If you are looking for a companion with a lot of brains and with a wonderful Lively Personality, the Standard Poodle could very well be a breed for you to consider .This is a breed that does not shed,but does require grooming and clipping to keep their hair from matting, A Matted Poodle is a Very Un-Happy companion ! Grooming appointments are needed about every 6 to 8 weeks but a grooming plan of every 4 weeks is what I would suggest you aim for, Most groomers offer a monthly grooming plan. Please check with available Groomers in your area as to what is being charged for grooming and that it is a price that will fit into your budget.
The Standard Poodle with it's ** High Intelligence ** Requires good puppy training !!! as in puppy **Obedience Classes** , without training for You and Your Puppy you could be spending your life with a dog living their life in the Terrible 2's of a human toddler ,Please go here to this Link: ( http://www.lgd.org/library/alpha.htm ) Remember what is cute as a puppy *May Not* be cute in an adult that is 50 to 65lbs !!!! "Also due to their high intelligence , a lot of interaction between you and your puppy will be required or else boredom may set in and may lead to destructive behavior." I highly endorse Crate Training
Link: ( http://www.lgd.org/library/crate.htm ) Crate training will help greatly in housebreaking and to be used when you can not be there to supervise your puppy's actively which will keep your puppy SAFE from him or herself , no chewed electrical wires and or sofas , love seats , shoes , belts , toilet paper ,, etc !!!!! and will go a long way in keeping your Sanity while your puppy is growing into adulthood !
Sincerely;
Lou
