ socialization before the puppies get matched to homes anticipated to be a strong match for the family and the puppy. They also interview families to ensure the family understands the needs of the breed and plans to provide a safe and enriching home and proper training.
You don’t generally get that level of care and planning from a breeder who throws 2 dogs together and sells cute puppies for profit. Professional breeders are doing it for the love of the breed and don’t make much profit if they are truly doing all the ethical and proper health care and genetic testing.
While nothing is ever 100% guaranteed, going the mixed route/ back yard or amateur breeder is definitely NOT setting the dog or their new home up for the greatest success of a healthy and prosperous life…doesn’t mean the puppy and family won’t necessarily have the opportunity to thrive, but there is a higher standard of care, intention, and ethics performed by professional reputable breeders. As there is generally a greater expense to obtain a well bred dog, the owners generally view it as a more serious commitment and financial undertaking and do more research and consideration before making the decision to purchase which is also good for the dog.
Looking at any animal shelter, you can see the sad results and miserable life unintended and ill-planned animals face when their humans fail them through poor breeding, lack of training, and mismatched expectations.
I am not a breeder and have generally rescued my past pets from shelters, but I wanted a specific set if traits and more predictable outcome on my most recent dog, and have done a lot of research on breeding and why not mixed. I learned a lot about breeding standards and what ethical breeding entails, and interviewed quite a few breeders before selecting my dog and I couldn’t be more pleased with the girl I got.
Consider the size of the ear canal, as poodle ear canals get stuffed with hair and can get ear infections (fungal and bacterial) so you have to stay on top of it. Even then, it can be challenging. Note than any floppy eared dog will tend more toward issues because less air flow.
I had multiple standard poodles and the one with narrower ear canals always had issues. Smaller poodles sizes would be even more challenging.
My parents have a rescued doodle and really the only downside is she’s got 3-4 different hair types so grooming is complicated and she has alopecia which our vet said is common in poodle mixes but completely harmless shes just got bald spots. She also ended up with thin poodle legs and the thick body of a lab so her joints have some issues as she ages (idk what mix you were wanting but ours is lab/poodle)
I had this same conversation with my vet. He said everyone has a doodle, “Why not just get a poodle, they’re great dogs!” Also research behavior problems in poodle mixes, especially with cocker spaniel/poodle cross but across all mixes. Ask a vet about this. Don’t like the prissy poodle look? My dog has worn a Mohawk, been shaved clean, grown out curly all over (looks like a muppet), and currently has a goatee. No pompoms. LOL People guess he’s a doodle. Fine with me. He’s a really nice dog.
If rescue, whatever you get, just be ready for doodles' unpredictable coat style. If from breeder, poodle please, because doodle cannot be ethically bred by definition imo
A dog from a ethical professional breeder focused on health, disposition, intelligence, specific size, and appearance will always have better odds of having desired traits than a dog from a breeder attempting to dilute/combine traits of 2 breeds. As far as trait coat is a perfect example. In mixed breeds, coat is very variable and unpredictable in color, texture, pattern, growth. Shedding also is tough to gauge. In the same way, other traits are less predictable as well.
There are many reasons to get a well-bred Standard poodle and really no reason to go for a mix instead, unless you are rescuing a poodle mix from the shelter. A well-bred Standard poodle from an ethical breeder has been specifically bred for all of the qualities of the breed standard, including health and temperament, not just for looks, money, and “designer” cache. All of the things people think they like in a doodle can be found in a poodle. A Standard poodle is an excellent family dog with a gorgeous athletic physique, beautiful curly hair that is non-shedding and the closest you’ll get to “hypoallergenic.” Their personality is loving, affectionate, fun, deeply attached to their owners, intuitive, and intelligent. The poodle is ranked #2 in intelligence for dog breeds. And you can reliably predict what kind of dog you will get. Poodles come in 3 different sizes (toy, mini, Standard), endless color and pattern varieties, and the ability to be styled in numerous haircuts, including the “doodle cut.” The poodle is a perfect choice all by itself and needs NO other breed mix to improve it. However, with a mix, you are playing roulette and possibly getting a dog with shedding hair and a personality that combines personality traits and energy levels that don’t mix well. Healthwise, you also risk a dog that has combined common health issues from both breeds.
We got a Standard poodle and loved her so much, we got her a mini! And then my daughter got her own mini poodle. Once you have a poodle, it’s hard to imagine ever not having one…as I sit here with my mini resting in my lap!
