Does anybody know about terrier-poodle mix?

[ribrepin]

We lost our dog several years ago and my husband really wants a new dog. Our dog lived to 18 years and was a shelter dog. We've been to the shelter several times and haven't found one that is right for us. A friend has a terrier poodle mix that is about six weeks old. Apparently the dog is already cart trained. We have not had puppy before and I am a little leery, but apparently this breed is good for allergies.

Anybody know anything about this breed? Any help would be appreciated.

[Walk away]

1. A six week old dog should not be pulling anything.

That said. Do you mean a Pit Bull/Standard Poodle of a Cairn Terrier/Miniature Poodle or a fox Terrier/Tea Cup Poodle?

I am sure they are all nice dogs that are low or no shed and very bright due to the poodle part and soulful and energetic like most terriers.

[roody]

3. Do you mean crate trained?

I would never get a puppy---too much work. Besides you can save a life of a shelter dog. They look much different out of the kennel. Maybe you can foster different ones until you find a match. A week in a home makes them more adoptable.

[ribrepin]

6. Yes you are right crate trained

We've been looking at the shelter, but dogs have medical problems or can't be left by themselves for several hours while we work. The dog would need to be left alone about 7 hours a day.

Sorry, of course, a 6 week puppy wouldn't be pulling anything.

[ribrepin]

5. It's a Terrier /miniature poodle

It won't get any bigger than 12 pounds at the most.

[Walk away]

10. I have one! My Tiny Toby. He was a rescue and he is really smart, friendly and doesn't shed.

You will have to think up plenty of tricks to teach him! Poodles love to work a crowd! Also, he may need a bit more crate training when he comes to your house. When they are very young they can't always extrapolate but if he has already learned to behave well somewhere else he should figure out your rules PDQ!

[intaglio]

2. Generally poodle crosses are pretty good

Poodles are calm (even the miniatures and toys) which is a bonus to most terriers. Likely the cross will be highly intelligent too.

[ginnyinWI]

17. my cock-a-poo

...which is a cocker spaniel/poodle cross, was smart but rather jumpy and apt to bark at things. Not calm, and I thought it was the poodle in her--but now I think probably the spaniel? Her picture is in the pinned thread--she's been gone a long time now.

[roody]

4. Oops. I responded to you to first replier.

[TorchTheWitch]

7. First, a mixed breed isn't a breed

Mixed breed dogs are going to be undetermined to have certain qualities that standard breed dogs would have because it's a total crap shoot on which qualities are going to come from which breed and how many. A mix breed terrier-poodle may have some poodle qualities but mostly terrier qualities or vic versa and may or may not have the type of coat that is best for people with allergies to most dogs since a I understand it, that type of coat only comes from the poodle and not from the terrier.

If you have a lot of interest in having a dog that has the type of coat that is best for people with dog allergies your best bet is to get one that is going to be guaranteed to have that type of coat. Otherwise, if it turns out that the mixed breed you find doesn't have that type of coat the allergic person is going to have a lot of problems, so much so that you might end up having to get rid of the dog, and that would just be heartbreaking.

Second, NEVER get a puppy that is less than 8 weeks old. To at LEAST the age of 8 weeks a puppy must be with its mother. Until 8 weeks of age they couldn't have had the age related puppy shots that are necessary before they can be taken out of "quarantine" for both their health and the people and other animals they may interact with. In some states it is even illegal to sell a pup to anyone before the age of 8 weeks. It is in my state. Even at the age of 8 weeks they will be almost due to the third and last round of puppy shots and should be restricted to the family members only, away from other animals, and to the house and yard until they receive that last round of shots. Behavioral problems can also result from a pup being removed from its mother and litter mates until the age of 8 weeks.

Since you've never owned a puppy before, I recommend doing a ton of research beforehand. You'll still make a lot of mistakes anyway (we all do pretty much) but one has to learn somehow, and mistakes can be corrected. I VERY highly recommend the Leerburg website about all kinds of dog related info. They have an absolute TON of free info on their site to peruse and a forum for getting further info from many knowledgeable people... http://leerburg.com/ I've found it to be absolutely invaluable. They also have videos and dog equipment for sale, but you can still learn sooooooo much without buying anything. It's set up differently than I had been accustomed to for a long time as to where everything is on the site, but you'll probably want to start here... http://leerburg.com/articles.htm

Get prepared before getting the dog with everything they'll need... adjustable sized crate (fabulous for pups since they grow so fast the interior size has to be constantly adjusted until they reach full growth and you won't have to buy several different sized crates), puppy food, puppy treats for training, plenty of toys and toys to chew on so they don't get tempted to chew up everything you own, collar, leash, metal or ceramic food and drinking bowls of appropriate size, and of course, you'll likely end up forgetting something important anyway. LOL! Definitely buy some poop and pee neutralizer to have on hand for neutralizing the odor in case of any potty accidents. After clean up with normal cleaning products though humans can't smell anything, without using the neutralizer dogs can still detect an odor of their pee or poo and they always want to go back to use that spot again for going to the bathroom if they can still detect an odor. Natures Miracle is one of the good ones. I'm sure there's other people here that could recommend other good products as well.

