Table of Contents
- Poodle Main Characteristics
- Standard Poodles
- Miniature and Toy Poodles
- Physical Appearance and Grooming of Poodles
- Examples of Poodle cuts:
- Different Sizes and Weights of Poodles:
- How To Take Care of Your Poodle
- Difference between a Male and Female Poodles
- Where To Adopt a Poodle
- What Other Dog Breeds Are The Smartest?
Having a hard time choosing a dog to adopt? Well, I’ve got a dog for you. Ladies and gents, let me introduce you to the Poodle. One of the best examples of “beauty with brains”.
Poodles have three different sizes. Standard, Miniature, and Toy. They may differ in size but they all share distinctive traits and features.
Standard poodle sizes are about 15-22 inches standing up, while Miniature stands to 11-15 inches, and lastly, Toy Poodles stands 10 inches and below.
But don’t be fooled by their elegant appearance. These dogs are classified as one of the most intelligent breeds out there.
For about 400 years ago, before they were considered to be some luxury or high-class dogs, poodles were trained to be water retrievers. From the German word pudelin or pudel, meaning splash in the water.
Hunters leave chest, hips, and leg joints from shaving because as they retrieve the hunter’s waterfowls from freezing water, their curly coat serves as protection for their body’s vital parts of the body.
Poodles may have originated from Germany, but they’ve developed into a distinct breed in France. This is where all the glamour and beauty came to play.
France has also named Poodle as their national dog. In France, they are called Caniche, derived from chien canard, meaning a “duck dog.”
Poodle Main Characteristics
Poodles are considered to be one of the smartest dog breeds in the world. They can easily learn tricks and other commands.
One thing to consider is that if you’re always busy at work this may not be the dog for you. Poodles require a lot of attention from their owners.
You will need a lot of time for walking, playtime, and pets.
Moreover, the stereotype around Poodles is that they are just indoor pets and for attraction but it’s the other way around. They are very active and outgoing dogs.
They are very loyal dogs and good with children and other family members. However, very shy with strangers.
Standard Poodles
Standard Poodles are probably the most well-behaved out of the three. They are one of the most trainable breeds.
They are also great watchdogs. A protective dog with still a friendly characteristic.
Unlike Toy Poodles, Standard Poodles are not advised to live in a small apartment. They are more suitable for large spaces like a house with a backyard.
Miniature and Toy Poodles
Miniature poodles on the other hand are the most active of the three. These kinds of poodles are also better for children because of their size.
And how can we not forget the smallest of the three? Toy Poodles are great companions but are too small to be around children.
But if you do have children, a great way to help is to supervise them and also train your children on how to approach your poodle.
And don’t be fooled by their name “toy” as they are not classified as toy dogs. They fall under the utility dog group due to their intelligence.
Moreover, poodles are very sensitive dogs, so try to avoid using an aggressive voice when talking to them.
Poodles can also sense their owner’s mood. If you’re feeling a little bit down, they can imitate your mood and feel down as well.
All poodles love to be the center of attention. So it would be best not to leave them alone in your home.
A chaotic or disorganized home is also bad for dogs like poodles as it can trigger stress or even some anxiety issues.
It would be much better to have peaceful surroundings for your dogs.
They are also very playful and love to please people. With proper training, poodles can easily master tricks and other commands due to their intelligence.
Physical Appearance and Grooming of Poodles
Poodles have many different coat colors, a few of them are black, white, cream, grey, and apricot.
Poodles are famous for their curly coats, a good thing about these dogs is that they’re a non-shedding breed, which is great for people with fur allergies. Their hair is not just curly, they’re also dense.
With their hair’s special texture, you can get creative in clipping or grooming them. But always keep in mind that dogs can get stressed or anxious while being groomed.
So it’s important to find ways to help them calm down.
But a small downside to this is that the maintenance of grooming will be very expensive. Poodles need grooming every 3-6 weeks.
Poodles are clipped depending on their lifestyle and depending on their owners.
If you’re struggling to pick on what cut will you give your poodle, there are a lot of different hairstyles you can choose from.
Two of the traditional poodle cuts are the Lion/Continental Cut and the English Saddle Cut.
When you’re picturing an image of a Poodle, a poodle with a Continental Cut is probably the first thing that you’ve thought about.
It’s the classic poodle dog show cut. However, the lion cut requires high maintenance.
Furthermore, the English Saddle Cut is one of the most classic poodle cuts. It became popular in the 1950s to the 1960s.
It’s a lot similar to the Lion Cut, but the main difference is that the fur on the back end of the poodle is longer.
