20 Things Only Poodle Owners Would Understand
Dog owners usually seem to know a few things that other people just don’t get. After all, you have to develop a relationship with your dog in order to understand just how special their relationship can be.
Dogs in general are capable of understanding exactly what you are feeling without you ever having to say a single word and they love you unconditionally no matter what. You can make virtually every kind of mistake known to mankind and your dog is still going to love you at the end of the day. How many humans can you say that about?
If you have only had relationships involving other people, you’re probably used to the whole idea that you have to give something in order to be of any use to that particular person. The cold, hard truth is that if you are no longer able or willing to give most people whatever they want, they’ll drop you like a hot potato and move on to someone that will. Animals are different.
Unconditional Love
They can show you the true meaning of unconditional love and they don’t really expect anything in return except to be loved back. This is especially true of dogs.
You already know this if you are a dog lover. Whether you have had ten dogs in your life or you have never had a dog of your own as of yet, every dog owner has to decide what type of dog is right for them.
For some, it really doesn’t seem to matter. They simply choose the one that chooses them and it works out just fine. For others, it is important to choose a specific breed or in some cases, it is the size of the dog that matters more than anything else.
One of the most popular dog breeds is the poodle. In fact, a lot of people love poodles because they’re a great breed and they have a lot going for them. If you know anything about poodles, you’ll definitely be able to identify with the following 20 things on this list.
1. Love is a commitment
Poodles can typically live until they are about 13 years old and a fair majority of them make it a few years longer. Therefore, you have to be certain that you are willing to commit to having a relationship with your dog for more than a decade and that you can dedicate time and effort to that dog in order to develop the bond you share even further.
It isn’t enough just to get a dog, put it in the backyard, and the only time you see it is when you are filling up the food bowl once or twice a day. They need love, attention and time in order to feel like they are really a member of the family.
After all, if you are going to get a dog because you want to have that special bond that involves unconditional love, you should want to spend time with them in the first place.
2. Paying attention to your dog is crucial
Poodles are relatively healthy breeds but just like every other breed of dog, there can be certain things that seem to crop up more often then it might in other breeds.
As a direct result, it is vitally important that you really know your dog, including how she acts on a day-to-day basis and what she enjoys doing the most. If you are attentive enough, you can often pick up on subtle behavioral changes that might have a medical cause and then do something proactive about that issue before it becomes a true threat to your dog’s health.
The worst thing you can do is wait until your dog is obviously ill or in some type of distress before you take any action.
3. They love to learn new tricks
Poodles are very smart and as such, they have a tendency to be able to learn more tricks than a lot of other breeds. If you are willing to put in the time and the effort, you can teach them to do just about anything you want.
They also get something in return for learning all of these tricks. They get time spent with you, mental stimulation, and an opportunity to please you, which is exactly what they want. All that time you spend training also enhances the bond that you already have with your dog, giving you a chance to enjoy that relationship more fully.
4. They love to be with you
Like so many other dog breeds, poodles don’t really like to be left alone. If it all possible, you might consider taking your dog with you when you leave the house.
They like to go on car rides and they are usually well-behaved enough that you can even take them to work with you, provided you have given them the proper training and the facility where you work has a policy that allows bringing your dog with you on a daily basis.
The point is, they focus all of their attention on you and they like to be with you as much as possible.
5. Sometimes they just want to be alone
Even though they love to be with you and they are stimulated by learning new tricks, there are times when they simply prefer to be left alone. This doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong with your dog and it certainly doesn’t mean that your dog no longer loves you.
Just as you need solitary time when you aren’t around anyone else, your dog needs the same thing. It is perfectly natural for them to want to be by themselves from time to time, so it isn’t anything that you should get upset about.
Instead, you should simply allow your dog to have that alone time whenever she needs it and then welcome her with open arms when she walks back into the room..
6. They love special treats
This one may not be specific to only poodles, as virtually every dog loves treats. With that being said, poodles do seem to have a tendency to be a little more discerning when it comes to their taste buds than a lot of other breeds.
Because of that fact, they often love those special treats that you pick up at the pet store or specialty shop that focuses on baked goods for dogs. They may not respond as well to your run-of-the-mill treats that come out of a bag you bought off of a grocery store shelf.