One thing that's really good to have on hand is Pepto Bismal chewable tablets. Different tap water can upset a pup or even an adult dog's stomach until their bodies adjust to it. Every area treats drinking water differently according to need with chemicals, so just that fact that your water will likely come from a different source than what the pup was accustomed to where they grew up may cause a couple of weeks of stomach upset. Find out from your vet how much of a Pepto tablet is appropriate for the size of your pup (it goes by the weight of the dog) for a once a day med so they don't get stomach upset from the different tap water. My dogs were big boys, but the current one was already 4 months old when I got him, so he got a whole tablet, where the pup I had before only got half a tablet. Your pup being a small breed dog may only need a quarter of a tablet. If the pup will be eating different food than what he was eating before, the Pepto will also help for that since they can also get tummy trouble from switching foods. Even for an adult dog when switching to a different food you should do it gradually by mixing the new food with the old and weaning them off the old food to avoid tummy trouble.

As for what breeds are good for people with dog allergies, I'm pretty sure poodles are one, and apparently the kind of dog that the Obamas got because of one of their daughter's dog allergies is another one, but other than that I don't really know much. Do a lot of research on that since it's going to be really important that whoever it is in the family that has dog allergies isn't bothered by whatever dog you get and you won't have to face the heartbreak of having to rid of the dog.

Hope this helps, and best of luck with your new furry family member!

[ribrepin]

8. Thank you for all the information

I'm a little leery of a puppy because we haven't had one before. Our shelter dog was about 2 years when we got her and she came with some behavioral problems. The shelter told us that she had been returned twice before. She had a good temperament, but was very hyperactive. The most important thing I taught her was "go to your place" and take a break. She also didn't like the leash...it was a real treat to take her walk for a long time. She later learned to love the leash. She would prance around the neighborhood with her head held high. I wasn't working at the time and had time to work with her.

We won't even be able to meet the puppy before next sat, so puppy will be at least eight weeks when and if we get her.

[TorchTheWitch]

9. puppyhood can be a drag in some ways, but also a real treat

Potty training normally wouldn't be an issue with an older pup or adult dog, but young pups need to be potty trained properly or bathroom habits end up being a real issue later. As long as you crate train properly though potty training should only take a couple of weeks before they have it conquered. Some dogs just can't get it right for quite awhile though... this usually has to do with how they were raised at the breeder. If a litter area is not kept clean, pups get accustomed to lolling in their own filth, so later on it's much harder to teach them where and when to go. Generally speaking though, potty training doesn't really take long at all as long as you do it right and not try to cut any corners. Young pups though do need to have more frequent potty breaks than older pups though since it just take some growing up before their bodies can adjust to holding their pee and poo for longer.

It makes things much easier to have a pretty strict eating schedule since dogs tend to want to go to the bathroom about 15 minutes to a half an hour after their meals. Having a pretty usual schedule for eating, drinking a lot like after play, sleep time, play time, etc. makes it much easier to schedule in the appropriate times for potty breaks. A dog's own physical system also can amazingly adjust itself to coincide with just having a usual daily schedule as well.

What is lovely about having a pup is that they're like a fresh lump of clay you can mold to your own desires and any behavior issues will mostly be those of your own making that are much easier to recognize and correct. I've always had dogs that I had from when they were pups, so it's hard for me to imagine what it would be like to have to deal with behavior problems especially with no knowledge of how they occurred.

And puppyhood is just generally lovely since they're so damn adorable and funny and eager to please. Often I lament that it's such a brief period. l still feel a little strange missing out on the very young life of my current dog since I didn't get him until he was already 4 months old. I never new him as a little dude that could barely climb the stairs or I could pick up and carry or cuddle in my arms, and other than one photo I don't know what he looked like or what his personality was like as a real youngster. Other than that one photo from the breeder I won't ever have a lot of pictures to enjoy of his very young life. That's a bit sad, but there were also many pluses to having gotten him a bit older. At least I didn't entirely miss out on his whole puppyhood since he was still only 4 months old when I got him, but it's still a teeny bit of a bummer that I missed out on the brief period of when he was a wee one.

One thing I forgot to mention about the Pepto tablets is that they only need a dose once a day with or without food for about two weeks. After that they should be adjusted to the new tape water or a food switch. I'd recommend using the Pepto for a dog you get of any age since even adult dogs can need an adjustment period to new tap water or food and may be nervous at first living in a new place with new people. Man, I really wish I knew about this trick with my first dog! I used it with the next one and the current one and there were no tummy upsets whatsoever. Nobody likes having to clean up potty problems especially barf or diarrhea (and they always seem to want to do it on the carpet!).

