Standard, Miniature and Toy Poodles Dog Breed Facts, Information and Pictures

Poodle History

Believed to have originated in Germany, prior to the 15th century, the Poodle was originally known as the Pudel, or by the name “Canis Familiaris Aquatius.” It is believed that the Poodle developed as a water spaniel dog and was later mixed with Russian dogs to create the basis of the breed. He would first become standardized in France, where they would adopt him as the national dog, but the name “Poodle” is, in fact, an English term, taken from the German term pudel or pudelin, which meant for one to splash in the water. This was one of the things that Poodles do best.

Well known for his skills in the water, the Poodle was one of the ultimate water retrievers and a very popular duck hunting dog in his time. Despite many believing the dogs are cut in frivolous styles, according to some strange dog-related fashion trends, the original Poodle cuts were designed to lighten the dog’s overall body weight, grant him buoyancy, and protect him from debris in the water, while still giving protection to the dog’s joints from the cold waters they retrieved game from.

The smaller variety of Poodles would come to be, relatively soon after the Standard Poodle was recognized, although the smaller varieties were more favored as pets and truffle-hunting dogs. Smaller and more lightly built, they would do less damage to the delicate truffles than their larger counterparts, and so the Miniature poodles were employed for the purpose of scenting out and then digging up the edible fungus; in fact, many claim that terriers were crossed with the Poodle, specifically in the hopes of breeding a better truffle-hunting dog. The smallest of the three varieties of Poodle, the Toy Poodle or Petit Barbet, as he would later be called, was created solely for the purpose of being a pampered little puppy for the royal courts of the day. Interesting to note is that the breeding of these smaller dogs was never documented, so it remains a mystery as to whether or not the smaller versions were simply bred-down versions of the Standard Poodle, or if they were 3 separate and unique breeds with a common ancestor - the world may never know. 

Poodle Appearance

An adorable white Miniature Poodle romps in the grass.

Regardless of which size variation you choose, the Poodle is a very square, compact, and sturdily-built dog. Designed as a water-based retriever, he is muscular without being bulky and streamlined without being frail. The overall appearance of this dog is very balanced and geometrical; attesting to his great athletic ability.

The eyes of the Poodle are intelligent and dark in color, somewhat oval in shape and set far apart on his head, coupled with a gently tapering muzzle to give these dogs a delicate and beautiful profile that is unique to the breed. While the dog’s straight topline is often hidden by their abundant coat, they are very elegant and straight-backed, with a short loin, well sprung ribs and strong hips, which taper off to tiny, yet efficient paws.

Poodles are only found in solid colors, such as black, grey, brown, silver, café-au-lait, apricot, cream and white. Any parti-colored dog is considered mismarked, which is disqualifiable and unregisterable. 

Poodle Temperament

The Poodle is a very proud and noble dog and is well-known for carrying himself thusly. Very active and intelligent, they are keen canines who tend to consider themselves top dog. While they can get along well with children and other pets that they are raised with, they are originally bred as hunting dogs, so should be watched with birds and smaller animals. On the whole, however, the Poodle is a very attentive animal who seeks to please his human and keep everyone happy.

Poodle Exercise Needs

A high-spirited and active dog, the Poodle is one who likes to stay busy. While he does not require a home in the country, he is still perfectly at home in those surroundings and, if confined to city life, will undoubtedly drag his owner out for numerous walks or trips to the dog park on a daily basis. Due to their intelligence and activity levels, they are ideal animals for obedience events and canine obstacle courses.

Poodle Grooming Requirements

The Princess of Primp, the Poodle is perhaps one of the most elaborately clipped dogs in the world. Whether clipped or unclipped, they possess a curly coat that will grow in tight ringlets if left unattended. Of course, most people will tell you half the fun of having a poodle is the coiffed appearance of this pampered pooch. What few realize, however, is that there is more than one way to powder-puff your Poodle:

The Puppy Clip: If under a year in age, the Poodle is often shown in what is known as the "puppy clip." In this clip, the face, throat, feet, and the base of the Poodle's tail are shaved and the rest of the coat is left long, save for a pompon on the end of the dog's tail.

The English Saddle: Clipping the face, throat, forelegs, feet and base of the tail, the Poodle is left with puffs of hair on the forelegs and a pompon on his tail. A short blanketing of hair is left over the hindquarters, save for a curved shaved area on each flank and two bands shaved into each hind leg. The rest of the coat may be left long.

The Continental: When clipping a Poodle in a "Continental" style, the face, throat, feet, and the base of the Poodle's tail are shaved, as are the hindquarters. Optional pompons may be left on the hips, but the legs are always shaved with puffs on the front legs and bracelets on the hind and the dog sports a pompon on the end of his tail, as well.

Sporting: The Poodle that is clipped in a "Sporting" style has his face, throat, feet and the base of his tail shaved, but the top of his head is scissor-cut into a simple cap. The remainder of the body is either clipped or scissor-cut to a length of no more than an inch, following the lines of the dog's body. As always, the Poodle's tail sports a pompon at the end. 

