I met some great standard poodles recently. They were quite small (37 and 43 pounds, I think), but large enough to not be confused for a miniature. They were lovely and sweet and well-mannered.
As a child, my mother had been told that if she insisted on getting a dog, she should get a poodle as I was allergic. What amazed me about these dogs, was how my hands didn't react at all when I petted them. It was very surprising as I am so used to my hands getting itchy when I touch a new dog. Whenever I've brought a new pup home, it's taken a while for my skin to adjust to the dander, etc. But with the poods, nothing.
4 comments:
I had trained one for a few months to become a seeing-eye dog. I have met many as students as well. Being a professional dog trainer and after having a dobie and aussie, I did not find them the brightest bulbs in the pack, but they tried and could be mischievous for those who are less experienced. Also found them extremely dirty bringing in a lot of dirt in that fur of theirs and not the easiest to house train either. I used a pick like brush but mostly they need to be groomed with special tools. From what I have read of your experiences, not sure if it is the dog you would be looking for. good luck!
Thanks for the feedback. Being that we're thinking of a dog for mountain biking, the coat issue is definitely something to consider. As I have skin allergies, a poodle's non-allergy status is a big plus along with being large and strong enough to run distances. On the other hand, as long as a dog doesn't have an oily coat, I eventually get used to their fur. Your comment regarding their intelligence is interesting. Supposedly they are next to Border Collies in intelligence, but without the hyper-focus. However, I know that, like people, each dog is an individual!
Hi Annie
I always wonder how they rate those intelligence lists. I believe they have ranked the German Shepherd up there as well. I find they are mixing "trainability" with "intelligence". Dogs such as the Australian shepherd, or the ACD are extremely intelligent, which makes them harder to train. They question everything you ask them to do. I find the Bloodhound very intelligent, but they do not even rank on those listings because their trainability is low. You pretty well have to make arrangements with them to have them agree to do what you would like them to ... and make them believe it was their idea.
I believe a good example would be children in school. The most intelligent usually get into trouble and pay little attention unless they are interested. The eager to learn, eager to please are focused on your every word. (Compare aussies and GSDs) A German Shepherd, bless their souls, are not that bright, but they can learn anything as long as you drill it into them about 3 or 4 times. When I stated the poodle was not the brightest, I found they did not figure things out on their own as much as the other breeds.
For your allergies, have you looked into the Samoyed? They are supposed to be good for allergies as well.
I appreciate your comment regarding trainability vs intelligence. I don't know that one is better than the other, but certainly requires a different approach.
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