Anyone have a Schnoodle?

[katie111]

We are looking to adopt a puppy. I have never had a dog in my life but my husband always had a dog growing up. My kids (13, 12, and 8) are desperate for a dog. I definitely wouldn't call myself a huge "dog lover" so I definitely need a really cute dog in order to been on board with this. I also would like a dog that's fairly easy to train, not too big, doesn't shed all that much (although I know there are no guarantees with a mixed breed), and one that does not bark all the time (I have enough of those as neighbors). I've been looking into doodles and they seem to fit most of my criteria. I am a SAHM so will have plenty of time to stay home with the dog to work on socialization & training.

I just saw a Schnoodle puppy on Petfinder & I wanted to get some opinions from people that have them. This is a rescue dog and we would not be able to meet it before the adoption as it will be shipped from Houston. The dog is 5 months old and weighs 10lbs. No information about the parents, but would anyone have a guess as to how large a dog you think this will grow into?

Would love to hear any pros and cons on Schnoodles from those that have them. Please no debates on rescue dogs versus breeders. This is a rescue that we are looking at. Any info on other doodles would be appreciated as well.

Edited to correct-he is actually FIVE MONTHS OLD, not 5 weeks old.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

The dog is 5 weeks old and weighs 10lbs. No information about the parents, but would anyone have a guess as to how large a dog you think this will grow into?

Scary large, by the sounds of it!

 

[mjkacmom]

We adopted a fostered rescue, so that we knew her personality beforehand. She is a mix of two very high strung breeds, and is super mellow. She happens to be cute, but personality is way more important. Five weeks is so young! I'd register with some local groups. I'm sure there are plenty of local pups who need homes. My criteria was the dog had to be housebroken, crate trained (no crying through the night), not a big barker, and friendly. You are not going to get similar information from a picture of a 5 week old puppy states away.

Think about an older dog. Ours was 6 months when we got her, so I almost said no because I wanted an older dog. However, she won me over!

 

[wilkeliza]

Schoodles can be hit or miss. Both poodles and schnauzers are smart and obedient but they are also describes as high spirited, devoted and protective. So at 5 weeks old you have no clue if you are going to get a Schoodle that is going to listen but may be a little crazy in between times, one that barks at everything because it is protective of the family, or one that is super chill and obedient.

Also just wondering when will they send this puppy to you guys? A 5 week old puppy is way too young to be traveling and will be hard to cross state lines with as they still require around the clock care.

Just pointing out it is not a miniature mix. A 10 lb 5 week old puppy is going to be a pretty substantial dog. At best you are going to have a medium size dog but more likely you've got a large breed dog on your hands. That means it is most likely not a schnoodle and they just put it down as that because that is a desirable designer dog and the rescue wants to get it rehomed asap. I would look for a shelter closer to home where you can meet the pups so you know what you are getting into. Getting a puppy blindly even from a shelter means you could be taking a puppy with tons of medical issues and is not the breeds/mix you are thinking.

 

[xlsm]

I would honestly look at shelters and rescues closer to you, and not so far away. It's best for the dog AND for your family to be able to spend some time with different dogs before deciding on "the one". Dogs are not disposable, they are a lifetime commitment, so it really will benefit all of you

I never considered myself a "dog person", either, but now we have THREE rescues. I love them beyond measure, so I am really excited for your family!!

Speaking specifically of the dog in your original post...are you sure the puppy isn't 5 MONTHS old, not weeks? A 5 week old puppy is too young to be going home with anyone, and that seems super large for a schnoodle. The poodle parent could have been standard sized and the schnauzer parent could be a giant schnauzer, both of which are large dogs, or they might have misrepresented the breed (probably not on purpose, but sometimes they just guess). Most of the schnoodles I've been around have mini-sized parents and are small to medium in size, so the size of the Houston puppy has me thrown.

Good luck making your decision, it's tough, I know! I really do recommend looking closer to home though. Do you have a Petco or Petsmart nearby that does adoption events? You can follow local shelters and rescues on Facebook, too, and maybe take a trip to visit one (but prepare yourself, shelters can be loud and overwhelming. Smaller events are easier when kids are involved).

Again, good luck!!

 

[antmaril]

My parents had a schnoodle. I was 20 and my sister was 13 when my mother came home with a schnoodle puppy. She was the best! Very even tempered. Never growled at us -- not once. Didn't shed. Very smart. We all loved her. My father was heartbroken when she died. My mother had passed away and it was just the two of them at that point. Our experience was all positive. Her name was Prudence.