If you are having problems while training your dog, it is important to keep this in mind. If you switch to a treat they like better, you’re likely to see results that are far superior.
7. They often enjoy making new friends
Turtles are exceptionally social creatures. They like making as many friends as possible in most cases. It doesn’t really matter if that means making friends with the neighbor next door, the kids across the street, or other dogs at the dog park.
This makes them good family pets and it also makes them a good option for a lot of people that are first time dog owners because they are often easier to socialize with people and other animals than many other breeds might be.
8. One of their favorite things is playing outside
What dog doesn’t enjoy having the opportunity to go outside and romp around? Poodles absolutely love getting the chance to do this but more often than not, their favorite thing is playing outside when you make the choice to play with them.
This might mean going outside for a game of fetch, allowing them to catch a frisbee or simply playing a game of tug rope with them outdoors. Some poodles love to play hide and seek and others will be delighted if you allow them to chase you around.
All of it is good exercise and it gives you both a chance to get outside and burn off some stress for the day. In other words, it creates a positive situation for both of you individually, and it increases the bond you share together.
9. They are affectionate
Generally speaking, poodles have a tendency to be extremely affectionate animals. Most of them like to cuddle and give kisses and in most cases, they don’t usually mind being hugged. If you are looking for a dog that you can bring into the family that will allow everyone to hug on it and pet it, a poodle is always a good option.
Remember, every dog is different so getting a poodle doesn’t guarantee that you will get all of these things. While this is the case with most dogs of this breed, every dog is an individual so it is important to meet the animal and see if the dog and the family match up well together before creating a permanent situation.
10. Sometimes they get scared easily
Every dog can get scared when they hear loud noises, shouting, or a door that slams unexpectedly, not to mention situations like thunderstorms. With that being said, some poodles seem to be more frightened by these situations than other breeds.
Perhaps they are better able to hear the sounds that are going on so they are amplified in the dog’s brain. Maybe it is just part of their emotional composition. Whatever the reason might be, you may have to take extra measures to help keep your dog calm during these types of circumstances.
This can usually be accomplished by putting your dog in a room that is a little smaller with some comforting music and drawing the shades or putting a towel or vest on your dog to make her feel more secure. In extreme cases, you can get medication from your veterinarian that will help your dog be more calm in stressful situations.
11. They respond to your voice
Some of the smartest dogs understand enough words that they have a vocabulary similar to a toddler. As a result, they can understand a lot of phrases like good girl, stop, leave it, and come, among others.
Even when your dog doesn’t understand what you are saying, she knows your voice and will respond to that sound again and again. Your poodle also knows how you are feeling based on the inflection in your voice.
As a result, she can tell when you are happy, sad or angry, as well as when you are excited about something. That is why she will often come up to you automatically and attempt to cuddle when you are angry or feeling blue.
12. They don’t enjoy extremes in weather
If you live in a climate that is exceptionally hot or cold or that has a lot of storms or high winds, your poodle is highly unlikely to enjoy being outside during those types of situations.
Fortunately, all you need to do is bring your dog inside when it gets too hot, too cold, or something else is going on with the weather that isn’t ideal. The worst thing you can do is put your poodle outside and leave her there regardless of what is happening, effectively forcing her to deal with extremes in the weather that could physically threaten her as well as traumatize her emotionally.
13. They know when you’re unhappy with them
As previously mentioned, your poodle picks up on the inflections in your voice. Correcting her when she does something wrong is perfectly acceptable, but it matters how you do it. You need to sound firm, but not angry.
If you get angry with your poodle, she will know it and she is likely to be highly upset because of it. Dogs naturally want to please us and for the most part, they try very hard to do exactly that.
They don’t like knowing that they have done something to upset us because their entire focus throughout their lives is on us. Imagine what it would be like if your favorite person in the whole world was angry with you and you didn’t really understand why. That is how it is for your poodle when you shout at her.
14. They thrive on mutual trust
Every dog, regardless of the breed, needs to be trusted just as badly as you want them to trust you. Poodles are especially receptive to mutual trust. They will try extremely hard to meet and exceed all of your expectations if you will only give them the chance to do so.
Trust means a lot of things to a dog. It means teaching her to do the proper things and then trusting that she will react the way she is supposed to when it matters the most.