My personal favorite is the Teddy Bear cut on Toy Poodles. Who doesn’t like a puppy haircut? Out of all the poodle cuts, this one is the cutest in my opinion.
Examples of Poodle cuts:
- Modern Cut – This cut may not be as glamorous as the Continental or English Saddle Cut, but it’s still very pretty and above all, easy to maintain.
- Summer Cut – The main essence of the summer clip is to remove the dense coat in the summer season to make them feel cooler.
- Sporting Cut – Also known as the Dutch, this cut is a very popular choice for either Standard, Miniature, or Toy poodles.
- Miami Cut – If you’re targeting simplicity, the Miami/Bikini Cut is the one for your poodle.
Grooming is not just about their coats, it’s also about nail trimming and dental care. Especially for miniature and toy poodles. Regularly do dental checkups with your vets.
Different Sizes and Weights of Poodles:
| Size | Height | Weight |
| Standard | 15-22 inches | 50-70lbs |
| Miniature | 11-15 inches | 12-17lbs |
| Toy | 10 inches | 6-10lbs |
How To Take Care of Your Poodle
Health
Furthermore, with proper care and love, your Poodle, can live up to a 12-15 years span. If this is all new for you and you don’t know how to pick your first dog.
It’s important to thoroughly research to find a good breeder.
Good breeders regularly test breeding stock for health issues. This will help you to get familiar with your dog’s lineage, and if there are any health issues that run in their family.
Poodles are generally a healthy breed of dogs. But they’re still vulnerable to some health conditions. Here is a few examples of health issues that you need to keep an eye on:
Addison’s Disease
The adrenal glands producing adrenal hormones insufficiently. Symptoms include digestive problems, vomiting, depression, and weight loss.
These are pretty common symptoms of other kinds of health issues, so it would be better to consult with your vet for clarifications. Addison’s Disease can be fatal if not treated properly.
Cushing Disease
Or Hyperadrenocorticism is basically the opposite of Addison’s Disease. With Cushing Disease, the adrenal glands are releasing too much cortisol.
Symptoms include weight gain, excessive thirst and urination, and difficulty in breathing. Treatments are managed with lifelong medicine, and in rare cases, it requires surgery.
Hip Dysplasia
An orthopedic problem that usually starts at puppyhood. This happens when a malformation of the hip socket occurs or there’s a poor fitting on the ligaments.
Treatments can go to daily medication, surgery, or even hip replacements.
Idiopathic Epilepsy
A common seizure to Poodles that is usually inherited. The three types of dog seizures are reactive, secondary, and primary.
Reactive seizures are caused by the brain’s reaction to metabolic problems. On the other hand, the cause of secondary seizures is brain tumors or traumas. Dogs with Idiopathic Epilepsy can also experience focal seizures or partial seizures.
Moreover, Standard Poodles are the ones that are commonly affected by primary or Idiopathic epilepsy.
Always remember to consult with your vet. Surfing the web is not enough and sometimes not even accurate. Your vet will know what’s best for your dog.
Exercising With Your Poodle
Poodles have a background in water retrieving, poodles are very active and energetic dogs. Walking your poodle an hour a day is a great way of exercising.
A great example of an exercise is simply by just playing fetch with your dogs.
Exercising will also improve your bond or relationship with your dog. With all the walks you and your dog is having, you’re also having your own exercise session.
It’s killing two birds with one stone!
However, owners should be careful and schedule their exercises from Toy and Miniature poodles that are 1 year old and below.
Keep in mind that these puppies’ bones are still forming and are still not that strong. Small amounts of outdoor walking are best preferred at this stage.
A Guide on How Many Minutes of Walk A Puppy Needs:
| Age | Time of Walks |
| 3 months old | 15 minutes |
| 4 months old | 20 minutes |
| 5 months old | 25 minutes; split into two |
| 6 months old | 30 minutes; split into three |
| 7 months old | 35 minutes; split into two |
| 8 months old | 40 minutes; split into three |
| 9 months old | 45 minutes; split into three |
| 10 months old | 50 minutes; split into three |
| 11 months old | 55 minutes; split into three |
| 12 months – 23 months | 55 minutes; split into three |
Socializing
This is one of the most crucial parts of raising a dog. Teaching socialization to dogs is key to make your dogs tolerable to not just dogs, but to other animals and humans as well.
Exposing your dogs to the outer world on a regular or daily basis is a good way to start. Another example is taking your dogs to training classes.
Socializing is best done at the dog’s young age. This will help them react in a more positive way to the world. This will also help your poodle gain confidence.
Training
Furthermore, a great way to take care of your poodle is by training them. Poodles are highly intelligent dogs. With proper canine training, they can excel in different kinds of competitions or sports.
