Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, Toy Poodle

• Breed Origin: Germany, France..The Poodle is one of the oldest breeds developed especially for hunting waterfowl. Most historical experts agree that the Poodle originated in Germany, but was developed into his own distinct breed in France.The Standard Poodle is the oldest of the three Poodle varieties. The Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle varieties were created by breeding small Poodles to each other, not by breeding Poodles to smaller breeds. The Standard is thought to be the oldest of the three varieties, and some still carry on the Poodle tradition of working as a water retriever. The Miniature Poodle is said to have sniffed out truffles, a type of edible mushroom that grows underground, and Toy Poodles and Miniature Poodles were popular circus dogs because of their intelligence, love of performing, and ability to learn tricks.

• Coat Colors: Brindle, Black, Cream, Red, Silver, Grey, Blue, Brown, Apricot, White, Sable

• Description: The Poodle comes in three size variations. Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle.
  • The head of the Poodle is dignified, straight, in proportion to body, with a slightly domed skull. Poodles have a straight nose-bridge and fairly tight-lipped. Their nose matches their coat color.
  • The Ears are reasonably long and covered with wavy, very long hair hanging against the cheeks, ear tips reaching to the lips when outstretched.
  • The Eyes are of almond-shaped, slightly slanted. Black or very dark brown to dark amber, depending on coat color.
  • The body is longer than higher. The Poodle has a solid, slightly arched neck.
  • Tail is set on high, docked by one-third or one-half in curly-coated variety. Left natural in corded variety. Raised to a slant in action.
  • Coat has an abundance of curly, fine and woolly hair.

• Exercise Requirements:
  • Standard Poodles need plenty of exercise. They are at home in water and love to go for long walks. They take great pleasure in being allowed off the leash to run and play in a safe area such as the dog park. The Standard Poodle has maintained his natural sporting instinct and has great stamina that needs a more significant workout than the smaller Poodle varieties. An unhappy or lonely Standard Poodle can develop very destructive behaviors.
  • Miniature Poodles and Toy Poodles do not require a lot of exercise daily, but thrive in getting out and about with their owners and having fun and adventures whenever possible.

• Grooming: Poodles require professional grooming every 4 to 6 weeks. Some Poodle owners learn to use clippers and clip their Poodles themselves, but most rely on professional groomers. Either way, it’s essential to take care of the Poodle’s curly coat. Without regular clipping, it will become a matted, knotty mess.

• Hereditary Disorders: The Poodle is a reasonably healthy dog, but they are still prone to several disorders which are common with many breeds of similar size. The Poodle miniaturization process can lead to problems such as overcrowding teeth in the toy variety, whilst the Toy Poodle is also susceptible to degeneration of the ball of the hip joint and the Miniature Poodle may suffer from slipping kneecaps. Both of these conditions can be corrected surgically. Eye disorders, such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy are known to occur amongst the Poodle breed, but can, and should, be tested for by breeders prior to breeding. The deep chest of the Standard Poodle variety, predisposes it to bloat, which is a gastrointestinal condition associated with overfeeding or feeding at inappropriate times. Hip Dysplasia, which is a inherent, chronic condition affecting the hip joints, is also evident in the Standard Poodle variety.
  

• Height:
  • Standard Poodle over 15 inches tall at the shoulder
  • Miniature Poodle over 10 but under 15 inches
  • Toy Poodle 10 inches or under

   

• Hypoallergenic: Yes

• Life Expectancy: 14 to 18 years

• Living Area Requirements: Standard Poodles do best in homes with fenced yards as they are active dogs who enjoy and require exercise. They will also do okay in an apartment, so long as there is a sufficient amount of daily exercise. The Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle varieties are well suited to the apartment lifestyle. They will be calm indoors if they receive enough exercise and will do okay without a yard.

• Temperament: Active, Intelligent, Alert, Faithful, Trainable, Instinctual. The Poodle comes fully quipped with the brain of Einstein and the sense of humor of a world class comedian. In actual fact, no other dog has such a well developed sense of humor like the Poodle. Poodles can also out perform almost all dog breeds in activities such as agility and obedience.Poodles are happy, friendly dogs who like hang out with people and other dogs. They have a fantastic sense of humor and are the natural born comedians of the dog world. Being the center of attention for the Poodle, is what it’s all about. They have an amazing ability for mimicking learned behaviors and performing tricks involving both brains and agility. It is entirely possible for a Poodle to outwit you, and you may find it unsettling to live with a dog who seems smarter than you are.Though there ere are many similarities within the three Poodle sizes, there are also some minor differences seen in their behavior. These differences won’t be noticed in every Poodle, but if you saw one of each size together, you may just notice some of the slight differentiating characteristics.
  • Standard Poodles are active and energetic, but they have a tendency to be a bit a little more constrained than the Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle.
  • Miniature Poodles love to follow their humans around and are the most active of the three Poodle sizes. Because of their larger size, Miniature Poodles are better suited to small children than the Toy Poodle. Miniatures Poodles and Toy Poodles have far more mischievous personalities than the Standard Poodles.
  • Toy Poodles would have to be the ultimate companion dog. These tiny dogs really know how to strut their stuff.Poodles are classed as one of the most intelligent dog breeds. The Poodles intelligence can render them stubborn at times. Even so, they make the most admirable, inspirational therapy dogs. Poodles is blessed with an empathetic nature and find joy in engaging with people. This makes them naturals for visiting with people in hospitals, nursing homes and schools. Poodles thrive on having a job to do.

   

• Weight:
  • Standard Poodle - 40 to 55 pounds.
  • Miniature Poodle - 12 to 15 pounds;
  • Toy Poodle - 5 to 10 pounds