It is also about giving your dog the opportunity to learn new things and see how she will react before you start hovering all over her, pulling on the leash and telling her what to do. If your dog knows that you trust her, she is much more likely to do exactly what you want her to do on her own.
15. They learn quickly, but consistency and patience are key
Their level of intelligence is extremely high, as has already been discussed. Because they are able to learn quickly, they might become bored with training sessions that don’t move along quickly enough to suit them.
In some cases, this can actually make them lose interest in the trick all together while in other cases, it causes them to misbehave in other ways. The best thing you can do is challenge your pet with new tricks while simultaneously being patient and consistent in your training.
Make training time fun for both you and your poodle as opposed to making it feel like a chore. You can bet that if you feel like it is a chore and you end up dreading your training sessions, your poodle feels exactly the same way.
16. They have a tendency to jump up when they’re excited
Most dogs have a tendency jump, especially when they’re excited. Some of them will do it when they’re feeling insecure or they’re afraid of something. More often than not, dogs jump to show their affection for you.
They’re actually trying to get closer to your face so they can give you their version of a hug. You can think of it as the same thing that you would do if you were to see a long lost friend on the street and you walked up and put your arms around that person.
However, it isn’t always a good idea to allow your dog to jump. This can cause people to fall down and it can destroy a lot of clothing. Therefore, it is usually a good idea to train them not to jump and redirect that behavior to something more beneficial.
If you have a poodle, be ready to be extremely consistent with training when it comes to this because they seem to jump more than a lot of other breeds. Therefore, it can be hard to train them not to. Remember that with consistent and patient training, it is possible.
17. They’re great for people with allergies
If you have always wanted to have a dog but you’ve never gotten one because you’re allergic to them, a poodle can be the answer to your prayers. They don’t shed so they are great for people that simply can’t tolerate the dog hair and the dander associated with other breeds.
If your nose gets stuffy and your eyes puff up every time you are around a dog, consider getting a poodle. You might be surprised when you start snuggling up to your poodle and nothing happens.
18. They’re comical
Anybody that owns a poodle will tell you that they’re funny. These dogs just seem to have a penchant for knowing how to make you laugh and they do it on a routine basis. You might argue that they are merely showing off their natural personalities.
Some people that have poodles will undoubtedly argue that they are trying to make you laugh on purpose. Either way, they are a lot of fun to be around and they can take an otherwise mediocre day and have you rolling in the floor in no time.
19. They come big and small
On top of not shedding and being great for people with allergies, you can get poodles to fit your living quarters. If a standard poodle is too big for you, try a miniature poodle or even a toy version.
Even people that live in the smallest apartments can accommodate one of these sizes, so you don’t have to worry about trying to fit a large dog into a small area. This makes them a good fit for people regardless of where they live. Poodles are equally at home running free in the country or hanging out with you in your apartment.
20. They take a lot of grooming
Remember, poodles don’t shed. You might think that means you can get away with not grooming them, but you couldn’t be more wrong if that is what you believe. Poodles have a lot of fluffy hair and it has to be groomed on a routine basis or it has a tendency to get tangled up.
If you ignore it for long enough, all of that tangled hair is going to become matted and you’re going to have a real mess on your hands. You have two options here. You can groom your dog yourself or take her to the groomer.
A lot of it depends on how you want your poodle to look. If you just want her to look brushed and clean, you can handle it on your own. However, if you are one of those people that wants to shave the back half of her hair off and create that ball at the end of her tail, you should really leave it to the professionals.
Conclusion
Now that you know all of these different things about poodles, you can make a decision about whether or not this is a dog breed that you want to learn even more about. Perhaps you are considering getting a poodle for yourself or your family.
Maybe you just want to learn more about the breed in general. Consider this as a good starting point, especially if you are thinking about getting a poodle and bringing it into your home. Poodles are great dogs but they’re not for everybody.
The key is to make sure that whatever dog you choose will fit well into your lifestyle. That way you can both make each other happy for years to come.
You can also read:
- 10 Types of People Who Should Not Purchase a Toy Poodle
- Standard Poodle Dog Breed: What You Need to Know
- 10 Things You Didn’t Know about the Maltese Poodle
- Everything You Need to Know About Moyen Poodles
- 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Teacup Poodle