[Chicagocanine]

I'm not a big fan but all the Standard Poodles I know of are great dogs. Yippy? Not the Standards at all. They're similar to some of the other sporting breeds in temperament. A number of the poodles I know are therapy dogs or service dogs.

As far as how they look, they remind me a bit of Dobermans in their physique. They don't HAVE to have weird hairstyles (although some of the hairstyles are pretty cool looking, like corded coats.)

 

[doggiedad]

a poddle will cord.

I'm not a fan of their personalities... too mature for my liking. A dog that's well behaved for no good reason creeps me out
I also don't like "having" to get a dog groomed. A GSD will look fine if you neglect them even for a few months but a poodle must be kept up or you'll look like a bad owner. This also gets really expensive. Our neighbors spend $120 every few weeks for a bath and haircuts. I can think of much better things to do with $120 for my dogs (that they actually care about!)

 

[AgileGSD]

I really like Poodles

A Standard Poodle is a pretty good sized dog about the size of a smaller GSD.

if it's 15 pounds and 6 months, it is NOT a standard.

WHERE is she getting this dog?

Actually he could certainly grow to be a small standard. Poodles are one breed with three varieties (Toy, Mini and Standard), meaning you can actually get standards and minis or minis and toys in the same litter. the varieties are defined as follows:

"Size
The Standard Poodle is over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulders. Any Poodle which is 15 inches or less in height shall be disqualified from competition as a Standard Poodle. The Miniature Poodle is 15 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches. Any Poodle which is over 15 inches or is 10 inches or less at the highest point of the shoulders shall be disqualified from competition as a Miniature Poodle.
The Toy Poodle is 10 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders. Any Poodle which is more than 10 inches at the highest point of the shoulders shall be disqualified from competition as a Toy Poodle."

Many Standards are 20"+ (I've even seen them as tall as 26"+) but they only have to be over 15" to be considered a Standard. For a comparision, the Sheltie standard calls for the breed to be 13' - 16" tall and Beagles may be up to 15".

The minature and toy varieties in my experience tend to be a good deal yappier and more high strung.

That often doesn't have as much to do with breed as it does training and socialization. Many owners have very low expectations of behavior for small dogs and do no real training at all. The size of the dogs also lends itself towards a tendency to be worried - you might be too, if you lived in a world of giants. With proper training and socialization, small dogs can be great companions too.

Check out these Poodles...

SAR Poodle:

MACH3 Poodle:

Poodle Hunt Training:

 

[Doggydog]

Ok, I was nearly persuaded to overcome my prejudice. Then I clicked on the poodles of america link and no. I can't. That is a mad funny picture of a club I wouldnt want to belong to.
So we've got the grooming and the barking. Not much else for negatives. When she asks what I think, I've nothing to say beyond they aren't my cup of tea.
I did ask why she likes the idea. Because they're smart + look happy. And easy. After getting in way over her head with a big tuffy an easy poodle is a reaction to that experience. And there aren't many dogs on her local CL this week, which I think is a crappy reason to pick a dog.
I will say to myself, " at least its not a (fill in the blank). After considering all the breeds I like even less, I will come to realize it could be worse. Way worse.

 

[Doggydog]

Actually, that poodles of america link might be my best card in the game.

 

[Wilhoit]

Take a look at the poodles here Paris Poodles-premium breeder of healthy standard poodle puppies!! , especially pics of their two males. They look just like hunting dogs. Poodles (for me) aren't GSDs, but they can be really nice dogs. I once met a very bright engineer who had a standard poodle and told me some amazing stories about him. The dog was naturally protective, but so sensible that he was never a nuisance or a danger. He was a wonderful companion and sounded a lot ... like my own GSD--grave, quiet, and devoted. My prejudice against standard poodles vanished when I heard about this dog (but I still do not care for small poodles).

Isn't there a bit of standard poodle blood in GSDs (ones that were used to herd sheep)?

Maybe your sister would want to use one of the natural styles shown in the link, then, if you did walk her poodle, people would just think you were walking some kind of hunting dog.

