It's so neat to see them all! Fran, my friends are Ben and Holly. They are both two years old, but they're not from the same litter. And I LOVE poodles. I'd recommend them for any allergy-prone person for sure. I know the conventional wisdom is that NO dog is truly hypoallergenic, but we've done fine. Yes, they technically do shed, but it's fuzz balls here and there that are easily picked up and thrown away, not hair. Honestly, I'd probably not have the fuzz balls around if I were more faithful in brushing them, but they really don't like to be messed with, and it's usually not worth the physical labor for me to force the issue. I messed up by not getting them used to that when they were younger. They'd never hurt me, but they pull away, and they are STRONG. On the other hand, Holly seems to really enjoy being fixed up by the groomer. Ben just tolerates it. Isn't that so typical of male v. female? Holly has show dog breeding, and she struts like she knows it. Ben plods along like a bear. He has no grace or agility, and she has fun leading him on a chase and making him run into things. NOT nice!
As for the allergy issue, though, I figured out that the problem here only happens if I don't wipe them down good when they come inside. It's the pollen that sticks to the fur that causes the problem here; not the dogs themselves. Baby wipes are great.
I have my hands full with two though. I really can't imagine either the care or expense of more. Pet insurance, by the way, has saved my butt with them. I know a lot of people say it's not worth the money, but I've talliied expense v. benefit two straight years, and I've gotten back more than I've paid in premiums. Have any of you ever tried it? I don't know if this qualifies as a thread hijack or not. It's sorta related. If anybody wants to talk much detail about it, though, we can start a new thread.
I love your fuzzy friends!
Hydro is pictured twice - a before and after.
