toy poodle

Appearance

The breed comes in three sizes (as described by most breed registries):

• Standard: Over 538 cm (15 in) at the shoulder
• Miniature: Over 728 cm (11 in) high, but under 38 cm
• Toy: Under 828 cm (11 in) and 210 lb or under

The American Kennel Club has a slightly different standard, with the maximum for Toys and the minimum for Miniatures at 25cm (10 in). The FCI standards divide Poodles into four groups: Large (45 to 60 cm), Medium (35 cm to 45 cm), Miniature (28 cm to 35 cm) and Toy (less than 28 cm with an ideal size of 25 cm).

Coat

The hair on the animal's body is naturally curly, often in small tight clumps of small curly ringlets. Hair on the ears can be straight or slightly curly. With brushing, the dog's hair will still retain wavy or curly properties, but will soften and straighten somewhat.

The coat can be clipped in various styles. For show purposes, only three clips—the puppy clip (only for dogs one year old or younger), the Continental or Lion clip (with the instantly-recognisable 'mane'), and the English Saddle clip (with leg bracelets)—are acceptable. The traditional show-cut 'bracelets' of long fur covering the dog's leg joints are said to date back to winter hunts, where most of the fur was clipped short to facilitate swimming but the joints, lungs, heart, and kidneys needed protection from the cold. The pom-pom on the end of the tail served as a "flag" when the Poodle dove under the water's surface. Clip styles for pets include the Kennel clip (fur same length all over) and other styles, generally variants of the Continental. Left alone, Poodle fur will become corded in the manner of a Puli or Komondor.

Working Poodles are often clipped closely to avoid tangles and to reduce the amount of water a wet dog brings into a duck boat.

Corded Poodle

If a Poodle's coat is not given the attention it requires, it may form into cords.

Most national registries recognize two coat types for Poodles: curly and corded. These types are sometimes also, confusingly, called curly and wavy see the external link below. A curly coat is distinctly wooly if brushed while a wavy coat more readily cords if not brushed out.

Wavy Poodles have coats which will more or less naturally cord but virtually all Poodles are capable of having corded hair once their adult hair has been established. Puppies can be born with either type of coat, even in the same litter. Once cords have been established, they cannot be brushed out, but must be clipped away.

Breed historians seem to agree that the corded or wavy coat is the older of the two varieties. If left to cord, wavy coats are more difficult to take care of, and intentionally corded dogs have fallen out of fashion, in favor of those with brushed wooly coats or brushed wavy coats.

Temperament

Poodles are intelligent, alert, and active. Arguably the most intelligent breed (according to a recent Yale University study), their aptitude has made them ideal for performing in circuses across the globe for centuries. Otherwise notable is this breed's keen sense for instinctual behavior. In particular, the Standard variety is quite independent and has a noticeable hunting drive. Even Toys will point birds. Because they are so intelligent, they can become bored easily, and can get quite creative about finding mischief.

Poodles are extremely people-oriented dogs and, therefore, are eager to please. They are excellent watchdogs, but unlike some working breeds, don't usually become "one-person" dogs when they are part of a family. Standard Poodles in particular tend to be good with children. When they are from good bloodlines, all three varieties are fairly mellow dogs. Poodles are adaptable and easy to train. They don't require as much exercise as other hunting or working breeds (even the Standards), but being agile and athletic, they appreciate lots of exercise.

Care

Poodles' coats require plenty of grooming to keep the constantly growing hair at a manageable length and to prevent it from matting. Matted fur can be very difficult to untangle, and often the clumps must be cut out with scissors. There a number of short pet clips that make a very easily maintained family pet.

Poodles also require dental care as they are generally known to develop serious dental problems as they age. Such care includes but is not limited to veterinary dental cleaning.

History

The Poodle is often thought of as a typically French breed (it is frequently referred to as the "French Poodle"). However, it is an old breed and its region of origin is a matter of contention. Most experts believe the Poodle originated in Central Europe or Russia. However, it may also have come from Iberia. Related breeds are the Portuguese Water Dog and Irish Water Spaniel. They originated as hunting dogs to retrieve waterfowl for hunters.

