After sadly losing my 2 dogs within 6 months of each other I am considering a poodle. However after having cavaliers I have to admit I am no great fan of grooming. Is a poodle coat more work?

It all depends on what size poodle you would want.I have two standards and groom a cavalier(strip twice a year,wash and trim) for my vet. Obviously , the bigger dog will take longer to dry and groom ,but a mini or toy poodle would take approx the same time to dry.The cavalier takes much less comb through time and you  could get away with not combing the cav. every day...a poodles wool coat is less forgiving and really needs a daily comb to keep knot free. The plus side of the poodle coat is they don't smell or shed freely,the fine undercoat hairs are removed when you comb the dog so your clothes and furniture are  hair free. The cavalier is a wash and go dog,whereas the poodles need a weekly wash(my opinion) and a full groom can take a minimum of two hours when you shave the face,feet and wash/dry and shape the coat.My two are in a relatively simple sporting clip ,but it still takes a good two to three hours to do a full groom ,each week.The daily comb out is from ten to twenty minutes each day to keep them presentable and check them for grass seeds etc.
On a day to day basis,my dogs walk in rain or shine .The cavalier would mainly need a good rub down on a rainy day,but the poodle needs to be dried and combed out..despite wearing a raincoat,mine have the full leg hair and that needs drying ,along with their heads and tails(20 mins).
My boys and myself are allergic to cats and also to some types of dog hair...the poodle coat does not trigger any breathing issues with my family and we love this about them...having said that you need to do the weekly bath routine. 
As for the cavalier,she comes to me unwashed(is washed monthly) and triggers my itching eyes as soon as she gets in my car.
Finally,if you aren't a grooming bod,you can keep the poodle in a close shaved cut,no leggings...just a head and tail pom, and everything is much simpler and faster. Good luck with your choice!

Thank you for your help. It is a toy I am thinking of. A close shaved coat sounds better. How often would this need to be done ( by a proper groomer) and what would I have to do to maintain it? I have absolutely no experience with poodles and need to consider everything before I commit to owning one.

Trimmed every 8 weeks & brushed regularly inbetween.

...most poodle info sites state every six weeks for a full clip.I groom my own dogs and they are washed every week,and combed daily.I clip /scissor my girls each week as well ,as their coats grow so fast.My two are groomed so often as they sleep with us and are in public eye each day..in Italy we take our dogs to the markets,into shops,the malls etc...plus I like them this way!The joy of a poodle is there are so many clips,the basic shave over can be learned very easily and you can do it yourself. The cost of a groom here,for a  toy poodle is between 30 euros to forty euros for a fuller coat clip. this will also have to be considered when you get a poodle ..many DIY the groom to save costs  and keep the dog in good condition. Having said that you would have to consider the outlay for a set of clippers,comb,brush scissors etc...it is very addictive ,I find,I love grooming my dogs and wouldn't consider another breed now after having my poodles.Ive just got my third,a silver boy and the coat grooming is still a joy to do after all these years.

My toy is clipped every six weeks and, to be honest, for the last two weeks she is longer than I like her so I would ideally like her done every four weeks - however the money factor prevents this.
You really need to consider the money side as it costs around £25 every six weeks. I pay slightly more for a lovely groomer who has one dog at a time and never cages the dog.
I have to confess that i don't brush her every day - I can get away with every three or  four  days, but a brush through every day is best if you can.
My girl will only start to smell after about two weeks so I only bath her about twice between grooms. I enjoy bathing and brushing my girl - I think it is part of the bonding process.

I think that you have to think carefully about this as getting a poodle is a commitment to brushing and clipping the dog for the rest of it's life - and toys can live up to 18 years !!!!

Thanks for the replys. Is there any difference in the toys and the minis apart from size? It is a minefield changing breeds.I have started looking on websites but at the minute it seems there is a lot of poodle crosses which I may consider if it is a rescue . I really don't know where to start.

I forgot to mention poodle ears !! They need the hairs plucking out. I do mine every week - I know when they need doing as she gets itchy - and I use Thornit powder as a plucking powder. I also have ear wipes as the powder needs cleaning out occasionally. Some people leave it for the groomer to do every 6 weeks, but I dont think that's fair and could cause ear problems.
Thornit powder is a must if you have a Poodle !

Regarding size, I have only ever had Toys so can't comment on Mins but don't let anyone tell you that Toys are yappy, they only are if you let them be. Mine has been taught the 'quiet' command from early on.

Do you think the grooming place would show me how to do this or the breeder?. Also as I only live about 100 yards from the beach how easy is it to get sand out of a poodle coat? Also would salt water be a problem if they were a swimmer?

I have to be honest and say that each time we visit the Italian seaside it ruins the coat....I cannot imagine letting a poodle regularly swim in the sea.The toys would shudder at the thought...the bigger "nano" and mini size poodle are far more sporty and would no doubt love to run on the beach,but I doubt they will be keen swimmers.
Sand  can be easily brushed from the coat..it is the wind and humidity that would really ruin the coat for my two,on a regular basis.
.......have you considered a border terrier or similar..these would fit in perfectly with your lifestyle and only need stripping out every few months....a real wash and wear breed for sure.

I have considered a border terrier but a friend has one and to be honest it has put me off he is very wilful, but if the toys do not like the water it seems okay. I did not think cavaliers would though and I could not keep my two out. Am I right in thinking a toy poodle would need less exercise than a cavalier ? I love cavaliers but I am not prepared to go through losing one again through heart problems.

When I used  to live in uk I lived in st annes on the sea...I used to have an Australian silky terrier. You could not wish for a more biddable,loyal,non shed,beautiful,active yet with an off switch,breed.She lived to be 16.5 years,with no health problems. At 14 she began to show her age.She came with us to Italy and lies in my garden now at peace. Now that was a dog that loved the beach,the sand fell from her silkie coat with a quick brush...she was similar to the cavs re grooming needs...what about this ??