 

[kiwilrdg]

I have had 3 small poodles (2 minis and a toy). They have great temperment and are less yappy than other dogs there size. Even my current mini (who is an over-bred "dumb blonde") has taught himself to give me a warning grunt rather than a bark when alerting on a possible intruder. If I say "It's OK" he does not bark. That is from the dumbest poodle I have had.

Don't think my dumb blonde comment is aimed at any humans. He has a light apricot coat so he is blonde.

They are very manipulative in the way they stay well behaved. Kind of a passive aggressive alpha. The toy I have will play with any dog if no people are around or looking but likes to pretent to be scared as soon as he sees someone looking at him. The problem with most poodles is that they tend to be treated as purse dogs. They can be real dogs if they are treated well. They still tend to be well-behaved but they do play a lot when someone initiates the play.

The only down side is they do need grooming. They look real good with a puppy cut. Puffy lumps of hair are just wrong on a poodle.

 

[AgileGSD]

If she likes the breed, the dog and is a good owner I'm not sure why she needs "talked out of" it?

 

[bianca]

I am one of the people who do not like poodles purely based on aesthetic's. No other reason than I just don't find them attractive.

 

[BlackPuppy]

Standard poodles are very smart and I know a guy who breeds them and does agility with them. The only thing I don't like is the stupid hair cut, but that's optional anyway.

The Parti color ones are cool.

 

[BlackPuppy]

Take a look at the poodles here Paris Poodles-premium breeder of healthy standard poodle puppies!! , especially pics of their two males. They look just like hunting dogs.

That breeder makes ME want a poodle!

 

[LaRen616]

YUCK!

Ugh, I hate poodles, they are so hidious! I dont like their fur, I dont like their freakishly long face, I dont like the way people cut their hair, I dont like their attitudes and I dont like the majority of snooty people that own them.

 

[bocron]

Love poodles! It is one of the breeds I mention when people are asking about breeds for a family dog (Standard poodles, not big on the little ones around kids). I would have one myself if it weren't for the grooming. We have a club member who has 2 and she doesn't have a fancy cut on them, just a neat clip so that isn't as laborious, but still more than what I have now. Here's a kind of amusing video. This is not a dog in our club, just a video someone sent me.

 

[Samba]

ww.parispoodles.com/Welcome_To_Paris_Poodles.html

Those are some good looking poodles. The poodles I know are great workers and still clowns who love to entertain and interact with you. Hopefully, I live long enough to have to own one. I know my husband would vote "yes".

Love the cords!!

Google Image Result for http://www.cordedpoodle.net/images/296_joelex.jpg

 

[bocron]

I would love a parti-color standard one day.

 

[bocron]

Parti Color Poodles

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

I LOVE standard poodles! Particularly the black ones! We have some rockin' great agility standard poodles in my area. I prefer the short puppy cut rather than any of the puffy pom poms....

My sister is looking at a poodle. Um. I hate them.
She is asking for advice about what breed is good for her. I know it's her business.... but standard poodle!? shees. Help me.
What are the reasons you don't like them?
Besides the skin problems and the yippyness.
Oh the goopy eyes. What else?

 

[BlackPuppy]

The cording looks nice and is easier to care for, but still don't like the show clips. If I had a poodle, it definitely would not have a bubble head.

 

[Whiteshepherds]

The cording looks nice and is easier to care for, but still don't like the show clips. If I had a poodle, it definitely would not have a bubble head.

LOL, @ bubble head.

 

[RunShepherdRun]

What I find admirable and unique about poodles is that they seem to not have suffered an epidemic of temperament or orthopedic problems after having had the misfortune of being fashionable and getting mass produced in the 60s. Can't say that about GSDs, unfortunately.

Ever heard of a 'Schafspudel'? German for sheep poodle, the herding poodles, part of the large group of shaggy working herders.

I think many GSD owners react to the image of the dogs without knowing much about the dogs. The image of 'poodles' is foo foo, manicured, female. GSDs have a macho image, male. This is all in our heads, has nothing to do with the dog.

A great way to find a dog is to foster for a rescue or the local shelter, and keep the one that just is it. Look at the individual dog and see whether its behavior, size, and activity level are a good match for the home, foster, and take it from there. In the end, it's about the individual, purebred or not. And that way, you save a life, too.