Since when did a Mongrel start getting posh names

Person_one

catkins wrote: »

Yes, I am not sure how many labradoodles are used but I would not think it would be many. I was actually very surprised to see a labradoodle guide dog as I know poodles are not the easiest of dogs to train.

Poodles are very easy to train, they were gun dogs originally as labradors were and still do fantastically in agility and obedience, they also work as police dogs.

They don't have the temperament to be guide dogs though, clever as they are they just didn't adapt to that particular role well enough.

catkins

Person_one wrote: »

Poodles are very easy to train, they were gun dogs originally as labradors were and still do fantastically in agility and obedience, they also work as police dogs.

They don't have the temperament to be guide dogs though, clever as they are they just didn't adapt to that particular role well enough.

I wasn't implying that they were not easy to train because they are not intelligent. In fact as I said above, quite the opposite.


I have known a few people with standard poodles and they have said they were not the easiest of dogs to train.


As I said though, I think that shows intelligence not lack of. I have afghans which supposedly are the least intelligent breed (not sure who decided on the list!). They are far from stupid and in fact are a lot more intelligent than a lot of breeds I have come across. They can learn very quickly and easily but have the intelligence to question whether doing tricks or whatever is worth their while.

Raksha

I've got to stand up for Poodles crosses. I had one way back in the 80s when he was a Lab x. Not all their owners have more money than sense. My current dog was a rescue whose breeder would have happily had him back if she'd know his first owner was going to have him pts aged 10 months because he was out of hand and had no bite inhibition. This wasnt because he was a cross breed, it was done to lack of training and socialisation. He's smart, and so easy to train. Don't blame the breed!

Now I have a space for the first time in over 30 years I'm down to one dog, and I'm looking for another poodle cross, a smaller one this time as in 17 years I'll be 70 and most likely not up to manhandling a larger dog, so I'm looking for a Cocker spaniel cross poodle. I've had many rescue dogs, I help transport when I can, but just once more in my life I'd like to raise train and socialise my own pup - I also prefer to choose for myself when and if I get my dog castrated or speyed, which again rules out rescues....

There are plenty of enthusiasts of the poodle crosses who know what makes a responsible breeder, what health tests are necessary and for whom their dogs are much lived family members not fashion statements doomed to live in handbags or on the end of a diamante lead....

Raksha

Person_one wrote: »

Poodles are very easy to train, they were gun dogs originally as labradors were and still do fantastically in agility and obedience, they also work as police dogs.

They don't have the temperament to be guide dogs though, clever as they are they just didn't adapt to that particular role well enough.

Probably because of their sense of humour...

Person_one

catkins wrote: »

I wasn't implying that they were not easy to train because they are not intelligent. In fact as I said above, quite the opposite.


I have known a few people with standard poodles and they have said they were not the easiest of dogs to train.


As I said though, I think that shows intelligence not lack of. I have afghans which supposedly are the least intelligent breed (not sure who decided on the list!). They are far from stupid and in fact are a lot more intelligent than a lot of breeds I have come across. They can learn very quickly and easily but have the intelligence to question whether doing tricks or whatever is worth their while.

They are easy to train though! They're a dream, they pick things up really quickly and are eager to please. If they weren't easy to train they wouldn't be so successful in so many roles/jobs. They've even been trained to run in the Iditarod they just don't really take to the guide dog role very well!

Person_one

Raksha wrote: »

I've got to stand up for Poodles crosses. I had one way back in the 80s when he was a Lab x. Not all their owners have more money than sense. My current dog was a rescue whose breeder would have happily had him back if she'd know his first owner was going to have him pts aged 10 months because he was out of hand and had no bite inhibition. This wasnt because he was a cross breed, it was done to lack of training and socialisation. He's smart, and so easy to train. Don't blame the breed!

Now I have a space for the first time in over 30 years I'm down to one dog, and I'm looking for another poodle cross, a smaller one this time as in 17 years I'll be 70 and most likely not up to manhandling a larger dog, so I'm looking for a Cocker spaniel cross poodle. I've had many rescue dogs, I help transport when I can, but just once more in my life I'd like to raise train and socialise my own pup - I also prefer to choose for myself when and if I get my dog castrated or speyed, which again rules out rescues....

There are plenty of enthusiasts of the poodle crosses who know what makes a responsible breeder, what health tests are necessary and for whom their dogs are much lived family members not fashion statements doomed to live in handbags or on the end of a diamante lead....

How easy is it to find a responsible breeder of crosses though? One who isn't primarily in it for the money?

I'm all in favour of sensible outcrossing to improve genetic diversity and reverse extreme and damaging features, but I just don't think that's the aim of most breeders creating endless poodle crosses.

If you want a pup, what is it about a 'cockerpoo' that makes them so much more desirable than a cocker spaniel or a miniature poodle? After all, you could get any mixture of the two breeds in terms of appearance and temperament, and probably a nightmare of a coat!

JencParker

livingfrugally wrote: »

I stand corrected. But I've only seen labradors and flat coated retrievers as Guide Dogs. Even puppy walkers today only seem to be having labradors. I don't think they've had the big changeover from labs to labradoodles they anticipated when they first bred them. I remember hearing they were going to replace labs as the new greed of Guide Dog. I can only imagine it's because they're more difficult to train??

No, you are right - Labradors are still the most popular breed for Guide Dogs, the most popular cross breed is the Golden retriever/Labrador cross and has been for many years. They use very few Labrador / poodle crosses and have abandoned the breeding program they had because the cross was not consistent enough.

JencParker

livingfrugally wrote: »

The reason there aren't as many labradors with hip problems anymore is because the Kennel Club introduced hip scoring which has been effective in reducing the number of labradors with bad hips being used for breeding.

Can I just take this opportunity to say that I am new to the MSE forum and I find some of the people on here and some of the posts towards the people who are posting really can be rude and sometimes quite aggressive and really patronising towards other people. No wonder MSE has introduced a poster system to tell people to be nice to newbies, otherwise I imagine a lot of people wouldn't stick around very long

I'm sorry you were offended by my post, that was not my intention and I apologise if it came across like that.

I do think that it is important to give correct information and, as stated, the poodle/Labrador cross was never brought in to improve hip scores. If you google Wally Conran and labradoodle, you will find the origin of this cross breed.

The idea that hip scoring is the reason behind not as many Labradors with hips problems is unlikely and at least, debateable. For a start, less than half of Labradors being bred come from hips scored parents, and the average score has hardly changed in the last 30 years since hip scoring was introduced. That's not to say I don't agree with scoring - all my dogs are hip and elbow scored.

Raksha

I really don't know about the possibilty of getting a mux and ending up with a nightmare, all Doodles I'm aware of, and there are many members of the various fb groups im a member of, seem to have a similar temperament, loving, happy go lucky, intelligent, easy to train so long as you use reward based methods and are consistent. The odd one that comes to rescue with issues can be traced to early socialisation rather than a dodgy temperament. As far as physical appearances go, allergies aren't an issue so whilst I prefer the scruffy look, I'll take what comes. Most coats aren't hard to deal with so long as the dog is well handled and used to being groomed.

As fir finding a responsible breeder, that's a lot harder. But its the same as most breeds - have relevant health tests been carried out on parents? Ceŕts to prove results? Do these refer to the actual parents of the dog? Mum with the liter? Why was the dog chosen? What socialisation has already been done? Does the breeder provide back up if things go wrong? But as I said, that's the same for most breeds

skivenov

krlyr wrote: »

Though I do sometimes thing my Rottie x GSD would certainly qualify as a Rotten Shepherd after some of the things she's rolled in!

Last dog was an Alsatian x Irish Wolfhound. Did that make him a German Wolfhound or Irish Shepherd Dog? Would he have been entitled to two pet passports as a dual national?