It's safe to say that Poodle cross breeds have been a massive hit over the last few years, and rightly so! Poodles are wool coated dogs and have hypoallergenic qualities as they don't shed, which makes them the perfect companion for almost everyone.
Over the past few years Cockerpoo, Cavapoo, Jackapoo, Shih-Poo and all variations of Poo fever has hit the nation and these cross breeds have become one of the most sought after pups in the UK.
What to expect from a Poodle:
Poodles are one of the cleverest dog breeds in the entire WORLD, which means they are going to want to learn, play, and have lots of stimulation and training throughout the day. They are highly adaptable and make great family pets, therapy dogs, sporting dogs and are always eager to please!
Poodles are utility dogs, bred as water dogs to retrieve waterfowl during hunting expeditions. This means a lot of them have a innate attraction to water and swimming.
They come in 3 different breed sizes - Toy, Miniature & Standard. Each has slightly different energy levels and personalities, so make sure you know which type of Poodle your pup is bred with.
Grooming
'I want my dog to be like a fluffy teddy bear'
One of our most requested trims in the salon, the Teddy Bear Cut is perfect for wool coated breeds as the hair stands on end to leave a clean scissored finish. Don't underestimate the maintenance required to keep a fluffy teddy bear cut!
Wool coated dogs should always be dried after they get wet (where possible), and thoroughly brushed through. Although a lot of owners buy these types of dogs because they want the 'tight curl look', you still need to be brushing your dog a minimum of twice a week to remove any knots and prevent matting. We usually see 1 or 2 matted dogs a week that have to be shaved on a very short blade to relieve them. Regardless if your dog 'doesn't like' being brushed, or you think the 'bristles are too tough', they are mixed with a high groom maintenance breed that requires regular brushing to avoid matting. It is down to you to de-sensitise your puppy/dog to brushing and home groom maintenance, the younger you start the easier it will be!
'I don't like anything Poodley' 'I hate him/her looking like a Poodle'
Another saying we hear oh so often as groomers! To this day we still don't really understand what this means... Your dog has been bred with a Poodle, depending on it's lineage it could be 25%, 50%, 75% Poodle, and as it is a mixed breed, there is no breed standard set trim/look! Your dog could have the fur of a Cocker Spaniel, and the skeletal/muscle structure of the Poodle, so you can't predict how he/she will look. If you hate the look of Poodles so badly, why have a dog that's part Poodle? Poodles are AWESOME!
Traditional Poodle Cuts
This brings us onto the types of cuts people typically associate Poodles with, most include a variation of short shaved face and feet, big top knot, long ears, and pom poms on the legs, tail and back. Back in the day, Poodles were cut like this to protect major organs and joints whilst swimming in cold water, and to increase swimming efficiency. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I think they look pretty cool!
Regular Maintenance
Cross Breeds are often mis-sold as 'low maintenance' and 'fully hypoallergenic' by greeders. If I had a pound for every time I've heard that your Doodle shouldn't be groomed until 9-12 months old I'd be rich! All dogs should be introduced to grooming as young as possible, most come to us from around 12 weeks old.
Your cross breed is part Poodle, and 9 times out of ten, the coats we see on Cockapoos, Cavapoos etc. are a lot harder to maintain than a purebred Poodle! Their coats are generally thicker, and don't straighten out like a Poodles would, so are more prone to matting. It's essential to brush your dog regularly, a minimum of 3 times a week, but ideally 1 or 2 times a day to keep them knot free.
The Curly Coat
This is a look we find most people want, and is often the reason why people buy Poodle cross breeds. If you are brushing your dog out properly, and fully maintaining the coat, I'm sorry to say that there won't actually be many curls there afterwards.
How often should they be groomed?
A Doodle (depending on their coat type/what they are mixed with) should be fully groomed very regularly, we usually suggest between 3-6 weeks, with 6-8 weeks being the absolute maximum if the coat is very well upkept in between grooms.
Conclusion
Poodles are awesome.
No really, they're a remarkable breed and don't get enough credit for their elegance, intelligence and versatility. They're a breed everyone wants a 'bit' of in their home, but don't think they have the time to maintain such a demanding coat or to fully mentally stimulate their big brains or simply don't 'like the look' of them. By adding a D instead of a P in front of 'oodle, you cant remove all these Poodle characteristics from your pets, so learn to embrace this side to them, love this side of them, and learn about how smart this side is, learn how to properly manage a wool coat or wool mix coat and trust us, you won't be disappointed.
Anyone struggling with home coat maintenance, or just looking for any general advice please comment below or get in touch, we're more than happy to help!
Hannah Massey
The Dog Retreat Spa
Head over to the Kennel Club Website and have a look at the standards for all breeds here - https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/
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