Description

The Standard Poodle is the largest of the Poodle breed group. The Poodle has a fine muzzle, with a wide furrow between the eyes, and large almond-shaped eyes. The nose, which usually matches the coat colour (except in white or grey dogs, where it is black), has large wide nostrils. The teeth are strong and meet in a scissor bite. The ears are long and pendulous, with rounded tips.

Standard Poodles are well-proportioned, with short back and deep chests. The tail is high-set and usually carried high. The legs are straight, ending with small, oval feet.  The paw pads are thick, and  the toes are well-arched. 

Origin: Germany

Look

The Standard Poodle has a dense, curly coat. Although Standard Poodles do shed, the shed fur becomes tangled in the surrounding fur rather than going into their surroundings. 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. 

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

• • Addison’s Disease
  • Allergies
  • Cataracts
  • Chondrodysplasia
  • Epilepsy
  • Eyelid problems
  • Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (Bloat)
  • Heart Disease
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Predisposed to ear infections
  • Progress Retinal Atrophy
  • Skin problems

At Newdoggy.com, we recommend that you buy your puppy from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines.

Learning

Poodles are often dismissed as little more than delicate lap dogs, but this is most certainly not the case. Poodles are intelligent and highly trainable. Standard Poodles have mastered many tasks, from obedience to dog sledding.  Poodles are naturally quite docile, and smart enough to learn lots of tricks. Early training will prove very useful for this breed, and will help to bring out the dogs’ best. Be gentle but consistent, as a rough or domineering attitude can ruin a Poodle’s good nature. 

Temperament

Poodles are very friendly dogs. They make ideal family pets, and love meeting new people. Poodles may look snobbish, but they are in fact very playful and even silly at times. If you exercise your Poodle and train him/her, your reward will be a playful but polite dog: one that will amaze you with its affection and intelligence. 

Living with

Poodles generally are happy to live in apartments, so long as they are exercised properly. Poodles are active dogs, and should be exercised properly every day. They love to swim, so if you have access to a pool or beach, your Poodle will be very happy. As they were originally bred for hunting, they love to retrieve toys, so playing fetch is great exercise. 

As Poodles tend to gentle and forgiving, they are a good choice for first-time dog owners. They are affectionate with the family, and do very well with children. Poodles get along well with other dogs. They sometimes can live with other animals such as cats, especially if introduced when the Poodle is a puppy. 

If you choose to get a Poodle, you will need to invest some time and money in dog grooming. As Poodles don’t shed like other dogs, they can easily get matted coats. You can ask your groomer to trim your Poodle’s coat; for most owners, the “puppy cut” is simple to maintain at home.  You should also be aware that Poodles can become anxious if left alone at home for long periods.