Are poodles easier to train than doodles?

[Nancy Dubs]

I've gotten such helpful information here - thanks so much! So in our continuing quest to figure out which way to go, I'm wondering if in general, poodles easier to train than doodles? I'm sure it varies from dog to dog, but what's your experience out there, poodle owners and doodle owners? I've just read a recent discussion on training doodles and now I'm wondering if it might be more challenging than I originally thought...thanks again!!!

[Nancy Dubs]

Good idea - though I'm also aware that these doodle pups change their coats several times before adulthood - someone could be allergic during a puppy stage, and not when their adult coat is in, or vice versa, etc. But we'll definitely give it a shot.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, there is a coat change with most doodles between puppyhood and adulthood, and the adult coat can trigger allergy symptoms even if the puppy coat didn't. The older a dog gets, the more he can trigger allergies, because the drier the coat gets, the more dander is produced. Just as people's skin gets drier as they age, so do dogs. Another interesting thing I recently learned is that a dog who has allergies himself, like my Jack, will be more bothersome to an allergic person, because of the dry, flaking skin and scratching throwing off more dander.

[Nancy Dubs]

Interesting! Thanks for sharing that. Wish we had a crystal ball...I know our chances are best with a poodle, but a doodle stole our heart...

[Debbie and Thomas]

I am NO EXPERT on this subject. When we first applied to our breeder, I told her that I wanted a non shedding dog. She chose two males puppies out of a litter of ten for us to choose from. It seems that these experienced breeders KNOW what the coat will be like as adults. Both of the males puppies she chose had really thick fleecy hair with a wavy head and some waviness on other parts. We chose the darker coloured puppy who was also HUGE. He does not shed at all, except when he is brushed and his comb or brush will have some hair in it but there is no shedding on our dark hardwood floors or anywhere. However- I have heard that shedding is not the only problem for people who are allergic to dogs. As Karen said above-sometimes it is the dander. Is your husband allergic to fur in shedding dogs or is it dander? I met a lady at petsmart who said her husband was only allergic to poodles! I found this odd-but perhaps the one poodle he had contact with had a lot of dander??What I am trying to say is perhaps you will not have to give up your deposit-maybe your breeder can be helpful in guiding you to a puppy that may be non allergenic as far as the coat goes.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

You have to keep in mind though that even if he isn't allergic to the puppy coat he could be allergic to the adult coat.  Also, I would think that if this is a responsible breeder that they would accept a doctors note with regard to the allergy testing and refund the deposit.  No responsible breeder wants their puppies to go into a situation where they may need rehomed.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sheri, this discussion is from 2009, lol. However did you find it? 

[33bn7f8evnuyd]

I've been reading old post. I thanked her for her response hehe.

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Good point. I'm an excellent dog trainer. But kids & men, forget it! Pupy love from Joy & furry folk

[33bn7f8evnuyd]

Really great answer

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The shedding/dander issues are one and the same. It is the dander that is released into the air when a dog sheds that is the problem. It's never just the hair per se, because the hair isn't breathed in. The proteins in the dander and the saliva are what produces the allergic response on the part of the allergy sufferer's immune system, and they have to enter the body to do that. Saliva can produce a contact dermatitis rash, which is another type of allergic reaction, but it's not the same kind of thing.
Here's a great article on dog allergies and "hypoallergenic" breeds that will explain it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoallergenic_dog_breed

[Joy Originator of GiantSchnoodles]

Hi Nancy, Poodles are incredibly smart & easy to train. If you have serious allergies, I would recomend a purebred registered poodle, bedlington terrier, wheaton terrier. whoodle. Re Giant Schnoodles. I'm not breeding at this time & although there are some breeders around, you do not know the heritage of the dogs. The Giant Schnauzer will shed unless its at soft coat. I don't know this for absolute sure, but I think I'm the only one who breeds in that type of coat. & I'm not breeding for awhile. If you really want a GS, I would recomend an f1b schnoodle to poodle which I do breed but not right now. If you want to wait for me, you can but I don't know when. Sorry, Puppylove from JOy & furry folk

[Natasha]

I have a golden, lab, poodle mix. I have had many poodles (standards and miniatures) over the last 30 years. I have a lot of experience with labs. Goldens are new to me. Here is my take:

1) If you are looking at a labradoodle, you will want to meet the parents and understand if the lab line was composed of hunters or not. Hunters are higher energy, more mouthy, etc. A calm lab line, though, is a totally different story. You will find that labs and lab mixes will spend a great deal of time and energy watching your actions to try to figure out what to do and/or what you want (so that they can get a treat). Yes, labs are incredibly food motivated and they are also more likely to read you rather than what you say (they were bred to watch you, watch what you were going after, and then please you by getting what you were going after so that they could get a treat). If you are someone who says one thing but indicates something else with your body language, then you will have more difficulty training a lab. Also, if you do get one with hunter lines, be prepared to do a lot of ball throwing and outdoor activities.

2) My experience with poodles is that, yes they are smart and, therefore easy to teach a great deal of things, but they can also be more headstrong than labs and (based upon my limited experience) goldens. I love them, but they remind me more of cats than dogs (one thing I like about them). Also, given their intelligence, if you are someone who has trouble committing to constant training (and I mean teaching new things to your dog on a very regular basis for the majority of his life), then you will have difficulty keeping a poodle happy and mentally healthy. They crave problem solving and you need to be dedicated to providing that kind of environment. This is not typically a dog that you can go outside and just throw a ball and have him be fulfilled.

3) My experience with Rouser (a golden, lab, poodle mix) is that he is sweet and mellow like a golden, likes to hunt out every bunny, rodent, or lizard he happens upon like a lab, and is smart as the dickens (and a bit "passively resistant") like a poodle. Added bonus, his coat requires nothing more than a bath (yay!). He is not mouthy, doesn't dig, hates water (three forms of water dog - so breed isn't everything!), only barks if there's something fishy going on that's worthy of alerting me or takes me by the hand to come and look at something before he does bark, definitely watches me as much as he listens to me (so I have to watch it when I'm training or he outsmarts me), and will do ANYTHING for food.

Ask your breeder to help you determine which dog in the litter fits what your family is looking for. Meaning, if you all are hikers who want a dog that will chase a ball all day you want the pick of the litter that is more active. If you are like us and want a dog that you will train for therapy work and is, therefore, great at sitting around calmly and being petted, then you want a more submissive, calmer dog in the litter. If you are a pretty strong personality, then you can handle a dog that is less submissive as he will clearly recognize you as the leader; however, if you carry yourself a bit more meekly, then you will be much happier if you get a dog that is far more submissive. If you just want a family dog that is good with children - make sure the breeder allowed children to handle the puppies daily and watch how the children play with the dogs.

It's more about the dog, the parents, and how they were raised than it is about the breeds. Everything we can assist you with about the breeds is really general. As Adina said, we're not comparing goldendoodles to bull dogs. Poodles, goldens, and labs have a lot of similarities.