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Important: This information is collected from a variety of sources and is presented as general thoughts about the breed. It is sugggested that you use our information with that of your own to make any decisions. We suggest you DO NOT make any decisions about a family pet based solely on these pages. Keep digging!
| Breed: Poodle
(Standard & Miniature) | Group (AKC): Non-sporting
(seriously - does this look like a sporting dog?) |  |
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| Country of Origin | Medieval Europe |
| Type of coat | curly, non-shedding, needs clipping every two months |
| Grooming | regular brushing, ear cleaning and hand-stripping, nail trimming, bathing, and clipping every two months |
| Average height | Standard: 15inches, Miniature 10-15 inches |
| Average weight | Standard: 50-65 pounds, Miniature: 15-35 pounds |
| Activity level | medium |
| Watchdog | very high potential |
| Protection | average capability |
| Intelligence | very high |
| Trainability | very high potential, no heavy handedness |
| Compatibility with children | high to medium, a good family dog |
| Character | accepting |
| Ideal home environment | fenced yard preferred |
| Ideal owner | patient consistent leader with time to play and exercise, a good family dog |
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Additional notes:
There aren't enough good things to say about this breed. They have remained surprisingly sound physically and temperamentally in spite of their popularity. They don't constantly demand affection and they make great family dogs!
A short history:
The Poodle was actually developed in Germany, not France, probably as early as the fifteenth century. Although France has claimed the poodle as its national dog, the breed was developed in Germany originally as a large gundog and a water retriever. The German word pudel means "to splash in the water". In French, it is believed that the word pouidelle means "white furry thing".
In Germany it was also used as a working dog to pull carts. In Russia the poodle became black (we wonder if this happened suddenly one pleasant evening). In England, France, and Spain it was used to smell out truffles. Yes, people actually had dogs do this. Heaven knows, we can't subject humans to such dangerous circumstances. The smaller dogs were preferred for this task. The smaller dogs were also developed in France as companion dogs.
The Poodle is also known as a circus performer (having done a couple of stints with Barnum & Bailey). It is an extrovert that enjoys showing off and being admired. Its intelligence and ability to learn new tricks quickly make it highly desirable as a performing dog.
The breed is classified into three sizes: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. The Standard is 15" or taller, the Miniature is 11"-15", and the Toy is 10" or smaller. A mythical fourth classification, the Speck, was 0.5" or smaller but they all seem to have disappeared or gotten lost. The history of the breed is the same for all of them. The Miniature is probably the closest in size to the original; the Standard is much taller and the Toy much smaller (and requires some assembly).
One of the most attractive attributes of the Poodle is its wonderful coat which can be oiled and matted into cords like the Puli or styled, shaped, & combed into entertaining and sometimes comical shapes. Some poodles can be contorted to look like birthday balloons much in the same way some birthday balloons can be twisted to look like poodles. The coat needs constant attention to be kept mat-free.
The Poodle is a big fine dog: tall, robust, and elegant. It loves exercise and is joyously playful, friendly, and high-spirited. It is a strikingly noble and spectacular show dog whose many colors can match the mood and temperament of each individual owner (assuming the owner isn't feeling plaid or polka-dotted). It is a natural watchdog with a strong sense of territory. The Poodle is an excellent companion with child-like qualities that make it the most popular dog in the world.