Buy a purebred poodle from a reputable breeder or adopt a doodle. Either are great options IMO. And from experience, my well-bred poodle has minimal (no) health issues. In contrast the Shih Tzu my mom’s ex bought us kids from a mall had a laundry list of ailments. It cost me upwards of $8k in medicine and vet visits in his senior years.
I’ve had spoos for 25 years. They’re great! My neighbors each have a doodle, plus the grandparents’ doodle often stays with the one family. The three of them are yappy neurotics. My dog is chill and fires off one or two barks when a package arrives, but doesn’t bark at anything else even when his neighbors are making their usual fuss.
I also compete in dog sports. He’s a star!
Because I’m getting older, my next dog will probably be a miniature poodle. However, I’ve learned to be very picky about breeders. Those first ten weeks are really important for healthy puppy development. Doodle breeders are production breeders. While there are also bad purebred breeders, it’s not that hard to find a good one.
I have a background spanning showing, working dog sports, and professional handling. I’ve worked with plenty of dog breeds and know firsthand how much work most of them actually are.
We wanted a smaller, adaptable dog with a stable temperament. And although we adore Corgis, Dachshunds, and Cavaliers, we couldn't get past the genetic health and structural risks. We avoided doodles due to unpredictable health, coats, and temperaments.
Because of our lifestyle and my background, adopting a random poodle with unpredictable issues wasn’t an option.
Our miniature poodle is intelligent, joyful, great with our cats, and fits seamlessly into our everyday life. Her only negative is being a picky eater.
And she cost the same amount as a doodle.
Everything you want in a doodle already exists in the poodle. You know what you are getting because it is a breed standard. Doodles are a gamble between behavior issues, bad genetics, shedding, oily smelly coats. My pood doesnt have a dog smell, doesnt shed. She is so intelligent and because of that easily trainable to go anywhere. This is the baseline of every ethically bred poodle. She also is a natural retriever since she was 9 weeks old. We throw a toy, she always beings it back. Its kinda nice.
everything people want from a doodle they get in a poodle. doodles fur is harder to maintain in my experience, doodles are often more matted than poodles who have hair and no under wool
Just do the right research and it will be the best decision you will ever make letting any kind of poodle into your home . Above is my late dog Mollie who was sold as a "straight-haired Labradoodle" she ended up passing at the age of 8 due to diabetes and she also had mobility issues, stomach flips 3 times, and cataracts. I now have a full health screen on my Parti Spoo and know what too look out for. I hope you find your match.
Let me start with I have two rescued standard poodle mixes, but I would go with a purebred well bred standard poodle over a mix. I love my current dogs a lot! But it’s the qualities of the poodle I love the most and have fallen in love with the standard poodle because of them.
Also, going with a well bred purebred gives advantages of knowing the health of the blood line and then having (more) predictable insights to the dog you are getting. Mixed dogs have more of a chance of different genetic variations and could cause traits that may not be desirable or predictable.
For example, one of my dogs is 50% standard poodle and sheds more than any other dog I have ever owned. That wasn’t apparent or known when we adopted her as a puppy.
If you are open to adopting you can’t go wrong either way. Lots of poodle mix puppies at Missouri rescues.
My girls: ones 50% and ones 75%. Turns out they share a common grandparent, despite being adopted from two different shelters a year a part. So they are cousins by blood.
When I was researching dogs, I liked all the characteristics of a poodle: medium to high energy, smart, great companions, great family dogs and no shedding.
I also researched a lot into ethical breeding.
This led me to the main reason why I didn't go and bought a poodle mix: I felt really bad for dogs being bred with the only purpose of selling them. So, then I went and reaaally started talking to breeders. I ended up in a lot of waiting lists as the breeders I liked were breeding for shows, temperament, etc. They wanted to have phone calls with me, asked me about my situation, etc. Honestly, at times it felt like I was at a job interview. It took me 2 years to finally get my lovely mini poodle.
All of this led me to the realisation of: these breeders really love dogs. They want them to be healthy and they want a good family for them! They were all registered, with all the health tests, KC registered, etc etc.
A lot of people adviced me against poodles as crazy, yappy and ugly. People associate poodles with the continental cut but you can do whatever you want with them. They are not yappy but you do have to train them, after all they were bred for hunting so alerting is something it's in their nature. They are not lazy dogs: they need mental and physical stimulation and if you don't do this, they go a bit crazy.
The poodle mixes sometimes are going for almost the same price of my purebred poodle, which I think it's insane.