Poodle Training

The Poodle is an incredibly intelligent breed and one that desires to please his owner. For these reasons, he is generally very easy to train and receptive to the praises that he receives for good behavior. It is said that the Poodle is the quickest breed to catch on to verbal commands and that he is capable of understanding short sentence commands.

Obedience classes are highly recommended if you are inexperienced with training dogs - not only does it teach your dog basic commands and obedience, but it also teaches you how better to understand your new Poodle puppy, and what methods he bests responds to. In no time, you two are sure to be teaching one another new tricks.

Poodle Health Information

Like any breed of dog, the Poodle is subject to a variety of health concerns. Your best bet is, when deciding to choose a new Poodle puppy, check around with several breeders and ask about the various health issues that can affect these beautiful little dogs. A reputable breeder should be well-versed in the health concerns and should be able to give you more details, as well as showing you the sire and dam of your potential puppy. Some of the health problems that can affect Poodles include:

Toy and Miniature Poodles:
Progressive retinal atrophy
Legg-Calve'-Perthes
Patella Sub-luxation
Epilepsy
Hypothyroidism
Cryptorchidism

Miniature Poodles are also subject to:
Hip dysplasia

The Standard Poodle:
Progressive retinal atrophy
Epilepsy
Hypothyroidism
Hip dysplasia
Von-Willebrand's Disease
Addison's Disease
Sebaceous Adenitis

Is the Poodle Dog Breed Right For You?

The Poodle is a very intelligent and alert individual that requires a great deal of care and attention. Not only does his coat require regular trips to the groomer and a daily brushing, but he is a very social individual who prefers to think of himself as a "people" and entitled to the same privileges and attention. If you don't mind a lot of exercise and you have the time (or money) to take him to the groomer's regularly, you may find that this wonderfully intelligent dog is the perfect pet for you.

Finding A Responsible Poodle Breeder

Now that you have decided that the Poodle is the right breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible Poodle breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Poodle puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a responsible Poodle breeder, you may need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love with a puppy with health and behavioral problems that will likely need special care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible, caring Poodle breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Poodle breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that will provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.

Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...

Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised German Shepherd puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the breeders whom they allow to advertise.

We Highly Recommend:

• Standard Poodle Puppies For Sale
• Miniature Poodle Puppies For Sale
• Toy Poodle Puppies For Sale
• Poodle Breeders Showcase
• Poodle Puppy Finder on Pet Net
  
  

Poodle Names

Choosing a name for your Poodle puppy can be a daunting task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot of thought and research to find just the right name for your Poodle. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Poodle puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this popular subject.

We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name for your new Poodle puppy. These sites offer inventive, unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for their new baby!

• Dog Names
• Choosing A Name For Your Dog Or Puppy
• Unique Pet Names
  
  

Poodle Pictures

Poodles are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at Poodle pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you decide if you really want to become an Poodle owner. The following sites below offer pictures of Poodle dogs, Poodle puppy photos, funny Poodle photos and more. Enjoy!

• Poodle Dog Pictures
  
  

Additional Poodle Information Resources

There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn more about the Poodle dog breed. We've compiled a list of Poodle information sites to assist you in quickly locating quality information about the Poodle dog breed, while avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know of an Poodle information site that offers unique, quality information and photos of the Poodle breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.

• Wikipedia - Poodles
• My Poodles.com - Breed profile, grooming and healthcare tips, information on preventing parasites and behavioral problems, and other articles of interest to a dog owner.
• Poodle Connect - Lists links to sites for enthusiasts.
• Poodle History Project - The goal is to illuminate the tasks which the Poodle was bred to do.
• The Poodle Museum - Photographs of many poodles. Graphics intensive.
• Poodle Place - Poodle history, health tips, stories, and a description of the different sizes.
• Poodle Variety - Magazine covers the world of breeding, exhibiting and keeping show, agility, and obedience dogs along with interests for the pet owner.
• PoodlePlayground.com - Photographs, articles on training and grooming, horoscopes, pet products, facts, and stories.
• Poodles in Australia - Source for dogs in conformation, obedience and agility. Pedigrees, photographs of top sires and dams, specialty show results, and presentations by the country's leading breeders.
• Versatilty In Poodles - A non-profit organization dedicated to the health, education, and performance of the breed. Provides educational material on choosing breeders.
• Wonderful World of Poodles - Description of colors, breed history, health issues, grooming tips, information for potential buyers, and description of how poodles interact with children.

Poodle Clubs and Rescues

Poodle clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even more about the Poodle dog breed, help you locate a responsible Poodle breeder, or help you find an German Shepherd dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving, forever home. We've compiled the following list of Poodle clubs and Poodle rescues web sites for your convenience:

• Association for Responsible Poodle Ownership - Promotes excellence in Poodles for conformation, obedience, tracking, field work, and as pets.
Poodle Club of America - Provides information and resources about Poodle related subjects and shows.
• The Standard Poodle Club - News, how to join, code of ethics, forums, and information on upcoming events. United Kingdom.