Are Poodles Good for First-Time Owners? Breed Facts & Tips
By Kit Copson
Updated on
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If you’re planning on acquiring a canine friend but are completely new to dog parenting, you’ll no doubt be wondering how to make things a bit easier on yourself! If you’ve got your eye on a Poodle, you’ll be pleased to know that Poodles are excellent dogs for first-time owners. Poodles even feature on the American Kennel Club’s “Great Dogs for First-Time Owners” list.
In this post, we’ll explore what Poodles are like to care for and what their personalities are like to help you decide whether a Poodle would be the best first dog for you.
Poodles: The Basics
| Height: | Over 15 inches (standard), 10–15 inches (miniature), and up to 10 inches (toy) |
| Weight: | 40–70 pounds (standard), 10–15 pounds (miniature), 4–6 pounds (toy) |
| Standard colors (AKC standard): | Apricot, black, blue, brown, café au lait, cream, gray, red, silver, silver beige, white |
| Coat type: | Curly, coarse, dense |
| Energy: | Moderate to high |
| Family-friendly?: | Typically very family-friendly |
| Personality: | Intelligent, friendly, humorous, affectionate with family, active |
| Estimated lifespan: | 10–18 years |
Why Are Poodles Good for First-Time Owners?
There are too many reasons to list, but we’ll give it our best shot! To make sure we cover everything, we’ve broken this section down into the various areas of Poodle parenting that you’re likely most curious about.
Training
First of all, Poodles of all sizes (toy, miniature, standard) are great for first-time dog parents because they’re very, very smart. Training can be tricky and even intimidating for beginners and Poodles are one of the breeds most likely to make it easier for you because they’re intelligent and responsive dogs that generally pick up new commands quickly and easily.
They’re also very eager to please and enjoy spending time with their people, so they’ll be more than happy to oblige you when it comes to training sessions. As long as you’re being consistent with practicing what you want your Poodle to learn, you should be just fine.
That said, every dog is an individual, and training isn’t always easy, so if you’re finding that training your Poodle isn’t going as well as you’d hoped, you might want to consider recruiting a professional dog trainer to give you some tips.
Grooming
First-time owners worried about shedding will be glad to know that Poodles are not considered big shedders, which may make them a better choice than some breeds for people with allergies.
That said, they do require regular brushing to keep their coats free of knots and tangles. Poodles with coats that aren’t trimmed short are prone to matting at the roots, and once this happens, shaving is the only option so be sure to give your Poodle pal a daily going-over with a brush.
You’ll also need to keep their nails trimmed to prevent overgrowth and check their ears regularly to make sure they’re clean. If your Poodles ears need a freshen-up, you can do this with a vet-approved solution. Have a word with your vet to find out which solution they’d recommend.
Living Arrangements
As long as your Poodle is sufficiently exercised and walked daily, they’re likely to be happy in either a house or an apartment. It’s a great idea to invest in some indoor toys for your Poodle to mentally stimulate them, like puzzle feeders, obstacle games, and chew toys.
Companionship
Poodles make great first-time dogs because, as a rule, they’re very companionable. They bring a real sense of reward to any dog parent’s life because they have a tendency to make you feel really loved and won’t hesitate to let you know how much they enjoy spending time with you.
Personality
If you’re looking for a dog with bags of character, you’ve got one in the Poodle. The Poodle is a whipsmart, dignified, and typically sweet-natured dog with a good sense of humor and fun.
Of course, as with any breed, this depends on how well the Poodle has been socialized, but the general consensus is that Poodles are good with children, cats, and other dogs and are affectionate family dogs.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, Poodles are usually excellent dogs for first-time owners because of their affectionate and companionable personalities, as well as their intelligence which makes them easy to train, and how well they adapt to various living environments. However, any dog you take on is going to need training and socialization to ensure that you live in perfect harmony together!
Featured Image Credit: Linas T, Shutterstock