 

[Sammy]

We adopted two schnoodles about 18 months ago. There was an "oops" litter of only two puppies, and we adopted one and my daughter took the other. They are the sweetest, most snuggly pups we've ever had. They just love to be smooshed up next to someone on the couch or lounge chair. Our dog has topped out at 10 pounds, and my daughter's is about 13. Not overweight, just a larger, more stocky dog. They are both very smart, do not shed (the best part!!), have great personalities and love to play. Here's a picture of them when we first took them home. And no, they are not on the kitchen counter...they are on the exam table at the vet's office...lol.

 

[Jaya]

We had a rescue schnoodle that stayed very small. She was the smartest dog I've ever seen; the best of both breeds. Very loving and easy to train.

 

[katie111]

Thanks for the replies. For those that suggested adopting closer to home, I would love to but none of the oodles ever seem to end up in our shelters, and I've been looking for several months now. There seem to be a lot of poodles, but that's not really what we want. We live in the Boston area and we don't seem to get the number of strays and abandoned dogs that they seem to get elsewhere (which is obviously a good thing). I have couple of friends with Goldendoodles & Labradoodles and they all purchased them (at a high price) from various breeders which I would prefer not to do.

For those that have small Schnoodles, are they able to walk very far? We are a pretty active family and love to hike so would love to take them on some 2-3 miles walks & hikes on a regular basis.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I had one, but I went to the doctor and got it removed.

No idea what a schnoodle is. No, I didn't read the first post.

 

[mjkacmom]

Thanks for the replies. For those that suggested adopting closer to home, I would love to but none of the oodles ever seem to end up in our shelters, and I've been looking for several months now. There seem to be a lot of poodles, but that's not really what we want. We live in the Boston area and we don't seem to get the number of strays and abandoned dogs that they seem to get elsewhere (which is obviously a good thing). I have couple of friends with Goldendoodles & Labradoodles and they all purchased them (at a high price) from various breeders which I would prefer not to do.

For those that have small Schnoodles, are they able to walk very far? We are a pretty active family and love to hike so would love to take them on some 2-3 miles walks & hikes on a regular basis.

Is there any reason you are focusing on "oodles," especially since you aren't interested in a poodle? Most rescue dogs are mixes. You should focus on size and personality. My friend had a rescue that she really loved, and when her dog died, she found another puppy to rescue that looked exactly like her first one. The only thing they had in common was looks. She ended up spending so much money, time and energy on that dog's behavior. All is good now, except her dog still hates all other dogs. It takes time and patience to find the perfect addition to your family, which is a good thing, because hopefully that addition will be around for a long time.

 

[PlutoPony]

Do you have any idea why this 5 month old is in rescue at such a young age? That raises red flags for me, although it's possible that someone got the dog who just didn't want to deal with raising a puppy. it would be very helpful to know what kind of environment the dog has been in and has it been harmful to the dog's emotional growth. Yes at 5 months you could end up with a dog that has issues already - especially if they were initially with young children who didn't treat the dog with respect from the get go. As you are finding, there are many many rescue organizations out there and they vary WIDELY in quality i.e. how much they know about the dogs, how honest they are in conveying the info, and most importantly how much effort they put into finding a good match of dog and family. Your best bet is finding a rescue organization or 2 CLOSE TO HOME that you're really comfortable with and work with them to find a good match. And I would be really really really reluctant to take a rescue dog sight unseen without spending some time with it and getting an idea of what I was getting in personality.

Rescues are typically wonderful animals, and at this point in our lives is the only way I would get a dog. I'm sitting here with 2 rescue labs, both of which we adore and both of which came with issues we've been working on like separation anxiety and not trusting people. Neither were puppies when we got them though. Most things can be overcome but it can take time and effort, so working with a good rescue that is honest about what they know about the dog (its past - and how they are behaving with their foster family) is HUGE.

For a mixed breed dog - rescue or not - you never know which breed will turn out dominant in the dog. My advice is to be comfortable with both breeds that make up the dog so you aren't disappointed at how the dog turns out in looks, size, temperament, etc. Are you OK in general with poodles and schnauzers? What characteristic of each breed would it be difficult for you to live with?

