Poodle dog breed characteristics and facts

Poodle is elegant, proud, clever and one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the world. Poodles are confident and flexible dog breed. As a matter of fact, they’re properly suited for any task. Poodles may become harmful if they are bored and have nothing to do. However, If a dog owner, who can provide the physical and mental activity they get a trainable, adoring, and devoted companion.

Poodle Facts

• Origin: Germany
• Size: Standard Poodle (more than 15 inches), Miniature Poodle (10-15 inches) and Toy Poodle (10 inches and under)
• Lifespan: 12-15 years
• Coat: curly, Dense, single-layer coat in many colors, including brown, black, white, and apricot
• Temperament: Intelligent, active, eager to please, and affectionate
• Exercise needs: Moderate to high
• Training: Highly trainable
• Grooming: Regular brushing and professional grooming every 4-6 weeks
• Health: Generally healthy, but may be prone to hip dysplasia, Addison’s disease, and eye problems.

Poodle Overview

Poodles may seem to have been bred for a life of leisure and luxury, but they were also real working dogs giving even most demanding tasks. It may be hard to imagine, but for many centuries Poodle was the water retriever dogs; a dog that had to jump into the cold water to bring waterfowl to the hunters. Infact, the reason for the Poodle’s peculiar English name as poodle is the anglicised version of the German word pudel or pudelin meaning "splash in the water". In France, such dogs have been called caniche, which also stems from the French words chien, who means dog, and canard, french duck. Besides, interestingly, Poodle’s hair, which is so vital to the breed’s image, has a practical purpose too – namely, short-shorn areas would reduce the weight of the water-slogged dogs and avoid obstruction of underwater items, with long hair around the joints and core for frontal and rear limbs kept to protect the joint and internal organ from cold.

There are three sizes available of Poodle: the Toy Poodle , the Miniature Poodle and the Standard Poodle. The Standard is probably the oldest of the three varieties, but during the eighteenth century, the idea of the Miniature Poodle delighted people, and he was ranked in growing whenever the size of Poodles was encountered. Regardless of size, Poodles are recognized for their vivacious but dignified demeanor and their keen intelligence. Poodles obtain top honors in obedience and are even champions in performance sports such as hunt trials and agility. Behind his indulgent personality, the Poodle Planner is actually an “A” student who masters his kind’s sophisticated art. These are individuals compassionate dogs that have to be with family members and may get lonesome if they remain for longer periods solo — and almost regularly to play fetch.

Poodle History

The Poodle is among the oldest breeds, having been bred specifically for hunting waterfowls. Historians say that the Poodle is of German origin, but the breed developed into a distinctive breed while in France. Gerry says breed is a combination of various European water dogs, for instance, Spanish, Portugese, French, German, Hungarian, and Russian water dogs. Some of the historians say that the Poodle’s ancestry comes from North African Barbetswim dogs, which were ala Barbet before being imported to the Iberian Peninsula. Breed thereafter got its way into Gaul after people realized its hunting capabilities. Poodles have of late been considered a group of Orientalherding dogs, which were a companion of the many Germanic Goth and Ostrogoth tribes. Another school of thought is that these dogs descended from dogs living in Asian steppes andbeingscoured by the conquering North African Berbers. As the Moors invaded Portugal in the 8th Century, the dog came with them. In as long as it sires may be, the Poodle breed remains an ancient dog. Dog images in print dating from the time of the first centuries B Cresemble Poodles. Dogs in the drawings and statuaries have ears completelydairy poodle heads and tailsfully, and they were standing over 25cm. across, but they show around their neck the badge of their sins. The 17th-century Brooklyn Museum in the museum is a Poodle-like dog.

