Sheep Poodle Breed description: Character & Co

Characteristics of the Schafpudel

The sheep poodle originally belongs to the group of herding dogs. They show themselves to be very temperamental and willing to work, but is not a nervous type of dog. The sheep poodle is considered intelligent and extremely capable of learning. They solve any task given to them in an energetic, but also playful way. It is considered a robust working dog, which has been selected for many generations to work with flock. Therefore it is characterised by persevering, robust and temperamental behaviour. It is also known for its assertiveness. Close contact with its family is really important for the Sheep Poodle, as it is a former herding dog with protective instincts. It is not advisable to keep this dog breed in a kennel.

Use of the Sheep Poodle

Originally the sheep poodle was used for herding, driving and protecting sheep. It is a working dog, which partly carried out tasks completely independently. Nowadays there are hardly any wandering shepherds left in Germany, so the Old German Sheepdog is threatened with extinction. Nowadays the sheep poodle is usually found as a family dog. It sees its family as its herd or flock, which it always wants to accompany and protect. It has a certain protective instinct, which makes it particularly good at defending not only its flock, but also its territory. It is suitable as a watchdog, because it reacts reserved towards strangers. Because of its temperamental and pithy nature, the sheep poodle is not considered a dog suitable for first-time owners. Sheep Poodle breeders normally make sure that the animals are given to sporty private households with a lot of space for them. Especially for active people the sheep poodle is an ideal companion. For bike or skate tours, long horse rides or ski and mountain hikes, its endurance, robustness and weatherproof coat is just perfectly suited, and the medium-sized four-legged friend can make use of its full potential. Their willingness to learn makes the sheep poodle also suitable for special sports like agility, flyball or frisby. The intelligent working dog masters more demanding training courses, such as therapy, rescue or ambulance dog, like no other.

Training of the sheep poodle

Because of its pithy nature, it is recommended to attend a dog school when training a sheep poodle. Sheep poodle puppies should get accustomed to other people and dogs from an early age, so they do not react aggressively in different everyday situations. It is important to know that a sheep poodle is a working dog that needs a lot of exercise and above all is always looking for a task to do. The demanding job of a real family dog is 100% up to the intelligent and willing to work sheep poodle. Early and consistent training is specifically important here. The family pet should learn as early as possible to be obedient and to subordinate itself. It must be able to deal reliably with children of all ages - which is a real challenge for dogs in general and should not be underestimated. They should deal with loud and hectic stays in the city in a calm way and visits to restaurants or shops should be easily manageable for them.