I know you said you need a cute dog to get on board but really - have you ever seen a puppy that's not cute? Puppies are cute because they're so much work, being cute is the only way they get to adulthood lol

Best of luck!!

 

[jrmasm]

Do you have any idea why this 5 month old is in rescue at such a young age? That raises red flags for me, although it's possible that someone got the dog who just didn't want to deal with raising a puppy. it would be very helpful to know what kind of environment the dog has been in and has it been harmful to the dog's emotional growth. Yes at 5 months you could end up with a dog that has issues already - especially if they were initially with young children who didn't treat the dog with respect from the get go. As you are finding, there are many many rescue organizations out there and they vary WIDELY in quality i.e. how much they know about the dogs, how honest they are in conveying the info, and most importantly how much effort they put into finding a good match of dog and family. Your best bet is finding a rescue organization or 2 CLOSE TO HOME that you're really comfortable with and work with them to find a good match. And I would be really really really reluctant to take a rescue dog sight unseen without spending some time with it and getting an idea of what I was getting in personality.

Rescues are typically wonderful animals, and at this point in our lives is the only way I would get a dog. I'm sitting here with 2 rescue labs, both of which we adore and both of which came with issues we've been working on like separation anxiety and not trusting people. Neither were puppies when we got them though. Most things can be overcome but it can take time and effort, so working with a good rescue that is honest about what they know about the dog (its past - and how they are behaving with their foster family) is HUGE.

For a mixed breed dog - rescue or not - you never know which breed will turn out dominant in the dog. My advice is to be comfortable with both breeds that make up the dog so you aren't disappointed at how the dog turns out in looks, size, temperament, etc. Are you OK in general with poodles and schnauzers? What characteristic of each breed would it be difficult for you to live with?

I know you said you need a cute dog to get on board but really - have you ever seen a puppy that's not cute? Puppies are cute because they're so much work, being cute is the only way they get to adulthood lol

Best of luck!!

Copied because it needs to be repeated. This!!!!!

Your best bet is finding a rescue organization or 2 CLOSE TO HOME that you're really comfortable with and work with them to find a good match.

 

[Jaime4004]

We have a "schnoodle." Well, that's what we were told he was anyway. Got him at 4 months old. He's grown to look part schnauzer and part, who knows, about 30 lbs. He's the sweetest dog, very protective. Not in an attack sort of way, but if he thinks someone looks threatening (like when DH wrestles with the kids), he'll put his body in between them. He's definitely one of the smartest dogs i've had. He was never over active and did like long walks and playing. Now he's almost 15 so spends most of his time sleeping Our other dog is definitely a cockerpoo (cocker spaniel, poodle mix), about 20 lbs. He's the happiest dog i've never had, always wagging the tail. Also not the brightest bulb in the circuit. Definitely a lap dog, if you sit, he'll crawl right up next to you or on you and make himself comfortable. He is also now almost 15 and still loves to play fetch. They both used to bark at everything passing by, people, birds, squirrels. That was annoying. They are almost deaf now and have poor eyesight so that doesn't happen anymore.
That's my 2 cents, my oodles are awesome

ETA: Just realized they are in my profile pic

 

[Pumbaa_]

we have wowzers (westie schnauzer)
we have always had lab crosses. this is night and day. This breed is very different. And my male is a barker. Barks at everything and sometimes just cuz he is happy.

Love them to pieces but they are not as easily trainable as past dogs.

 

[elaine amj]

I spent a lot of time on petfinder when I was looking to adopt and had my heart set on a yorkie (my fave breed) or a Havanese. But I knew even then that dog personality was going to be the key factor. I contacted a rescue who had a Yorkie for adoption. She called me and we had a chat about my needs and our family. Fairly early in the conversation, she said that the Yorkie wasn't completely suitable for me because I really wanted a crate-trained dog and that Yorkie had never been crate-trained nor was she the type that would be particularly amenable to crate training. There were also a few other personality factors that weren't the best fit.

