[Ilovebuck]

Hi, I've been thinking about getting a small dog and have been really considering the Poochon. But, how tall are the mini Poochons and how tall are the regular Poochons? I would also like to compete with him/her in 4H. Are they good dogs for that, and is a he or she best?

 

[Loki Love]

Poochon...? That's a new one to me!

Sorry, no advice to offer - just had a giggle at the name!

 

[Pawzk9]

Poochon is not a breed. It's a mix, so you could get almost any characteristics of either poodles or bichon.

 

[chubby]

Is the Poodle Miniature, or Toy? Miniatures will be significantly taller.

Generally, with mixes, you can't predict their size. My maltipoo's dad was maltese (6 pounds) and mom was Miniature Poodle (20 pounds) and he ended up being over 20 pounds, not between the two (so don't believe the breeder when they say they'll grow half way their parents' weight/height).

Very unpredictable!!!

 

[Ilovebuck]

Ok, thanks so much! I'm just worried my other dog will not like having one around.=C

 

[Rottysrule]

best way to figure out how your dog will do with a new pup is find someone that has a puppy that you know and ask if you can take the pup for the day just to see how yours will behave. Keep a close eye on both dogs just so you know that no one gets hurt.

 

[Ilovebuck]

That's a great idea! Thanks so much!

 

[odiesmom]

I have a poochon Sophie or as we call her, Princess Sophie . She is 12 lbs of white fluff, has a definite attitude, queen of the house, alpha dog ( and cat ) hates to poo in the snow ( we live in Alaska ) , hates the beach ( gets her paws dirty YUKKK ) ,will run from a mouse but stand up to a moose , she is obsessed with people food ( steals wrappers and hides them ) , We love her to death and wouldnt trade her for the world, just be warned, you are about to be owned by a dog !!!

 

[odiesmom]

I have a poochon Sophie or as we call her, Princess Sophie . She is 12 lbs of white fluff, has a definite attitude, queen of the house, alpha dog ( and cat ) hates to poo in the snow ( we live in Alaska ) , hates the beach ( gets her paws dirty YUKKK ) ,will run from a mouse but stand up to a moose , she is obsessed with people food ( steals wrappers and hides them ) , We love her to death and wouldnt trade her for the world, just be warned, you are about to be owned by a dog !!!

as a couple people already said they can have all the characteristics of either parent of any mix of the two . Sophie I would say is definitly more towards the Bichon end . wonderful little dogs with great big attitudes , lots of grooming and they can be hard to house break ( Sophie uses weewee pads when the weather isnt to her liking )

 

[Bordermom]

If you are going to do 4H, it might be wise to get something you can also/later compete with in AKC events. Even better yet get something you can do both in, if you like conformation for example there's always the idea of helping pro handlers on the weekend and making some money too. Plus depending on the area, taking jr handler classes for AKC would be more educational than 4h, which (in Canada anyway from what I've seen) is very watered down and nothing like 'the real thing'. You might find it frustrating to only be able to do 4h later on because you have a mixed breed that can't do conformation.

A Bichon is a good choice though, or a poodle, if you can get the grooming mastered. Otherwise a Pap or a sheltie might work well, or like you've asked, a mini aussie. Just make sure it's a reputable breeder and not someone with Poms who breeds them into the mini aussie mix to get their toy sized 'aussies'...

 

[Ilovebuck]

Wow, SUPER helpful! Thanks you two! I'm not quite sure what I want to do in 4-H. If I had an Aussie I would most likly do herding. Do you know of any other competitions they do for 4-H?

 

[odiesmom]

check your area for comps , I live in the middle of nowhere alaska and they have herding comps, flyball which is a blast google it if you dont knwo about it . We also have frisbee comps several times a year with a championship in Anchorage each fathersday my border SirBudWeissert was a champ in both frisbee and flyball .With the flyball a few of us frisbee moms met at a comp and started a group to compete. It wasnt big but both us and the dogs had a blast .I l learned to throw a frisbee so good working with Bud that I now belong to a frisbee golf club here in my tiny town. GOOD LUCK and if you need any more advice on how to start training for any of the above send out a shout !!!

 

[Ilovebuck]

I will try that! Does your Poochon like to compete in sports like flyball?

 

[odiesmom]

I will try that! Does your Poochon like to compete in sports like flyball?

lol NO , she wont even poop in the snow , she is a total diva and is obsessed with food ...I dont think she even knows she is a dog

 

[Ilovebuck]

lol NO , she wont even poop in the snow , she is a total diva and is obsessed with food ...I dont think she even knows she is a dog

Do you think that is how all the Poochons are?

 

[Crantastic]

Nobody can possibly say that all poochons will share any particular trait. Even with purebred dogs, not all dogs of a given breed are exactly the same. There are some border collies who are excellent at herding, and some who have no interest at all. There are huskies who live to run and pull, and there are couch potato huskies. There are noisy beagles, and quiet beagles (not that I've ever met one, but I'm sure at least one must exist, haha). With the poochon, you're likely to have even more variety because it's a mix of two different breeds. Any particular pup could look and act more like a poodle, more like a bichon, or like any percentage of either. You really need to get out there and meet some dogs and pups so you'll know what you want to look for.

Also note that because the poochon is a mix, it may be harder to find a reputable breeder. Do a bunch of research, find out which genetic health and structural issues either breed should be tested for, and make sure that the breeder you choose has those tests done. Here is a list of poodle health issues. PRA (progressive retinal atrophy, which can cause a dog to go blind) would be one of the more serious ones, so I'd look for a breeder who tests their poodles and registers the results with CERF. Here is a list of recommended health tests for bichons. Note that many of these things are not covered by a normal vet check and need to be done by specialists.

Good luck choosing a breed or mix that's right for you.

 

[odiesmom]

Do you think that is how all the Poochons are?

I couldnt say how any other poochons are. As one person said with any breed you can get different traits. I just happened to get a diva.

 

[Ilovebuck]

Wow thank you very much! I will be looking into that now that you have warned me!

 

[Ilovebuck]

I couldnt say how any other poochons are. As one person said with any breed you can get different traits. I just happened to get a diva.

Haha, That's not so bad! How much did your's cost? I looked at some near me and they were 1,200-2,000!