If you are considering owning a Poodle, it helps to be aware of how much attention they need and desire.
If a dog craves too much attention that an owner can’t give (for whatever reason) this could lead to many issues down the line.
So it’s certainly something important to consider. I’ll exlpain everything you need to know about poodles and their desire for attention.
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How Much Attention Do Poodles Really Need?
Poodles need a lot of attention from their owners and family. Poodles do not like to be alone and enjoy being the center of attention. This desire for attention is a trait that nearly all poodles have.
Poodles are up near the top when it comes to the most attention-seeking breeds. But before we say “all poodles need attention” it’s fair to point out that every dog is different, and some will require more attention than others.
As no two poodles are the same, the amount of attention your poodle needs will have to be determined through trial and error.
The following section will cover key points about Poodles that highlight where extra time, focus, and effort on your part, is needed.
What Makes Poodles Attention Seeking: 5 Things
So what does this mean for you? Having an attention-seeking breed will affect how you raise, interact, and go about your day with your dog. Let’s explain exactly what this translates to.
1. Poodles Don’t Like Being Left Alone
Poodles, just like many breeds, don’t like being left alone, and in the long run, this can have very negative effects on her mental health.
Your poodle will crave your presence at the very least, so this isn’t an ideal breed if you spend most of your hours, outside of the house. While it can work, you’ll need to have extra measures in place to keep your poodle company while you’re out (family and friends visiting, dog sitters, etc).
You must be ready to spend many hours each day around your poodle and set aside more time than the bare minimum just to exercise her. In order for her to be completely happy, she’ll need to be with her owner for the majority of the day.
Isolation distress and separation anxiety can develop easily in Poodles and both of these can be caused by spending too much time alone. These are both serious conditions and can be hard to resolve once developed.
2. Poodles Require a Considerable Amount of Exercise
Part of your day (every day) will involve going out with your poodle to exercise her, for around 1 hour.
This 1 hour of exercise is only just the beginning of your attention requirements per day. So it’s important to consider your own routine and how it’s going to work.
In general, Poodles are a high-energy breed and love to run around and play all day, aside from their dedicated exercise at the local dog park.
It’s absolutely necessary for energetic breeds like the Poodle to receive sufficient physical AND mental exercise. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before their energy gets channeled into something else, which usually means bad behavior, destructiveness, or hyperactivity.
Ideally, your Poodle will have someone to play and run around with aside from her usual 1-hour exercise.
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3. Poodles Are Working Dogs at Heart
Although Poodles do a fantastic job on the catwalk, in reality, they are tough working dogs that would rather spend their time retrieving, swimming, and fulfilling roles.
Poodles were originally bred in Germany to use as retrieving dogs in the water. They are extremely intelligent and very physically capable, and this kind of breed needs to feel like they have a role or job to do in the family. They need to be worked.
So how does this relate to needing attention? Well, a Poodle isn’t the type of breed to be content just laying on the couch without any challenges. It’s up to the owner to provide consistent training and get creative in how you can “work” your Poodle.
Owners must be willing to dedicate time to consistently train her and think of unique ways to keep her feeling challenged and satisfied.
4. Poodles Are Known To Develop Health Issues
While most health issues develop later on in life, your attention to her health must be at a constant from puppyhood.
Poodles in particular are known for developing many different health issues, much more than other popular breeds.
What does this mean for owners? You would need to be prepared to spend a lot of time helping, assisting, and caring for your poodle should she develop a health issue. This would also come with some not-so-small veterinarian bills.
While this usually doesn’t dictate whether or not you would get a poodle, because of course you would help and love her no matter what, it’s still something to think about.
It goes without saying that not all Poodles will develop health issues, but they are prevalent within this breed. It’s necessary for you to be aware and be prepared to give a lot of your extra time and focus should the worst happen.
5. Poodles Are Very Social
Last but not least, Poodles LOVE to socialize and because so it’s important to them, many negative behavioral traits can develop when they don’t receive enough of it.
Socialization in dogs means receiving adequate interaction from both canines and humans (and even other animals!)
In most cases, Poodles are naturally friendly and social from the get-go, so that’s a big advantage, but it can quickly change if they don’t receive enough of it early on. It’s important for them to be exposed to new dogs and strangers frequently.
So what does this mean for owners? Well, after you get your Poodle, you will have to ensure you take the time to visit other friends who own dogs, regularly check out the dog park (aside from dedicated exercise), and even consider taking her to doggy daytime classes (for socialization purposes) So, I think it’s fair to say that this requires quite a lot of your time and attention.
Other Poodle Articles on The Puppy Mag
How Do Poodles Tolerate Winter Conditions?
Help Your Poodle Gain Weight With 5 Tips
How To Give Enough Attention To Your Poodle
Most of these things are important to your Poodle’s day-to-day routine anyway! But some may not be so obvious, so let’s take a look at all the ways you can ensure that you give your poodle, the attention that she needs and craves.
● Spend time every day to train your Poodle (teaching basic commands and creating beneficial training games)
● Give at least 1 hour of dedicated exercise per day
● Ensure you provide interactive dog toys to keep her mind working
● Take your poodle out with you when you run errands (this keeps her from being alone and provides great mental stimulation)
● Provide a dog sitter or ask friends and family to visit her when you leave the house for many hours at a time
● Regularly invite friends who have dogs over to your home
● Consider visiting doggy play centers
● Be attentive to her behavior, health, energy levels, and general well-being
● Try to encourage all family members to take turns in exercising and playing with her (this keeps the bond strong between your poodle and all family members opposed to getting attached completely to one person)
Something Important To Consider
It’s normal, we all have to go to work! And for most of us, that means leaving the house. So can you have a dog if you need to leave to go to work every day? Yes, you can, but you need to put things in place, and that’s what this section is about.
Probably the biggest issue when it comes to Poodles and their attention requirements, is being left alone. Some breeds HATE it, and the Poodle is one of them.
Being left alone is something that your Poodle will not appreciate or handle well. And this is an important consideration to have before getting one. You must be ready to put plans in place if you’re frequently out of the house.
What’s your schedule like? do you work or go to college and is your household left empty when you do so? If your house constantly has at least one person in it, then this likely won’t be an issue.
For Poodles that spend too much time alone, it’s likely going to affect their behavior, obedience, overall happiness, and well-being. So as a responsible dog owner, it’s important to consider this and have plans to deal with that.
How Much Time Can You Give?
From everything discussed above, it comes down to one good question…
How much time can you give to your Poodle? If you have the time, giving attention won’t be a problem.
Poodles are a wonderful breed that is naturally kind, loving, and ideal for families, but they require a lot of attention and need a lot from you as an owner. None of this is a problem so long as you have the available time to give.
Your availability to train, exercise, groom, bond, and go beyond what your Poodle needs, will directly impact her overall happiness and health.
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