Although some say that the Miniature and Toy Poodles flooded the scenes shortly after the Standard, others strongly rejected the idea. They believe it wasn’t until the 1400s that breeders started making smaller versions of the Poodle — first the Miniature, then the Toy — specifically to please the Parisian bourgeoise. The Toy and Miniature Poodles were bred together, and neither was bred to the Poodle and a smaller breed of dog. The larger Standard Poodle was used by the French to hunt waterfowl, with the mid-sized Miniature used to find truffles in the woods. The tiny Toy Poodle’s only job was to be a loyal friend to the nobility and the fairly rich. The well-appointed folks of the Renaissance would carry their Toy Poodles up their wide shirt-sleeves, hence the name “sleeve dogs.” The Gypsies and wandering entertainers realized Poodles excelled in another dog-friendly profession: the circus. Gypsies trained the dogs, clothed them in dresses, and cut hairy, fluffy pieces of fur to keep the crowd busy during performances. This attracted wealthy people who started cutting their Poodles to look like them.

In England, The Kennel Club registered their first Poodle in 1874 while the first british club for Poodle fanciers appeared in 1876. When Poodles reached America is anyone’s guess, but the record of the American kennel club show that first Poodle was registered in 1886. The Poodle Club of America was founded in 1896 but it soon fell apart. Enthusiasts reestablished it in 1931. Poodles were rare in the United States until after World War II. In the mid-1950s, Poodle became the most popular dog breed in the United States, a title he held for more than 20 years.

Poodle Size

Generally, poodles come in three sizes: Toy poodle, miniature poodle, and standard poodle. They are not distinct breeds but are rather three different sizes of the same dog breed. Which one can be up to 10 inches tall and weighed 6-9 pounds. Miniature poodle can be 11-15 inches tall and weighted 15-17 pounds. Standard poodle can be 15 inches tall and taller : usually 22 inches; males can weight from 45 to 70 pounds and females from 45 to 60 pounds.

Poodle Personality

People who admire Poodles use the words intelligent, loving, loyal, and mischievous to characterize their personalities. A Poodle’s fans also describe something called “an air of distinction,” or his sanctimonious approach. Poodle, on the other hand, are goofy at times. It’s evident when you see the dog in person. They love to play and always ready for any game you want to play. They are talented, kind, and generous. When you combine all of these traits, you have a poodle who is simple to teach. A well-behaved poodle will be relaxed, and he’ll be particularly calm if you allow him to turn off his energy on a regular basis.

Some people believe that the smaller Toy and Miniature Poodles are a little more high-strung than the Standard, although others do not. The Poodle is protective of his home and family. If strangers come to your place, he will sound a warning bark to let you know. Although he is affectionate with his family, it takes some time to get used to new people. The most remarkable characteristic of the Poodle is its intelligence. True, it is often said of Poodles that they possess human-like intelligence, and that is absolutely excellent cleverness that surprises each owner. Obviously, smart dogs may be tough to live with. They learn quickly and may develop both excellent and terrible behaviors. If you are not the boss, their heads.

Poodle Health

Poodles are relatively healthy, but, like all other dog breeds, they’re susceptible to specific health problems. Poodles are a breed that may or may not contract any of these diseases. However, this will only be possible if someone is aware of this breed.

• Addison’s Disease
• Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus
• Cushings Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism)
• Epilepsy
• Hip Dysplasia
• Hypothyroidism
• Legg-Perthes Disease
• Patellar Luxation
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Spinal Bifida
• Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)
• Von Willebrand’s Disease

Poodle Care

Poodles are very adaptable with a little or a lot of space as long as they have regular exercise and regular human interaction. They should be kept indoors with their families, particularly the smaller Toy and Miniature, which need not much room to run around unlike the standard Poodles. House training Poodles is a snap due to their high intelligence, but it is just as simple for owners to unwittingly teach them detrimental behaviors as beneficial ones. If you raise a dog for the first time, you should take him to an obedience course run by a professional trainer. This is true of Toy and miniature poodles as well. Many little-dog owners forego training, claiming that their small dog does not require that, when a tiny dog misbehaves, the general public is less forgiving.

