Whether you choose a miniature poodle, a toy poodle, or a standard, your poodle will likely add much to your home. His intelligence, love of life and sense of fun will bring joy to those around him.

General Appearance and Description

Poodles are cute dogs that usually have curly coats. They are available in three sizes: the miniature poodle, the toy poodle and the standard poodle.

Toy poodles are the most popular of the lot, though poodles in general remain one of the most popular dogs in the United States.

Poodles are usually somewhat square in their build and are usually about the same length as the height at the withers. The poodle comes in a number of different colors, with black or white being most popular. But some are apricot, brown or even silver.

Poodles shed little, and are therefore popular with people who have allergies.

Basic Temperament

These dogs are known as intelligent, lively dogs that take on the personality of their home environment. If you are affectionate and silly, you might find that your poodle takes on these characteristics as well. Whether toy poodles or standard poodles, these dogs are known to be regal and have often been associated with royalty.

It’s important that the poodle is socialized when very young, as their natural inclination is to be somewhat reserved with new people. If you socialize them when young they are less likely to be standoffish when meeting new people and going to new places.

Poodles enjoy life with other pets, as long as the hierarchy of the household is clearly established. Otherwise, the poodle will take control.

Care Required

Whether you have a miniature poodle, a toy poodle or a standard poodle, the care is generally the same. In short, poodles require a good deal of grooming.

Poodles must be bathed on a regular basis and should get a professional clip every six to eight weeks. You must check their ears regularly for mites, which they are prone to. In addition, if their ear hair is extensive, it must be pulled out regularly.

Exercise Requirements

Poodles are generally easy dogs, but most poodle owners will say that without a good deal of activity, they can create problems. These are active dogs and they must be given a daily walk to help them satisfy their need to move and be out in the open.

When you walk a poodle make sure the dog heels next to you or behind you. They need to know that someone is leading the charge and that someone had better be a human or the dog will make sure it’s him.

While poodles are playful and play is a great outlet for energy, play alone is not enough for these dogs. As long as they are getting daily walks, however, good play sessions are important. If you have a pool or other water toys, be sure to include your poodle. All variations of this dog – even the miniature poodle – enjoy water play.

Training

If you don’t know how to be the pack leader, bringing a poodle into your home is a great time to learn. It’s important that you are the pack leader so the dog knows who the boss is.

In particular, poodles enjoy having rules and will follow a clear structure that’s given to them. Poodles are considered one of the easiest dogs to train as they look for and enjoy direction from humans. They are very good at learning tricks, if you want to take your training to that level.

Height and Weight

While the personality of the toy poodles, miniature poodles and standard poodles are relatively similar, they of course differ when considering size.

The toy poodle is a poodle that is less than 10 inches tall and weighs between 6 and 9 pounds. The miniature poodle is between 11 and 15 inches tall and weighs between 15 and 17 pounds. The standard poodle can get quite large. They are taller than 15 inches and males can weigh from 45 to 70 pounds, while the females can weigh from 45 to 60 pounds.

Health and Longevity

While poodles can live to be 15 years old, or even older in some cases, they are susceptible to many genetic diseases. These include cataracts and retinal atrophy, both of which can cause blindness. They are also prone to skin condition and allergies and runny eyes and ear infections. Also common are diabetes, epilepsy and heart disease.

Suitability

Poodles are happy to live with a household with children. Miniature poodles and sometimes toy poodles can become overwhelming with children who aren’t well behaved, so if the children are younger, either a small poodle shouldn’t be added to the household, or the family should opt instead for a standard poodle.

Further Information

Further information about the Poodle can be found here.