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The Best and Worst Companion Dog Breeds For Poodles

poodle trying to get along with another dog

Last updated on July 12th, 2021 at 01:49 am


You might be wondering if your poodle is lonely, especially if you work during the day and he doesn’t have anyone home with him for a few hours at a time. Should you get a companion dog for your poodle? Should the companion dog be a poodle? Which other dog breeds get along well with a poodle. We will answer those questions in this article.

However, before getting a companion dog for your poodle, you need to look at your specific dog situation and the goals you want to achieve with a second dog for your poodle.

As far as your situation is concerned, you will want to think about the following:

  • Is your poodle is well-trained enough that your poodle won`t teach the new dog bad behaviors?
  • Do you have enough space for an additional dog in your house?
  • Can afford a second dog (the price of the dog, and the cost of raising the new dog)?

If the answer to these questions is `yes`, then you may be ready to bring home a second dog and companion for your poodle, Next, you’ll want to consider whether you want a second poodle or a different dog breed.

Poodles get along very well with each other, and you cannot go wrong with getting a second poodle. Taking on the new poodle will be very easy for you since your are already familiar with the poodle breed.

poodle and another poodle
Poodles gets along well with each other

However, poodles require a lot of grooming. If you do not have the time or the money to spend on grooming additional poodles, then you may consider getting a different dog breed. We will discuss which other dog breeds are good companion dogs for poodles and that fit the personality of poodle owners.

When Should I get a Companion Dog for my Poodle?

If you have already decided that you want to add a second dog to your family, your next question is when you should make this decision.

Wait until Your Poodle is Full Grown

Some people like to buy two puppies at once so they can train them together, but experts say that this may not be the best approach. Some puppies will not bond with their owners properly if they grow up with another puppy in the house. This is not always the case, but it is at least a risk you take if you decide to get two puppies at one time.

Most owners decide to get a second poodle after they have already had their first poodle for a while. This is a good decision because it allows owners time to train and bond with their first poodle before they introduce another poodle.

When your poodle is at least two years old, your poodle is considered full grown. Some owners want to get their poodle a companion sooner than this, and that’s okay as long as your poodle is fully trained. However, it is a smoother transition if you get your second dog when your poodle is between 1 and 2 years of age. But you do not want to wait too long to get your poodle a companion as older dogs can take longer to adjust to a puppy. However, you want to make sure your poodle is old enough that he is trained and well-adjusted to life in your home.

Wait until Your Poodle is Well Trained

When you’re wondering if you should get a companion for your poodle, consider whether your poodle is well trained. Dogs in general tend to take on each other’s behaviors, especially when they are young. If you have a poodle who is not yet trained the way you want him to be trained, you won’t want to add a puppy to that because the puppy will likely take after your poodle.

Here are the common behavior problems that your new dog can learn from your poodle if your poodle is not well-trained:

  • Barking: For example, if your poodle barks a lot, your new puppy will start barking as well. You will want to train your poodle to stop barking on command or use something like a bark box to curtail his barking sufficiently before you bring home a puppy. This is especially important if you live in an apartment or have neighbors close by as the constant barking of two dogs may cause problems for you with your neighbors.
  • Chewing, Nipping, and Biting: If your poodle chews on things, you will want to teach her to chew only on chew toys before you bring that new puppy into your home. Puppies already have a tendency to chew and nip and play bite, so having a dog who behaves in those ways will make it difficult to train your new puppy not to chew, nip, or bite.
  • Accidents in the House: If your poodle is not house trained yet, do not bring a puppy home yet. House training is one of the more laborious tasks of pet ownership, and bringing a new puppy home to a poodle who is not yet house trained could cause your poodle to revert in his training as well as make it difficult to train your new puppy.
  • Other bad behaviors: If your poodle is disobedient or exhibits other bad dog behaviors, you may not want to bring in a new dog. Puppies will often take after the older dog who is already established in the home. This can actually make training a puppy a lot easier if the dog you already have is well trained. However, if your poodle is not well-trained, it can make it more difficult to train your new puppy as she will pick up on the bad habits your dog has.

Do You Have Space for a Second Dog?

Consider how much yard and home space you have. When you get a second dog, your poodle and his new companion are likely to play together in the home and yard. This companionship is part of the reason you want to get a second dog. If you don’t have a lot of space in your yard, you can still be a responsible owner of two dogs by taking them on frequent walks or visiting the dog park.

poodle playing in park

Do You Have Room in Your Budget for a Second Dog?

You already know that dogs are expensive. Look at what you spend on taking care of your poodle every month and consider whether you can afford to double that cost.

Should I get Another Poodle or a Different Breed?

Many poodle owners fall in love with the breed and want another poodle, but it is up to you. You may want to stick with the breed that you already know and love, or you may want to experience owning a different breed. That decision is up to you.

Since grooming can be expensive at the groomer and time-consuming if you do it yourself, you may be considering a breed with low maintenance grooming.

If you decide to purchase a different breed, you will want to research that breed thoroughly. You want to prepare yourself as much as possible for a breed that you are unfamiliar with. Poodles are smart, and poodles are easy to train. Most breeds are more difficult to train than poodles, so you may want to have a training plan in place if you are going to branch out and try owning a different breed.

a poodle and a doodle
Poodles get along well with their doodle cousins.