Everyone is a little uneasy about getting their first puppy, so don't worry about it or let it keep you from doing it if that's what you want. Just get what it is that you really want whether a puppy or older dog. You can weigh all the pros and cons, but I always feel that just going with your gut feeling tends to be the better option. Discussing this really openly with whoever else is in the household is obviously also going to be important, and hopefully everyone will be on the same page. Geez, I never once had to think about making these kinds of decisions since I've lived alone for so long! I have to say "obviously" a bit tongue in cheek since I didn't even consider that until just now since I've never had to consider any other opinions of people in my house with my being the only person. I'd completely forgotten what it was like to live as part of a household with other people.

Because of the allergic person, before getting either a puppy or older dog, see if you can get one that the allergic person can interact with to see how their allergies react. I don't know if that would help or not since it may depend on just how allergic they are or what triggers the reaction. It would so completely suck to decide on a dog, get it home and then find out the allergic person in the home can't tolerate it and have to get rid of the dog. Oh, that would just be so sad!

Whatever you decide though you'll have a marvelous family member to love and cherish all their lives and bring you so much joy!

[pinstikfartherin]

11. You have to be prepared for a puppy...

It's great that it's already crate trained. I've found that's one of the hardest parts when training a puppy. Of course, some get it quicker than others. If you aren't certain about having a puppy instead of an older dog, I'd make SURE I was ready for a puppy before committing. Biting, accidents (hey, they all have them sometimes), tricks, behaviors... they are learning as they go and they can be a big hand full!

Our Aubie, a bulldog, is the most stubborn dog. We were spoiled by her sister, Aubrey, who died at only 1.5 years old in May due to an intestinal problem (not sure if she was born with it or it just happened). Aubrey was sweet, calm, smart, submissive... but we also wonder if it was because she didn't feel good. Aubie, on the other hand.... oh my! She was a handful to teach not to bite. At 7 months she still accidentally gets a finger when you're playing, but she knows better. She has a ton of energy, which Aubrey did not have near as much, so she is always playing and on the go. She was back and forth with house training. We learned not to put anything in her crate because she'd potty on it, but she never used the bathroom in there if it was just the plastic bottom. She also learned to go to the door to go outside to potty, but she had a habit of going to the door, turning around, then squatting immediately. She never listened no matter what... we tried pray bottles, shaking things, popping her nose, firm NO's, etc... and nothing seemed to work to deter her for the longest time, but one day things just clicked.

So, in other words... you need a ton of patience with a puppy! I wouldn't trade Aubs for the world though... she's turned into quite a good girl.

[pinstikfartherin]

12. Oh, also! Have you tried any rescues?

If you have a breed you are thinking of, you can search for them online. Sometimes they have mixes of the breeds as well. I know a lot of dogs in rescues do have problems, but sometimes you can get lucky and find one who had problems that are now clear and would make wonderful family members. A lot of fosters work with them on any behaviors as well, so that might be an idea.

[SharonAnn]

13. I recently adopted a shelter dog, apparently abandoned by previous owners.

He's 6 years old, part Pekingese and part ????, and is an absolute joy. He was obviously someone's pet for along time, thinks the whole world is full of friends, and is calm enough for my household. Well past the puppy stage, but with a "puppy cut" for his otherwise long fur, is as cute as a puppy.

He's my first dog ever, didn't even have one as a child, and we're thrilled with each other.

The only training we're working on is more consistent behavior in response to "Stay", "Wait", and "Drop It". Sometimes he likes to forget that he knows these things.

[roody]

14. Congratulations. My shelter dog was absolutely

perfect until a couple years later, I got a second dog.

[Shagbark Hickory]

15. Regarding "allergies"

Poodles are good dogs for people who suffer from animal related alergies if shed hair is a problem however most terriers shed and some shed heavily. A mix can have those attributes.

I have a terrier mix and love him to pieces but he sheds like crazy. He has what is known as a broken coat which many people strip out completely but I don't because I he looks cute and scruffy with the hair.

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[ribrepin]

16. We did get the puppy and have been busy with our new family member

The first few nights were rough - he was missing his mama. We named him Hughley and he weighs almost 3 pounds. We took him to the vet for shots last weekend.

He's done really well with the crate and that is a good thing because he's into everything and everything gets chewed right now. He's found stuff I didn't know we owned. He's also pretty good about doing his business outside. He's really a pretty good puppy so far.

I tried to post a picture, but I couldn't get it to work.

[ginnyinWI]

18. to post a picture...

go to a photo hosting site like Photobucket (it is free) and upload the photo there. Then you can copy a direct link to it and paste it here.