There are many kinds of books that you can read for dog training. Reading these types of books is a great way to start your journey to becoming a paw-parent.
If you think it’s easier to train a poodle because of its high intelligence, you’re wrong. Smart and energetic dogs like poodles can oftentimes be easily bored.
Another good way to start on how to train your dragon… I mean Poodle is by:
Teaching Them Their Names
When saying your puppy’s name, look directly towards him and make sure that you use a calm voice.
Remember to reward your pup with treats when he performs well like the good pup he is. With him knowing his own name, you’ll now be able to effectively train your pup.
Now that your pup knows his name, you’ll be able to take the next step in training which is teaching
Teaching to Sit and Stay
In this training stage, you’ll also need some treats, so go get those delicious treats first. Once you got their treats.
You can say the word “sit” once you’re trying to lure them from sitting down. But you can also do it slowly or methodically.
Place a treat in your hand, then put it on their nose. Once their bum naturally has gone to the ground, you can now give them their treats.
Remember that practice is key, and always be patient.
Making them stay is rather similar to making them sit. The difference is that you’d have to hold on giving them the treats once they’re in a sitting position.
A great tip would be having a hand signal while repeating the word stay. Try moving away slowly for a few seconds then give them their treats.
Housetraining
During the early months of your poodle is the best time to do housetraining. Start by having a scheduled time for going outdoors.
For example, take your poodle outside after he wakes up or before and after his meals.
Remember to keep a positive environment in your home. Give them treats when they go to the bathroom outside.
Difference between a Male and Female Poodles
If you have chosen poodles to be your best friend or be part of your family, now you’re questioning what gender are you going to adopt.
There are a few details to consider when choosing whether you’d want to have a male or a female poodle.
If you’re living alone and looking for a companion, female poodles would be great for you. Female poodles are more independent than male poodles and they are more of a one-person dog.
Moreover, if you’re looking for a poodle to add to your family. Male poodles are more fitting for you.
They are more playful and easier to train. Male poodles are more affectionate and will develop a great relationship with your kids.
But at the end of the day, they still share the loving and energetic traits of poodles.
Where To Adopt a Poodle
There are still many factors to consider in adopting a Poodle.
You should think about your lifestyle. Are you always at home? If not, do you have a family that can take care of your poodle when you’re gone?
Remember that poodles require a lot of attention from their owners. Leaving them alone, is the best case for a poodle.
You should also consider your living condition, do you live in a small apartment or a house? Poodles need to have a big space for exercise and movements.
Also, contemplate about the money. Standard poodles cost around $600-$1000 while Miniature and Toy poodles cost between $1000-$2000.
Moreover, taking care of a poodle is high maintenance. Raising a dog will not be cheap.
If you want your pup to live a long and healthy life, regular checkups to the vet and grooming won’t be cheap at all.
Furthermore, finding a poodle to adopt will take a lot of work. Finding a breeder, an adoption site or adoption shelter, and a poodle rescue site like Poodle Club of America Rescue Foundation, Inc.
Here are other poodle rescue sites for your reference:
- carolinapoodlerescue.org
- norcalpoodlerescueadoption.com
- floridapoodlerescue.org
- floprva.org
- michiganstandardpoodlerescue.com
- petfinder.com
What Other Dog Breeds Are The Smartest?
If you’re fond of smart dogs, there’s still plenty of breeds to look for. Everyone likes to have a dog that they can teach tricks to.
A dog’s intelligence can be measured on its trainability. Will they be able to comprehend quickly? Moreover, dogs are smarter than you think.
A list of intelligent dog breeds:
- Border Collie
- Poodle
- German Shepherd
- Golden Retriever
- Doberman Pinscher
- Shetland Sheepdog
- Labrador Retriever
- Papillon
- Rottweiler
- Australian Cattle Dog
Furthermore, if you’re so undecided about choosing a dog breed, lucky for you! There are now different kinds of poodle mix. A few examples are the Labradoodle Poodle Mix, Golden Doodle Poodle Mix, and the Aussiedoodle Poodle Mix.
Always keep in mind that adopting a dog is like welcoming a new family member. Poodles are a very loving type of breed.
They are very active and affectionate towards their owners. Poodles are highly intelligent dogs, so don’t just focus on their beauty but also on their brains.
Train and exercise with them! Poodles can be your source of happiness and motivation to work out during walks. After all, dogs are really man’s best friends.
Conclusion
Now you've learned everything there is to know about one of the most intelligent, beautiful dog breeds. The Poodle comes in all shapes and sizes. Whichever one you choose that is best for you, we guarantee you won't be disappointed.