Health concerns

As with any purebred dog, there are many health concerns for the Poodle owner to be aware of. Though the Poodle is usually a healthy, long-lived canine (it's not unheard of to see a 15-year-old Toy or Miniature Poodle or a 12-year-old Standard Poodle), owners should be aware of the health problems that this breed is predisposed to.

Always consult with a veterinarian that you feel comfortable with before diagnosing or treating any disease on your own.

The health concerns that people owning Toy Poodles must be aware of include: cataracts, entropion, epilepsy, intervertebral disc degeneration[1], lacrimal duct atresia (deformed or absent tear ducts that cause tears to run down the face), Legg-Perthes, patellar luxation, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)[2] [3], trichiasis, and urolithiasis.

For the Miniature Poodle, owners must watch for: cataracts, congenital heart disease, distichiasis, entropion, epilepsy, glaucoma, intervertebral disc degeneration, lacrimal duct atresia, Legg-Perthes, PRA (progressive retinal atrophy), patellar luxation, trichiasis, and urolithiasis.

For the Standard Poodle, owners must watch for: Addison's Disease, cataracts, CHD (Canine Hip Dysplasia), distichiasis, entropion, epilepsy, gastric torsion, PDA (patent ductus arteriosus), sebaceous adenitis[4], and vWD (Von Willebrand's disease).

All three breeds are predisposed towards certain types of mammary tumors, so if the Poodle owner doesn't plan on breeding their female, then they should consider spaying her before her first heat cycle. This dramatically cuts down the Poodle's chances of developing quite a few different types of mammary tumors later in life.

Use

Today, Poodles are generally kept as pets. However, they are a versatile breed capable of hunting, tracking, protection, or entertainment. French customs, for instance, uses Poodles to search for illegal substances. Because of their small size, they are more unobtrusive, when searching cars and train compartments, than bigger breeds such as the German Shepherd.

Their intelligence and athletic build has made them popular as trick dogs or circus performers. They can compete well in some dog sports, such as dog agility, although their independent or playful nature can sometimes distract them from the focus and drive needed for these sports.

Miscellaneous

Jobs

Though poodles were originally used for hunting dogs, poodles are now used in a variety of jobs. Some are used as hunters, guide dogs, truffle sniffing dogs, and therapy dogs.

Hybrids

Many hybrids have been created by crossing a Poodle with another breed, such as Labradoodles and Cockapoos. These "hybrids" are not, however, recognized breeds. Many breeders promote Poodle hybrids as actual breeds and charge more for them than is usually charged for a mixed-breed dog.

Main article: see Poodle hybrid.

Famous Poodles

• Foo-Foo, Miss Piggy's pet on The Muppet Show
• Yankee Poodle from Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew
• Algonquin from Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
• Angel, pet of Aaron D Corbett
• Bela, pet of Weird Al Yankovic
• Boye, pet of Prince Rupert of the Rhine
• Charley, pet of Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck, a champion black Standard Poodle played Charley in the TV miniseries "Travels with Charlie: In Search of America", based on Steinbeck's 1961 book.
• Chloe, pet of WWE Superstar Torrie Wilson
• Cleo, from Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Daphne, from the third Look Who's Talking movie
• Dusty, pet of Joss Stone
• Ernie, pet of Moonwriter
• Fifi, pet of the Finsters on Rugrats
• Fifi, pet of WWE Superstar Rene Dupree
• Georgette from Oliver and Company
• Josephine, prized pet of author Jacqueline Susann; inspiration for her 1963 novel, "Every Night, Josephine".
• Misiu & Cricket, pets of The artist Buza source: [5]
• Ooh La La, pet of Nanette Manoir on Angela Anaconda
• Pierre, from The Prairie Dogs.
• Rhapsody in White, or 'Butch', of the movie Best in Show
• Rufus, pet of Winston Churchill source: [6] retrieved July 31, 2005
• The black toy poodle that is killed in ‘‘Manos: The Hands of Fate
• Vicki, pet of Richard Nixon

External links

• Poodle Club of America
• Poodle Club of Canada
• Poodle History.org
• Offical AKC Specifications
• Poodle description from 1910 Go To Web Page 46 There is a historical distinction between wavy and curly poodles distinct from the above analysis between wavy and corded. The book also gives important additional advise in the proper rearing of a poodle and many other breeds.