Description

The Miniature Poodle is small and elegant, with a square frame and good proportions. The ears are floppy, and eyes are oval and usually dark. The chest is quite deep, reflecting the Poodle’s potential for athleticism. The tail is straight and high-set; in some areas it was usual to dock the tail, but docking is now considered cruel and is banned in many countries.

Origin: Germany

Look

The Miniature Poodle, like all Poodles, has a gorgeous curly coat. The fur is very dense, and although the Poodle does shed, the shed fur becomes tangled in the surrounding fur. As a result, Poodles are a high maintenance breed when it comes to grooming. Your Poodle will need thorough grooming every three to six weeks, depending on whether they are clipped or not. Daily ear and eye care are also important, as they are prone to ear infections, and tear stains tend to form under their eyes (these are easily removed with a damp cloth). The advantage is that Poodles can be considering hypoallergenic dogs, and are suitable pets for people with certain allergies.

Miniature Poodles come in many different solid colours, including white, black, brown, silver, grey, silver beige, apricot, red, cream, and sable. Patchy, spotted, or even brindle Poodles may also be seen.

Health

The Miniature Poodle is a fairly healthy dog, but the breed is prone to a few health conditions:

• Hip dysplasia
• Patellar luxation
• Addison’s Disease
• Gastric Dilation-Volvulus (bloat)
• Cushing’s Disease
• Epilepsy
• Hypothyroidism
• Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
• Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
• Optic nerve hypoplasia
• Sebaceous adenitis
• Von Willebrand’s Disease

At Newdoggy.com we promote puppies from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

Some people, when faced with the traditional haircut and daintiness of the Miniature Poodle, are fooled into thinking that the breed is just there to look pretty. This is simply not the case! Poodles are very intelligent dogs, and are highly trainable. Larger Poodles have mastered many tasks, from obedience to dog sledding (though a Miniature Poodle might struggle with the latter, though not for lack of trying!). Miniature Poodles are quite docile and are clever enough to learn a wide variety of commands. Early training will prove very useful for this breed, and will help to bring out the dogs’ best. When training, be gentle but consistent, as being rough or domineering can ruin a Poodle’s good nature.

Temperament

The Miniature Poodle was bred to be a companion to the wealthy, and in fact the breed does have an air of dignity about it. They are confident and even regal at times. In spite of this, the Miniature Poodle is loving and affectionate, and craves attention. They can be anxious dogs, so proper socialisation and training are very important to ensure that your Miniature Poodle is self-assured and relaxed. This breed is very playful and can be quite the comedian. Like all Poodles, they are very intelligent, which can occasionally get them into trouble!

Living with

The Miniature Poodle is a wonderful addition to the family. They are clever, energetic, and affectionate, to name a few of their brilliant characteristics. Miniature Poodles get on well with most people and animals, and are also fantastic with children. They can live happily in most places, and will be as comfortable in an apartment as in a villa.

That said, owning a Miniature Poodle does take some work.  You will need to make sure that your Miniature Poodle is groomed frequently and gets a good amount of exercise. Although they may become less energetic with age, regular exercise is still important to keep them in good health. Miniature Poodles tend to bark a lot, but fortunately they can be trained not to do this (or at least, to bark less!).