The Poodle

Breed: The Poodle

Description: This fantastic breed is available in three different sizes – toy, miniature and standard. They have a dense curly coat that unlike most dogs does not have an undercoat – keeping shedding to a minimal. They come in a variety of colours, normally solids but occasionally part colours. The tail, which use to always be docked, is now seen more and more natural. The docking of tails is illegal in the UK and Australia, and is being seen less often in the USA, often now only seen on Puppymill dogs. The ears are never cropped.

Characteristics: The Poodle is one of the most intelligent and popular breeds of dogs. They are very tractable and willing to please and make a great choice for the novice dog owner. All three sizes are very sweet natured and make an amusing playful companion who enjoys games and likes to be a clown.

This is an extremely sociable dog, loves the company of humans and is not one who enjoys being left alone for long periods of time. The Standard is a little more stable than the two smaller sizes, but it is not recommended that any of the three be spoiled as it can make them into a demanding brat. No matter the size, the Poodle is a hardy capable dog and should be treated like one.
The Standard poodle is a better choice for families with young children as they are far more patient than the two smaller cousins. The Toy and Mini can snap if rough handled. All three do very well with other animals, especially when raised with them, though Poodles are very people oriented and prefer the company of their humans over other animals.
Most are quite friendly with strangers, though some may be a bit reserved. The Poodle can make a good barking watchdog but if given the chance all three, especially the two little ones can get quite carried away with the noise.

Origins: The standard Poodle is the oldest of the three sizes and is an excellent retriever and water dog. Origins can be traced back to Germany, where they were known as the Pudel, which means “Splash in the water”. Eventually they made their way to France where they became very popular with the hunters. Great care went into breeding to make the poodle into the dog we know today. The toy Poodle and than the miniature came about shortly after.

Special needs: Poodles need to be professionally groom every couple of months and should have their hair brushed at least once or twice a week to ensure it doesn’t get tats. The traditional lion cut takes more care than the pet coat. Professional groomers can get costly, clippers can be purchased at almost any pet store and owners who want to take the time to learn, can save themselves a lot of money by doing the job themselves.

Highlights :

- The toy and Mini Poodle are known for having a special affinity for the Elderly.
- Like all dogs the Poodle no matter the size needs socialization, training and proper exercise to keep them happy and well behaved.
- The standard Poodle makes an excellent bicycling , jogging, hiking, swimming, hunting companion and also excels at many of the dog sports and trials.
- Poodles are a long lived breed, reaching 15 years or more.
- When looking to purchase a poodle, especially the toy or mini, care should be taken to only buy from a reputable Breeder. Sadly, the smaller poodles have been badly bred to make a quick return. There are many bad Breeders out there who are selling poorly tempered unhealthy dogs.