Are Poodles Good With Children: I Ask 34 poodle owners why they love poodles so much…
So, you’ve agreed with your family that the time is right to get a pet dog- this is a very exciting time for you and your household and is especially exciting for children, many of whom love puppies and dogs and want a canine companion to play and explore with.
You’ve done your research and have decided that poodles are on the list as a possible option for your family, but you need to be confident that you pick a breed that is good with children, will bond and play with them but will also be patient and tolerant of a child’s play,.Some less patient dog breeds can find annoying, especially if a child is quite heavy-handed or rough when playing, so it’s important to consider this!
As a professed poodle lover, I have always found poodles to be good around children. They are energetic players and generally good-tempered and not aggressive. In addition, they are hypoallergenic for most people who normally have dog allergies, which is great if someone in your household is allergic or suffers from asthma.
However, as I know I may be biased, I decided to do some research to see what other poodle owners had to say about how their toy poodles, miniature poodles and standard poodles are with the children in their lives.
I searched through Poodle social media pages and asked the question “are Poodles Good with Children?”, asking real life poodle owners what they thought and what their experiences with having poodles and children were.
So, what was the overall answer?
Poodles are good with children, though if you have young children you should probably go for a standard or miniature poodle as rough play can easily harm the smaller and more delicate toy poodles. Poodle owners report that poodles get on well with children and fit in with a busy household.
Toy poodles, miniature poodles and standard poodles are people-pleasing dogs and are not usually aggressive, they also like playing and have lots of energy, making them perfect for those with children.
While many dogs are great with children, there are some qualities to look out for which make certain breeds better around children and younger members of the family. Luckily, toy poodles, miniature poodles and standard poodles have these attributes!
Toy poodles, miniature poodles and standard poodles are: Friendly, Loyal, Playful, Affectionate, Patient, Tolerant, Energetic….The list goes on!
However, children of different ages and interests benefit from different qualities in a dog and while all poodles have the same temperment, the different sizes offer different. For example, toy poodles are wonderful pets and personality wise get on well with children. However, their smaller size does mean that if a child wants to play with them, they will have to be more careful and avoid rough and tumble type games as toy poodles can be prone to getting easily hurt if accidentally trod on or if play becomes too rough.
On the opposite end of the scale a standard poodle, while considered a medium sized dog, is actually quite large with long strong legs and if a child is scared of larger dogs they may not be ideal. However, if your child loves to be outside for a long time, is interested in hunting or would like a running companion, they are probably the best fit for your family. Standard poodles are large enough to behave as guard dogs too, so are a perfect dog to keep your family safe.
So, to prove that it is not only me who knows that poodles make good pets, I asked some poodle social media groups what they thought about how poodles are with children!
Of the 34 people who responded, the answer was an overwhelming YES! Poodles make great pets for families with children.
Steven, said “All poodles amazing with kids! Just have to watch with small kids and toy poodles that they are not rough with them. We have 6 toy poodles in the family and they are fabulous with the kids”
Lindsay said “I was given a toy poodle puppy at 8 by my grandfather and we was my closest friend and biggest emotional support for 20 years. I lost him in December and I’m still weepy about it.”
Jennifer said “Poodles and children are best friends 
Lizzie said “I think it depends on the individual dog. No one type is better than the other. I have 2 poodles and a terrier. All are happy with children although I would say my toy poodle is probably the best. He has a very lovely nature and relates more to humans than other dogs. He often comes to work with me in schools on a regular basis – he loves children. Would he like to live in a very busy house of children? I don’t know.I think it also depends on the natures of their parents. If they come from very busy working type lines they may not be so keen on family life.
You need to look at training. Not just the dog but the children too. My boys grew up with dogs and were taught to respect the dogs’ space and need for calm as well as playing. They got into trouble for tormenting the dogs or getting in their beds. As a consequence they grew up never being bitten by the dogs and an absolute love of dogs. Every dog is unique just like every person – look around at breeders and the different sizes and colours – my two poodles are completely different in personalities just like my boys – they are both loving and affectionate although in different ways. Poodles are quite unique and once you’ve had one you won’t want anything else
Denise said “I have a standard and a toy poodle. They are both great with kids but my standard is the gentlest dog I have ever known….everybody comments on his great nature and what a gentleman he is.”
Lois said “I have seen all sized poodles great with kids, it just depends on the dog and how it’s brought up. My standard poodle enjoys when friends kids come to visit, but he also likes to have his own space, as long as kids are taught to respect that. He also loves to play rough with me or my cousins teenager, but then knows to be gentle with younger smaller children 
Patience said “We got our first poodle when I was three and my sister was four years older. He grew up with us and was a superb companion. Decades later I have another poodle who isn’t a danger to small children but doesn’t care for them much. I think it has a lot to do with what they are exposed to when they are growing up. He always greets friendly children and that is our only problem because he does his poodle dance and can nearly knock them over sometimes. We can’t seem to stop him so just have to control him closely.”
Cheryl said “As a child, we had a miniature poodle and he was so soft. We now have a standard poodle and she dotes on our granddaughter aged 8 and grandson aged 8 months. Perfect dog for a family.”
Poppy said “I’ve had all 3 sizes and the Standard poodles have been the gentler of the 3 by far. I think the smaller dogs feel perhaps more vulnerable with children.”
Karen said “My 12.5 yr old toy poodle Toby and my 11 year old son are best friends. Whenever possible Toby will be with My son and moped when my son went away for a week with school. Like with any dog breed I would never leave a young child unsupervised with them”
Melissa said “Best dogs ever with kids. I raised 3 kids with minis and standards”
Michelle said “My 4 are great with my three children, but have been very socialised from day one”
Kaisty said “My toddler and miniature poodle get along great. The respect for each other is mutual, I think if my toddler was to pull her hair/pull her tail, yank her around then she wouldn’t tolerate it. But we don’t allow that behavior.”
Amy said “All our Poodles six in total have all been fine with kids but if you have the space and time go for a standard!”
Nelly said “Standard would be best with children.”
Maureen said “My standard poodle absolutely loves my great-grandson but like all the other comments parents need to make sure the children respect there quiet time and are not allowed to pull them about also I would never allow them to pick them up if they were small dogs!It’s nice to see them throwing a ball for the dog and sitting with them.”
Fiona said “My tiny toy poodle would be wherever my boys were (they were 5 and 7 when we got him as a puppy).“
June said “Depends on the children too. How old they are, how lively they are, do they follow instructions immediately when needed (safety aspect). Probably a miniature poodle would be best if you have smaller house. Only saying that because a standard poodle, if becomes a big standard, does need room to move and turn around in a room of furniture, childrens’ toys and children. Probably need to watch more that young children are gentle with a toy poodle.Which ever size, they need to learn to respect each other.”
Kim said “My 3 poodle boys, all now gone, were great with everyone and everything. But I live in an apartment, and from day 1, they had constant socialization. We have a puppy now who never gets to see other people. We don’t know what he’s going to be like. Just one thing; dogs and children should never be left unsupervised.”
Julia said “My standard poodles are brilliant with the baby and 4yr/7yr they snuggle for cuddles and play ball”
So, all in all there is some great feedback from real poodle owners! It seems that poodles are good with children, as long as children are good with poodles.
To help your poodle and children get on, make sure you teach children to respect your poodles space and not be too rough. All dogs and very young children should not be left unsupervised.
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