Pine vs poplar for painted trim, I keep flip flopping

I had a job last month in Denver where the homeowner wanted all the base and casing painted white, and I stood there in the lumber yard trying to decide between pine and poplar for about 20 minutes. Pine is cheaper, like $1.20 a foot around here, but it dents if you look at it wrong and the knots can bleed through even with primer. Poplar costs almost twice as much but it machines clean and takes paint like a dream, no surprises. I went with poplar for that job because the client wanted crisp corners and I couldn't risk a callback, but now I'm second guessing myself on the next bid. Do you guys eat the material cost for poplar on painted work, or do you offer pine and just warn the homeowner about the softness? Has anyone had pine actually hold up fine for years in a house with kids and dogs?

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