Re toy poodles... The toys are all different in their needs...it would depend on the dog you chose. Be sure to go to a reputable breeder who tests for eyes and knees.

Thank you I will research

I thought poodles were originally used to retrieve game from water - would have thought they were keen swimmers? I thought the traditional  coat clipping was to protect them in the water.

Harley..yes indeed..the standard poodle was originally bred to retrieve game from water..hence the name pudel,or puddle dog. the clip was nowhere near as exaggerated as the modern day poodle,the long wiry ,waterproof coat would have been a mass of felt and knots....the modern show clip harks back to the origins of the dog with the Pom poms representing the  natural protection of the joints from arthritis etc. Each hunter would tie a ribbon of his color to the dogs ear to be able to recognize his own dog in the water.
Smaller poodles were used as truffle hunters...again in a very rustic clip.
...today ,s  poodles are a far cry from their hunting ancestors...however some do retain a high prey drive and have been used and titled in hunt/ retrieve competitions.
http://www.gundogmag.com/2011/09/06/gun-dog-breeds-standard-poodle/
The toy poodle is a companion dog and does his job very well.To swim in the sea and be a rustic companion I'd say even the standards have been so far bred away from their original role that you'd struggle to find one that would consistently work well on a daily basis. Many would simply excel then get bored of the task...after all they are poodles lol.
Here is a link to some poodles who still can hunt...and do...click on hunting..
http://www.vipoodle.org/pages/VIP_versatilepoodles.html

Plus...if the poodle is in a close shave ,it will have only its wool undercoat...no protective ,waterproof guard hairs to make it suitable to swim on a regular basis and have the protection of a natural,longer coat.

Good choice wendle - poodles are an absolute joy. Do not let the coat put you off, its really not as high maintenance as some think.
I have a minature boy. For the first few years of his life I went to a newly qualified groomer who did a wonderful job but left the coat quite long similar to this.....
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=miniature+poodle+lamb+clip&um=1&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1772&bih=954&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=hBdMTujgTY5sNM:&imgrefurl=http://www.classiegrooming.com/page20.htm&docid=rhawiRtIqryuaM&imgurl=http://www.classiegrooming.com/userimages/poodlebackgarden.jpg&w=536&h=459&ei=PD7dUYqzCa6g7AbUoIH4AQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:0,s:0,i:82&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=188&tbnw=226&start=0&ndsp=33&tx=179&ty=64
It looked beautiful but did require a lot of brushing in between appointments to remain knot free and I must admit, i could have cried if he ran through a puddle or got wet and sandy at the beach.
When she gave it up to return to her full time office job I started clipping him myself and did a reasonable job of it. When my child came along I could no longer dedicate the time to it so i starting using another groomer who keeps his coat clipped a lot shorter similar to this
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=miniature+poodle+lamb+clip&um=1&safe=active&sa=N&biw=1772&bih=954&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=JoLcNAyevupJwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.poodleforum.com/9-poodle-grooming/4818-pics-poodle-lion-trim.html&docid=BlB62Tg1Zf4gQM&imgurl=http://www.poodleforum.com/attachments/poodle-grooming/6325-pics-poodle-lion-trim-graylambcut.260142846_large.jpg&w=1280&h=1152&ei=PD7dUYqzCa6g7AbUoIH4AQ&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:3,s:0,i:91&iact=rc&page=1&tbnh=188&tbnw=216&start=0&ndsp=33&tx=126&ty=85
Its much more practical, he can run through mud/sand and get wet and its very easy to brush out, plus, his coat stays looking nicer for longer. It also keeps him cooler yet he still looks 'poodley'
I pay £30 every 6 weeks and she takes about 1.45 - 2hours to wash, dry and clip him.
Finding a good groomer is key. Someone who does a good job with the right tools who treats your dog the same way that you would. I've heard some horror stories of local groomers and the woman i use comes highly recommended. I did have to wait a while to get on her books, but that was far better than rushing to the wrong groomer who would scare my dog and just shave him all over losing his poodle identity.
In between appointments i brush him once or twice a week (only takes a few minutes) and clean his ears. This requires plucking some of the hair out and wiping round with cotton wool.
HTH :-)

Strange as SWD's have a similar coat and swimming in the sea actually improves it.  OK they won't have the soft coat but they will have a nice wavy coat.......

I am very seriously still looking towards a poodle , the main reason I disliked grooming was because most of the hair ended up on me and the furniture. Is there any difference in temprement between the mini and the toy? We are a household of myself OH  two grown up children and a visiting grandchild  , and a quite elderly cat who is used to dogs. My granddaughter is 2 years old but she is well behaved around animals.

As far as I know there is no difference in the temperment of the two.
I grew up around a mini who was an absolute dear and my boy was 4 when we had our daughter. He was excellent when we brought her home as a newborn and He is very good with her mow 2 1/2 years later but I would consider us sensible dog owners and parents. She has been taught the rules of how and when to play with the dog and the dog is allowed down time on his own upstairs if hes had enough. I'm sure you wiuld be the same when your grandchold visits.
I see no reason why a toy or miniature poodle wouldnt fit into your family. Perhaps you could try and find some poodle owners nearby to compare the two sizes. I prefer the miniature as they are still small but not as tiny as the toy. Of course, this is entirely personal preference so you would need to see for yourself which you and your family are drawn to most.
Poodles are extremely intellegant and thrive on training and brain stimulation. Being that you are an older family with grown up children with time to dedicate to this you are perfect poodle owners!! :-)