Think you're ready to adopt a Poodle? If so, you’ve got quite a job ahead of you and we’re not even talking about raising one. We’re only talking about making the _decision_ to raise one! Here are a few tips that should help you decide whether Poodle adoption is for you.

Try To Match Your Lifestyle

One of the most sensible approaches to selecting a pet is finding one that fits within your lifestyle. That’s what makes Poodles an unacceptable choice for some people. Because Poodles crave human attention, they really need an owner who can dedicate a tremendous amount of time toward their needs. They also need a lot of exercise. If you’re unable to play with your dog and spend some quality grooming time, then Poodle adoption may not be for you.

Consider Available Space

Even though toy Poodles and miniature Poodles are small, they still need lots of room to run around and play everyday. Bigger dogs of course need a lot of space.

Think About The Kids

Or rather, think about how the Poodle will react to kids. In general, Poodles really like children, but only the ones who are respectful and who aren’t abusive. Smaller children are prone to tease dogs, pull their ears and tails, and even ride them if the dogs are large enough. But Poodles don’t like that and if they’re continuously exposed to such behavior, they’ll develop a distaste for tots rather quickly and either avoid them completely or give them a few warning nips before the big bite.

Because babies make a lot of noise (high-pitch screams, loud and long whining, etc.) and jerky movements, they may trigger an aggressive reaction in Poodles. Even toddlers are threatening (to a Poodle) because they haven’t mastered the “gentle” touch Poodles need in order to build a trusting relationship. We don’t recommend that you adopt a Poodle if you have children under the age of 10. However children aren’t the only source of intimidation.

Got Pets?

Cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and any other small animal that’s allowed to roam free could also intimidate a Poodle. Although your Poodle and your pets may not fuss that much around humans, left alone, a Poodle may interpret that furry thing as a challenge and then allow its instincts to take over. Returning home, you just might find that you have only one pet left -- a very satiated and messy Poodle in fact. Try to bring a Poodle into a single-pet environment

Costs

Since Poodles can live anywhere from 12 to 17 years, you should think about your long-term costs as well. You have after all, food costs, medical costs, grooming costs, and basic equipment costs (bedding, collar, etc.) to think about. Of course your costs increase with larger sized dogs and dog show competitions. Conversely, if you were to compare the costs of raising a Poodle with the costs of raising a Chow dog for example, your costs could go down when you consider the expenses associated with shedding and cleaning up after pet hair. Poodles don’t shed.