She suggested a mini poodle she had. I was taken aback - I have NEVER considered poodles...way too froo froo as far as I knew. But the more she described the dog, the better a fit he seemed. I eventually agreed to take him on a one week trial and 3 years later, he is still with us. Not everything about him is ideal - he doesn't know how to play with my kids, he has cataracts (which we did know when we adopted him), he's a bit bigger than my ideal (I prefer 6-8 lbs and he's 11+ lbs). But in the non-negotiables, he is an awesome fit. VERY laid back, quiet (it's rare to hear a peep out of him), very obedient (although certainly not your typical "smart" poodle - takes him forever and ever to learn tricks and we tease him that he is rather lacking in the intelligence department), travels like a dream (he's actually at his best when we travel), and super easy to care for (while he prefers a schedule, he's very easygoing about not having one). We're not particularly disciplined dog trainers, so it is wonderful to say a simple (and pretty casual) no and have him obey. Best of all, he can keep up with our active lifestyle - I can (and have) taken him on 5 hr hikes and he handles it great with some prior fitness training. He's been a bum all winter so an hour is about his limit right now - I'm working on getting him in shape again lol. I'm hooked on poodles now

Anyway, my point is that I was pleased with how my rescue agency matched the right dog for our family. I was a little intimidated by all the horrible stories I heard about holier-than-thou rescue agencies, but I was very pleased with mine. The owner had fostered my dog for a year at that point and knew him well. The vets say he was likely around 4 or so when we adopted him so he was a mature dog and didn't require the constant care of a puppy (since we work full time and my kids are in school, this was what we wanted).

 

[wilkeliza]

At 10lbs at 5 months I would say it may be the same size as our not so mini doxie haha. He is currently 14 or 15 pounds at 10 months old. He was 10 at his 5 month pre-neuter check up. I call him a not so mini because he is from mini parents and a breeder but thanks to some stocky genetics on both family lines he ended up being what is called a rabbit dachshund. Thankfully we aren't showing him because he doesn't qualify for either class of doxie for the AKC.

I would ask the rescue for any and all information they have. The mix sounds good but you don't want to end up with a dog that has separation anxiety or isn't active like your family. At 5 months old they should be able to tell you if he is active or more couch potato. They should have done a work up on him to know behavior etc. You do not want to end up with a dog that tears everything up when left alone. A family friend had that happen as they only saw the breed and free when they found the dog on craigslist but didn't think to ask why this expensive dog was being re-homed for free. Come to find out the dog had severe separation anxiety. It was so bad it would hurt itself in a kennel and outside the kennel it would eat walls, pillows, and anything in its path. Now the dog goes everywhere with them and often you can tell the poor thing is sitting there very anxious. Our first pup had separation anxiety as well but nothing bad at all. She is not destructive just would cry and cry and cry. After about a month of work she was much better and can be left home alone during the day. If we are gone over night she acts like her world came crashing down and will be very attached for hours and excite cry when we get home but that's easy to deal with.

 

[katie111]

Thanks so much for all of the replies. All of the information provided was very helpful. I contacted the agency in Houston with a long list of questions & it turns out the dog was already adopted. I also contacted a local shelter about a dog I saw listed on Petfinder but that dog had been adopted last week. I wish they would take the pictures down once they are adopted, it would save a lot of time. The woman from the local shelter started trying to talk me into another dog which I had no interest in (part pit bull)... almost felt like a bait & switch!

Well, the search continues.

 

[PlutoPony]

The woman from the local shelter started trying to talk me into another dog which I had no interest in (part pit bull)... almost felt like a bait & switch!

Well, the search continues.

Sorry it didn't work out! The local shelter sounds fairly typical - they just want to adopt their dogs out, and aren't necessarily able to put the effort into getting the best fit of dog to people. That's why I suggested finding a couple local rescue groups that seem to be good and work with them to find a match. Put applications in with them and get approved so when the dog you want pops up, you can get it ahead of those who haven't started the adoption application process. You could peruse Petfinder for dogs in your local area and it should say where they are located/what rescue group has them. Then look at the rescue's website and see how it looks... do they talk about how they get their dogs, what their adoption criterium is, how they are funded, etc. Call and talk to them - tell them what you're looking for - not just breed but characteristics and how those relate to your family. If you get a good feeling about them, do the application and stay in regular touch to see what new dogs have popped up that might fit your needs It can take a couple weeks to get an application approved in my experience, these are typically volunteers doing this kind of work. I started out talking with 4 different rescue groups here and decided to only work with 2, they seemed to be really on the ball, were willing to listen to what i wanted and why. And I will tell you that a lot of dogs come in and never make it to the website, the adoption coordinators see the info on a new dog and if they think it's a good fit for a family they are working with, they call you. So dogs can often be adopted before they ever make it to being "publicized" as available.