Do Standard Poodles Get Along Well With Toy Poodles?

Poodles of all sizes should get along well together as long as they have a typical poodle temperament. Therefore, a standard poodle will get along well with a toy poodle. However, if your current poodle is a standard, you may want to be very careful about buying a toy or miniature poodle puppy because the size difference could make it easy for your big poodle to hurt the new smaller puppy while trying to play. If you currently have a toy or miniature poodle, you could get a standard poodle puppy, but you would want to make sure that the puppy does not play too rough with the smaller poodles, especially as he grows larger in size.

Should I get Two Female Poodles or A Male and A Female?

The gender puppy you get doesn’t necessarily depend on the gender of the poodle you already have. Actually, if you plan to spay and neuter, the gender of your poodles really doesn’t matter. Temperament is more important than gender when you’re looking to add a second poodle to your family. That being said, male poodles can tend to be higher energy and more affectionate. If you already have a male poodle, and you feel that you would prefer a lower-maintenance poodle for your second pet, you may want to opt for a female poodle. Two female poodles get along very well with each other and tend to be more low-key and relaxed, depending on the temperament of the parents.

A poodle will try to play with any other dog breed at first sight

Other Dog Breeds That Get Along Well with Poodles

Of course, poodles get along well with other poodles, and you will see plenty of owners who have multiple poodles. Some owners, however, find the grooming to be quite expensive and time consuming, and they look for a breed with low maintenance grooming needs.

Low-Maintenance Grooming Dog Breeds that get along with Poodles

Great Danes: Many Poodle owners report enjoying their Great Danes as well. Great Danes and Poodles are quite a common pair to find in a household. Great Danes, like poodles, can tend to be couch potatoes. Many people with Standard Poodles will opt for a Great Dane as a Companion due to their calm nature and low maintenance grooming.

a great dane
A Great Dane. Great Danes are perfect companions for poodles

Basset Hounds: If you have a toy or miniature poodle, a Great Dane might be too big to play with her gently. For a smaller poodle, consider a Basset Hound as a companion. Basset Hounds are laid-back, friendly dogs. They are also low maintenance for grooming.

basset hound
Basset hounds are great companions for poodles

French Bulldogs: French bulldogs are calm and very friendly. French bulldogs get along well with poodles.

French bulldog
French Bulldogs get along well with poodles

Pugs: Pugs have low maintenance needs and they get along well with poodles.

a pug
Pugs are low-maintenance dogs. They get along with poodles

Beagles: Beagles are also calm and friendly breeds who would get along well with a poodle of any size.

a beagle
Beagles are calm dogs that get along well with poodles

Low-Allergen Dog Breeds that get along well with Poodles

Some poodle owners have allergies and want their second dog to be a breed that is better for allergy sufferers. Of course, another poodle would be the best option for someone who suffers from allergies, but if you really want to own a different breed with your poodle, there are some other low allergen breeds that get a long well with poodles. These include:

Shih-Tzus get along well with poodles

a shih tzu

Yorkies get along well with poodles

yorkies get along well with poodles

Schnauzers get along well with poodles

schnauzers get along well with poodles

Some Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers can get along with poodles as well, but you will want to make sure that you do not own a soft coated wheaten terrier male with any other male dogs of any breed. Male soft coated wheaten terriers tend to do best living with female dogs.

As with any breed of dog, there can be outliers and it is important to thoroughly research the breeder and lines before purchasing a puppy. Consider looking for a breeder who does temperament testing. If you plan to rescue a dog, be sure to get all relevant information about the dog and his background. See if you can do a “meet and greet” with your poodle if possible.

Dog Breeds That Do Not Get Along Well with Poodles

  • Terrier breeds: This is not always true, but often terrier breeds, especially male terriers, do not get along with other dogs very well, poodles included. In fact, two male terriers generally do not do well together in a home. Terriers can be very territorial, especially around other males. Airedale Terriers can be especially aggressive with other dogs.
All Terrier dog breeds, including the Airedale terrier are aggressive to other dogs
  • Alaskan Malamutes can be aggressive towards other dogs
Alaskan Malamute
  • Australian Cattle dogs do not get along well with poodles
Australian Cattle dog
  • American Mastiffs and poodles do not get along well.
American Mastiff
  • American Pitbulls are not good companion dogs for poodles
American Pitbull
  • Akita Inus are very combative dogs. They do not get along well with poodles.
Akita Inu

Doberman Pinscher

Doberman

Dogue-de-Bordeaux

Dogue-de-Bordeaux

Basenji

Basenjis do not get along well with other dogs

Here is a list of dog breeds and their aggressiveness toward other dogs for further research. These aggressive dog breeds will not get along well with your poodle.

What it Comes Down To

When you’re considering whether to add a second dog to your family, think about your poodle and how well he or she is trained. Think about how well your poodle gets along with other dogs. Look at your budget and decide if you can afford to care for another dog. Decide if you want another poodle or a different breed.

Research bloodlines and temperaments of a puppy before purchasing or schedule a meet and greet with a dog you are considering rescuing. No one wants to go through having to return a puppy or back out of rescue. That can be a truly heartbreaking experience for the whole family. That’s why it is so important to think about all these things before you decide if you’re ready to bring home a companion for your poodle.