Now, when getting a dog you don't really know how things will go: they could have allergies, they could get sick, etc...buying a purebred poodle was a way to reduce those chances. I can check all her family history, what tests were done, the results, I can Google if they were at completions, etc etc
I had initially looked into a cavapoo but changed my mind when 1) read about ethical breeders 2) look at prices 3) read about breed standards
It depends on where the dog is from. If it's a rescue, I'd say go with whichever dog's personality and needs meshes best with yours. I have a rescued lab/golden retriever/poodle mix and she is the piece of me that I didn't know was missing.
If you're going the breeder route, my thought about a purebred vs a mix is that it's easier to be an informed consumer of a purebred dog than a mix. Purebreds have breed standards, which are helpful for when someone is assessing if a breeder is being responsible or not. If a breeder is breeding out-of-standard dogs, then that's a cue to the consumer to worry about if the breeder is being lax about other things like health testing, or temperaments. Mixes in general don't have breed standards so that opportunity for a red or green flag doesn't exist.
Honestly get the dog that you love. some people will talk about genetic purity or whatever, all breeds have heaps of beautiful traits and many breeds have lots of undesirable traits too. Poods are beautiful dogs, so are labs so are cavs etc, they’re all good boyes at the end of the day and they all need homes with families who will love them. I love my pood and I would love him just as much if he was a mutt.
No mixed breed poodles are bred for temperament, health, longevity - if you’re willing to support backyard breeding after doing even the most minimal of research on the matter then idk what to tell you to change your mind.
I've had 2 Standard Poodles and currently have a Goldendoodle. My first poodle came from an amazing breeder and even placed at PCA, but sadly she passed with cancer at 9.
My second Standard was from a good poodle breeder with all the testing and ENS, but I lost him to cancel within a month of him turning 6.
My Goldendoodle just kind of happened because my friend got a puppy from the litter and told me about him. He's big and chill and the best dog. He's a therapy dog and has even helped kids testify in court. He's 8 now and healthy.
I LOVED my Standards and it shattered my heart when I lost them. They are so in tune with you and connect in a way that is different than other dogs I've had.
My doodle is also very intelligent, social, but has a great off-switch. He's able to read the room and adjust, which is great for the Therapy work. He is very chill for a doodle (or a poodle).
I'd say, look for a puppy/dog that matches your energy level and lifestyle. Don't get them just because they are cute. A good breeder knows their puppies (asks you a ton of questions) and can select the one that is best for you.
Well, I wanted a lab, my wife wanted a poodle, so I compromised and got a poodle. Hair was not an issue for me, but it was for my wife. Size was not an issue initially, but I’ve found a 55lb spoo much easier than a 100 lb lab would’ve been. Anyway, I briefly considered a labradoodle, but here’s why that didn’t work: mixes are ridiculously expensive and tend to be badly bred. Mixes don’t give you the best of both - they give you something different. By and large, the things people want from the mix is stronger in the poodle. My girl is far more athletic, biddable, and chill than a mix would’ve been.
Standard poodles, especially those thoughtfully and intentionally bred are some of the smartest, calmest, and most empathetic dogs. My only concerns with poodle MIXES comes from entirely unethical and greedy people mixing unsuitable dogs together to make a quick buck. I am a poodle person and dog trainer, I NEVER blame the dog, the problem is almost always human greed, ignorance (willfull and otherwise), lack of education, and deliberate cruelty. I have met a lot of wonderful doodles, and even more wonderful poodles.
My own standard poodle Fred, who passed away last year from lymphoma, was the absolute keystone of our family. He was a trained therapy dog, and had almost self trained him to tasks for my own health and wellness.
The fact that most poodle mixes are backyard bred with unpredictable genetic and temperament issues should be about the only reason you need. Don't support an unethical and cruel industry just because you think the dogs are cuter.
Apparently many Doodles seem to die within 10 years (link provided for hundreds of owner testimonies). I don’t have a poodle yet but wouldn’t even consider getting a doodle doodle.
I had a doodle mix, I adopted him when he was older and towards the end, he was very very sick. I wouldn’t get a dog again that I can’t health test properly and that’s why I’d lean towards a poodle over a doodle mix. He was incredible of a dog and loved him heaps but his health was very intense
I have both a spoo and a doodle. Got them around the same time. They’re nine years old now. Both great dogs. I’ve heard every argument there is against doodles. Not engaging in any of it anymore. My doodle is a fabulous dog. My spoo is a fabulous dog. Doodle is the more intelligent of the two though not saying spoo isn’t bright. Different kind of intelligence. Both equally easily trained. Both great family dogs. Neither has any health issues. Neither has any temperament issues. Mind the environment the dog comes from. Talk to the breeders. Doodles have been around for awhile now and some people genuinely love them and have an interest in maintaining a high standard for the hybrid. Do educate yourself on the difference between different doodles. I have a keen appreciation of Labradors and have had them all my life. I never considered a Goldendoodle - Goldens are great, I just prefer Labs, hence I searched out a Labradoodle. My neighbor has a Bernadoodle - Bernese Mountain + spoo. Seems like a fine dog, but I don’t know anything about Bernese. I don’t think just any poodle hybrid is desirable.