Poodle Grooming and Coat Color

Poodles are non-shedding, which makes them viable for people with sensitive allergies. Many allergic owners can have plague Poodles with no reaction. The only hazard is the dog hair, available in a range of colours blue, black, white, grey, a gray, silver, brown, cafe`-au-lait, apricot, and cream. A Poodle’s coat is curly, wirey, and veley, giving it a unique look, but this texture makes it ideal for all types of fun grooming, including plucking, clipping, size level, and stripping. If you want to show your canine companion, you cannot have it styled too dramatically; according to the American Kennel club competition, owners can only have Poodles plucked in four-specific, straightforward style clips. Grooming a Poodle is not a task for the faint-hearted. High maintenance requires him to undergo frequent grooming every three-six week; at times, you might be forced to groom even more.

Before you decide to get a Poodle, You should think about the care and costs of grooming. Don’t be terrified, though. There are many ways to style the coat so it is more manageable. In reality, many owners simply shave it off. Even so, simple to maintain does not imply it does not need maintenance. Even when clipped short, your Poodle will need to be brushed, bathed, and trimmed every three to six weeks, sometimes more, to keep the coat clean, short, and tangle-free. The majority of Poodle owners pay a professional groomer, but you can learn how to do it yourself if you are enthusiastic and have the time. You will require a decent set of electric clippers and blades, a good pair of scissors, a brush, comb, toenail clipper, and a good how-to book or video on grooming — there are several. Your Poodle requires daily brushing, even if you only let the professional groomer do the hard work. Since they do not shed like most breeds, the hair that would be lost in the environment is entwined in the coats, matting shortly unless removed daily.

Most Poodles have weepy eyes responsible for staining the hair under their eyes. Tearstains become more visible the lighter your dog’s coat. You can reduce tearstains by cleaning the wet areas around the eyes and face using alcohol-free pet wipe or a washcloth given in warm water. Inspect your Poodle’s ears every week for dirt, redness, or a bad odor that implies an infection, and then clean it using a cotton ball moistened with gentle, ph-balanced ear cleaner. Dogs with drop ears like Poodle are more likely to have ear infections because the external ear canal stays dark and moist. It also has hair in it. Sometimes, the hair is supposed to be plucked.

Your Poodle’s grooming routine should include brushing teeth at least two or three times a week to remove tartar build-up and bacteria living within it. Daily is better is you want to prevent gum diseases and bad breath. Trim nails once or twice a month unless your dog is often outside because they help to wear them down. If you can hear clicking while your Poodle is walking, then it means that nails are too long. Short, neatly trimmed nails keep paws in an excellent condition and prevent your legs from scratches when Poodle enthusiastically jumps on them. Begin getting your Poodle used to be brushed and examined while being a puppy. Deal with his paws regularly – dogs are sensitive about their feet. Also, check his mouth. Let grooming be a positive experience accompanied by praise and rewards and help to form the basis of easy veterinarian visits. While grooming, look for sores, rashes, or symptoms of infection such as redness, tenderness, or inflammation on the skin, nose, mouth, and eyes. Eyes must be clear, without redness and discharge. Your careful weekly exam will help you notice and react to the illness timely.

Poodle Children And Other Pets

Poodles are great with children, but small children who do not know how to treat a dog can potentially injure a Toy Poodle, the smallest and most delicate type of the breed. It goes without saying that all children must be educated to approach and stroke dogs properly, and any interaction among dogs and babies and toddlers must be observed at all times to avoid biting or ear or tail pulling on the part of one or both parties. Your child must not be permitted to approach any dog while eating or snoozing or attempt to snatch the dog’s food from him. Under no circumstances, regardless how friendly, should any dog be left alone with a child.

Poodles who live with other dogs or pets in the home—or who frequently have the opportunity to interact with them in community training classes, dog parks, and so on- will appreciate their service dogs. However, if your Poodle is accustomed to being the only pet in the family, he might require some time and additional training to adjust to a new arrival.