Lesley Cooper (Arizona) writes:

The "doodle" conversation comes up everywhere I go, and I definitely side with Madeleine's opinion about the poodle being a complete package "as is"

My Vet asked me two weeks ago if I was aware of this new craze to breed poodle mixes as he had one in that day for spay surgery (thank goodness!)   It was a labradoodle, a lady in the post office behind me on another occasion had a goldendoodle.   

These mixes have been featured in local papers and owned by people who are singing their praises. 

My Vet friend, Kerri, is seeing them in her practice and cannot believe that people are "bragging" that they paid $1000.00 for their very special "rare" dog, she kindly assures them that it is a mixed breed.   If she is asked for an opinion about such a mix, she very definitely steers them to the local rescue organizations and Humane Society to look for a special "mix" that they are bound to find, as she herself has.

Poodles stand alone as a perfect dog, when people challenge me about the amount of grooming they require I have a few responses:

All popular dogs such as Goldens, Spaniels, Poodle Mixes, Schnauzers, PWDs and Border Terriers to name a few, all require intimate grooming, ears cleaned, coats trimmed, feet and nails regularly trimmed, debris removed from leg hair etc., a poodle is no different except that the coat does not shed and requires trimming. 

The trim is a matter of choice, you can pay to have a pro do it 6 times a year, more if you wish, or you can opt to choose a closely sheared dog and learn to remove the excess hair yourself.   All dogs deserve to have grooming attention, poodles are people dogs and enjoy being cleaned and groomed and it is not a major chore to make a commitment to clean them, or choose to pay to have them cleaned......YOU elect to choose where you spend your money for hobbies, treats and personal spending.   I choose to pay to have my dogs scissor groomed regularly, and bathe, brush and attend to them frequently myself as I would any breed.

There are not many poodle owners amongst my friends in the agility community here, most have already aligned with their breed of choice and are loyal and well versed about their reasons for staying with their choices, however, they are constantly surprised by my poodles who are real dogs who do the same things their dogs do...lure coursing, herding, flyball, agility and obedience, are friendly, sweet cuddly and good team players, and I am considered "lucky" because my dogs don't shed!!!!!

I observe the amount of time and effort it takes to maintain, groom and train the Irish Setters and Goldens of two of my closest friends, and I have to admit they spend far more time on the tasks than I.   I'll never under estimate the true fact that poodle hair needs to be cared for properly, but you will not find it spread all over the house and car, the cost of keeping a poodle groomed is a bargain when you consider the time, cost and effort of cleaning up after canines who shed their coats and slobber non-stop on the property of their people.

Large poodle mixes are going to be a nightmare for people who do not understand that a cross is not naturally a guarantee a perfect mix of both breeds.   Hopefully many will be well loved mutts with good doggy traits, but I believe that we'll see many large unruly woolly, matted dogs end up in shelters.  Let everyone get the word out...real poodles are they way to go!

In order to do my bit, I have two of mine trimmed mostly even coat all over, scissored head and legs and I am constantly told "Oh, I just love that "puppy cut" it makes them look like real dogs!"  I can then happily make my case for enjoying the poodle for what a poodle is, not what a haircut will create.  My poodle who is trimmed in a "modified Sporting Cut" gets all the "oohs and aahs" and people want to feel her coat and admire her as if she is something other than a poodle just like the other two, I again am left to explain that hair and grooming are choices and not the whole package.

I have lived with Poodles, mini and Standard, beagles, a Dalmatian, Papillion, Dachshund.   My family have had wire haired terriers, Cairn terriers, Spaniels, German Shepherds, Aussies, mixed breeds and poodles all dogs I have known and loved well, but a poodle is absolutely the breed for me even though I have three now with totally different personalities and traits, they all have the core of a poodle.

Regards,

Lesley