Poodle (Miniature)

Are you and your family into fashion? Then there’s no longer a question as to what breed of dog suits you best. It’s the poodle. These dogs are considered the most beautiful breed as evidenced by the numerous fashion shows dedicated only to Poodles. It’s also one of the most popular breeds chosen by dog lovers worldwide. The breed can actually be further classified into three categories, the standard poodle, miniature poodle, and the toy poodle.

Behavior

Because of the “excessive” care and pampering given by the pet owners to their lovely and cute poodles, these dogs are often labeled as soft, weak, girly, and feminine dogs. But in reality, they are rugged, athletic, and in human terms, they are proud and have their own pride. Although you can see most poodles on shows as extremely tamed and silent, they are actually playful, loving, and loyal to their owners or family. And there’s no problem letting them play with children.

Another admired quality of the poodle is its high level of intelligence. In the breed ranking in terms of intelligence, the poodle is ranked second next to the Border Collie. This makes training the dog simple and easy for owners. And since this dog is smart enough, you should be watchful as it can easily learn certain behaviors that you may consider bad or inappropriate.

Poodles are excellent watchdogs. They are protective and once they perceive trouble, they could be very vocal especially for the little miniature and toy poodles.

Appearance

Since the poodle is one of the most popular breed of dogs, you can easily spot them or distinguish them from a group of different canines. Majority of the pet poodles now are groomed where the hair is cut and only a short curly coat is left dependent of the hairstyle. The poodle has a very slim and proportional body that is suggestive of its athletic nature.

Poodles are either parti-colored or solid-colored. Variations in color include white, cream, parti, silver, apricot, red, silver beige, gray, and sable. They have dark oval eyes, the ears fold downwards on the side, and are equipped with a short to medium-sized tail.

The miniature and toy poodles are differentiated from the standard poodle based on their sizes. Standard Poodles are those sized above 15 inches (over 38 cm), the miniature ranges from 10 to 15 inches (25.4 to 38 cm), and the toy poodles are those smaller than 10 inches (25.4 cm).

Grooming

If the poodle’s hair is kept uncut, it could grow too long and will interfere with its face and body. But the good news is that the poodle is non-shedding. The bad news is that poodle is probably the highest and most expensive in terms of grooming and maintenance especially when you’re planning to flaunt your pet on shows and competitions. A poodle needs to visit the salon every three to six weeks. It requires regular brushing, wiping and cleaning especially on the eyes and ears, and the hair needs to be constantly checked for tangles.

History

This breed is said to originate from Germany where its original name was “pudelhund” meaning splash dog or splash hound denoting its excellent abilities with water. It is believed that this breed is a product of the constant cross breeding of several breeds of dogs all around Europe. The poodle has also its Asian roots. The earliest records of the breed are during the early Egyptian and Roman civilizations. And before it became a popular pet dog of today, the poodle is a hunting companion of several Frenchmen during the Renaissance period.