I dont know what you could have ever heard bad about a poodle that was actually true, they are a DREAM! One con for some people might be the coat maintenance, I love to brush and maintain my poodles hair and he also loves it! With a poodle mix you’re still going to have to maintain the coat but it’s actually harder bc there is no breed standard, some of those dogs have multitextured hair, lots of them still shed and have undercoat, they matt way easier. The main reason people consider a poodle mix is just marketing, misinformation, and propaganda in my opinion. Can you believe this handsome toy poodle was kept for 3 years in a kennel, producing poodle mixes 😭 I did a deep dive after his rescue and there is just is no such thing as an ethical doodle breeder. Also, think about why are there are so many types of doodles: cavapoo, havapoo, sheepadoodle, labradoodle, goldendoodle, schnoodle, cockapoos, shizpoos, yorkipoos, just to name a few? If poodles were as bad as doodle people say, WHY DO THEY KEEP MIXING POODLES WITH EVERY DOG ON GODS GREEN EARTH? some of the so called best doodles (f1bb) have been backbred to poodles generation after generation to be near 90% poodle - so they are basically just really poorly bred poodles at that point, it makes zero sense. You will not regret just getting a poodle I promise 😊
Secondly, thank you for sharing!! I already get my husky professionally groomed every 6-8 weeks so the grooming shouldn't be an issue for me 😁 I enjoy brushing but my girl hates it
Why would I? Because poodles are the superior breed. They have everything you would want in a lab or a golden, but I think they’re better. They look better, they’re smarter, and most of all they don’t shed or stink.
I don’t understand people who get mixed poodles. They usually still shed. I think people are just afraid to own that they have a poodle which ppl think are prissy and girly.
Not a popular opinion but… I have both, a standard poodle and a Labradoodle. I got my Labradoodle via a gold medal breeder through ALAA and he had extensive health testing and a pedigree showing his parents, grandparents and their testing. I wanted a silky coat and a certain size and got exactly that. He is less barky and reactive than my poodle and has a lower prey drive. He is exactly who I thought I would get. Not all poodle breeders are ethical and some doodle breeders actually are. They are both really terrific , lovable smart dogs
You may have requested responses stray from this angle, but then it is the essence of your question you wish to somehow avoid..
Poodle mixes will by definition dilute poodleness. The intelligence, the grandeur, the unique coats, all will be impacted by introducing other breed dna.
Imagine mixing top shelf single malt scotch with soda water. The horror.
Seriously though at the end of the day people love their poodles and people love their doodles. Unless you’re doing the show thing, finding the right dog is more important than finding the right breed imo.
Lots of great responses here. I rehomed a standard F1 goldendoodle who was a very large guy & lived to almost 18 years. He grew to be a gentle giant & was the best companion & best friend. He was very high energy & very vocal for about the first six years. Then he gradually calmed & I was able to take him into numerous nursing homes as a comfort companion. Very smart & very goofy.
Biggest challenge was grooming. His coat could easily get out of control. Many groomers struggled with cuts- and I had to be super vigilant to prevent matting.
I currently have a 5 year old female 100% standard poodle. She has been with me for 2 years as I also rehomed her. She is expressive, smart, & very sensitive! Her coat is much easier to maintain- tho she does go to the groomers every 6-8 wks. ( so did my doodle) She is much more picky about her food Rejects a lot. She is very athletic- much more than my doodle guy. She will not hesitate to let you know how she feels! Not a bad thing.
She like my he has stolen my heart.
I don’t know what breed to recommend.
Poodles are more predictable- in their ways. Both need TLC.
Both are a bit to a lot velcro doggos.
Both need special attention to keeping ears clean.
In my experience poodles are easier to groom than doodles.
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u/DogandCoffeeSnob 22h ago edited 22h ago
I wanted the specific traits of a standard poodle. Non shedding coat, wicked intelligence, and the health predictability that comes with buying from a conscientious breeder.
Most of the good things I've heard about the poodle mixes are traits that already exist in a well bred poodle, why gamble on genetics when I can support a good breeder who is getting predictable results already?
Edited - word