more than one poodle

Question
My family has a chocolate standard poodle who is just over a year old.  He is wonderful and does great with our two young daughters.  We have heard that poodles do better with a companion; therefore, we have been considering adding another standard to our family.  Our concern is that we don't want to "mess up" a good thing.  Is it true that poodles do better in pairs and, if so, would it be best to pair a female with our male?

Answer
Hello Sara,
I personally think that Poodles do better with another dog around, but that depends on your lifestyle and that of your dogs.  If you are busy people that are in and out all day long, then it would be good for your dog to have a buddy to play with.  If you tend to try to spend alot of time with your dog; ie taking him out for walks or playing fetch with him, stay at home "parent" where you can spend alot more time with him, then you wouldn't need to get him a playmate.  

One thing you can try is "renting" a dog from the shelter to see if it and your dog would get along.  Talk to your local Shelter and see if they will let you bring a dog home for a "Test Run" with your dog.  Let your dog and the new dog meet at a neutral location so that there are not any dominance issues over territory.  
You can try both males and females as it depends on the individual dog as to which sex they get along best with.  I have 5 males in my house and they all get along wonderfully, because they realize that I am the ultimate boss over them.  

Do make sure that if you are getting a dog for your dog that the new dog doesn't substitute playtime between you and your existing dog.  You will now need to supply attention to both dogs.  It would also be good to do something fun with these Poodles such as Obedience or Agility.  It will give them an out for extra energy and will also provide fun for the owners.  Check with your local Pet Stores or Vets for information on trainers in your area.  

Well, I hope this has helped you some.  If you have other questions for me, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim