Description

Contrary to the popular belief, Poodles are one of the most intelligent dog breeds around. They are only second to Border Collies. Poodles are available in various colors and in varying sizes. Based on their size, they are divided into three groups - Toy, Miniature, and Standard. While the Toy Poodles are about 10 inches in height, the Miniature and Standard ones are 10-15 inches and over 15 inches, respectively. They can weigh anything between 6 pounds to 70 pounds, depending on their size. The Toy Poodles weigh 6-9 pounds and the Miniature Poodles weigh 15-17 pounds. The weight of a Standard Poodle can go up to 70 pounds. The name “Poodle” comes from German “pudelhund’ that refers to water dog. These dogs are very sporting and are often used for tracking and herding. Poodles have curly hair on their body and are available in colors of black, blue, apricot, brown, café au lait, gray, red, cream, silver, white, and silver beige. Though a Toy Poodle could be considered to be aged by the time it reaches 10 year, this will usually vary from one Poodle to the other. It is also seen that in some cases, a Toy Poodle can live till the age of 20.

Coat

Poodles have a single layer of coat covered in dense and curly hair. Generally as puppies, Poodles are born with a different type of coat that is completely different than the adult coat. Poodle coats can come in varying colors as discussed above. However, due to a genetic characteristic known as “Progressive Graying”, some Poodles may change colors. Some Poodles that are born black, blue, or brown may get lighter tinge on their coat. Some Poodles like café au lait are born with dark brown color but turn to café by the age of two years. Moreover, the lightness may affect some parts of the body rather than all parts of the coat.

History

Poodles are originally from Germany. In fact, the name is of German origin. The German word “pudel” has become Poodle in English. You can find paintings showing Poodles in the 15th and 16th centuries, which were created by a German painter - Albrecht Durer. However, these dogs have undergone much developement later in France. It was in France that Poodles were mainly used as water retrievers. The Toy Poodles are of more recent development and came to existence only in the 18th century England. It was around this time that White Cuban, a sleeve dog from West Indies, became popular in that country. It was also around this time that the breed became a favorite among the people of Spain. Many Spaniards kept Poodle as their pet.

Temperament

Temperamentally, Poodles are very alert and have great instincts, which are traits that are genetically imbibed in them as they were mainly used for hunting in the past. These are not aggressive dogs. They are energetic and take much less time to get acquainted with their surroundings. They are social, love the company of human beings and are always ready to please. Standard Poodles are said to be great with kids. A Poodle that has companionship of other Poodles can also develop a happy temperament. Due to its active nature, this dog loves to play. Playing also helps to improve its temperament. A Poodle can bark if bored or if left alone. Remember that Poodles are very sensitive and will feel let down if you ignore them completely. This sensitiveness makes them excellent watch dogs.

Health

There are some serious diseases that your Poodle can suffer from. Standard Poodles suffer from Addison’s disease most commonly, which is not a health problem that can be easily diagnosed. Actually, its symptoms that include appetite loss, increase in thirst, weakness, weight loss and vomiting etc are pretty vague. This disease affects the adrenaline gland, reducing the production of coristone and aldosterone hormones.

Standard Poodles can also suffer from Gastric Tortion Bloat or Bloat. This is caused when the dog has too much gas or water in its stomach. Based on whether the gas is forcing the stomach to rotate partially or fully, it is called gastric tortion or gastric volvulus, respectively.

Miniature Poodles as well as the Standard ones can also suffer from von Willebrand’s Disease that includes symptoms like gum bleeding, nose bleeding and blood with urine or feces, among others. Toy and Miniature Poodles, on the other hand, generally suffer from Legg Calve Perthes Disease.

Almost all poodles - whether it is Toy, Miniature, or Standard, may suffer from hip dysplasia, epilepsy, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA), hypoglycemia, Sebaceous Adenitis, and luxating patella. These diseases may affect either the hips, legs, knee caps, eyes, or the nervous system of the dog.
You should also check the ears, teeth, gums, and the eyes of your Poodle on a regular basis. Any secretion other than water can be ominous.

Grooming

Poodles need regular grooming. While grooming them, you can take the help of an expert or do it yourself if you are confident of handling the job on your own. Grooming a Poodle at home all by yourself is not difficult, provided you have the right kind of equipment. You should keep all the equipments handy or within reach before string the grooming session.

Regular brushing will help the puppy grow a good coat while keeping the hair free of germ and dandruff. You can use a pin brush for this purpose. Before bathing, you should also make sure that the coat of the Poodle is not tangled. Brush it to remove the tangles as well as dirt. Bathe the puppy only if it is too dirty. Rather than a regular bath, a shower every third or fourth week is enough for the dog.
The moment the poodle starts to change its coat, use a canine shampoo of good quality and a mixture of water and oil. Massage the flanks, neck, and underarms of the poodle with oil. Once the coat starts to change, you will need to brush it at least once or twice a week. You can use a good alkaline canine shampoo on the Poodle. After rinsing the shampoo off, use some conditioners to soften the coat. You should wash the conditioner by rinsing at least twice.

You can dab or blot the Poodle with towel after the bathing is done. Use a blower to dry it. Never air-dry the Poodle. It is better to consult a professional if you feel that you cannot handle all the grooming process by yourself.

Exercise

Poodles are agile and active dogs and need a lot of exercise. You can arrange play sessions for your dog. You can also take it for walks. Since they love to swim, you can even take your pet for swimming sessions. Just give your Poodle some time to get accustomed with water.

Training

Poodles are very intelligent and sensitive. They can be trained quite easily and respond to your training quite well. As a puppy, you should let them understand their territory or the area of eating. Let the dog have some toys. Let it know that these toys belong to it alone and instruct your child or other young family members about the rule. Separate these toys from those used specifically for training purposes.

Let the puppy know its sleeping area. You should also habituate it with the scheduled time when you will take it out for the potty training. Keep this timing consistent and your dog will grow up to be quite well behaved. You should take the puppy out for relieving itself every morning, after any meal and before it is put to bed. Your dog must know that it should relieve itself outside the house.

You should start the easy commands like ‘sit’, ‘stay’, and the like by the time it is 12 weeks’ old. Your Poodle should be able to understand and obey these commands by the time it completes one year. Be patient with it. No matter how intelligent a Poodle is, it is still a dog. It needs your attention and love. Make sure the training place is free from any disturbance.

After one year, you can be certain that your dog is ready to learn a few new tricks. Make sure that your dog does not feel left alone. Poodles are social and ignorance can create anxiety and stress in them. They will also sense your mood quite easily. Remember - they like to do the things you prefer in order to please you.

In case they bark at night and you think that they do not need to go out, just ignore it. Let the Poodle know that unnecessary barking will lead it to nowhere. Let it recognize that such a behavior is unacceptable. Ignoring it at times will soon calm it. Puppies may often bark to voice their pleasure.
These dogs may even try to imitate you sometimes. You can pacify your pet by bringing it to your room and cuddling it a bit. You should also let your family members know not to photograph or disturb the dog when it is eating.

Poodles can be a great dog to have. So, plan to bring one home so that you can enjoy its company.