Small
15 Years
8 Kg
Utility Dogs
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Energetic, Friendly, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Playful
The Poodle is an agile gun dog noted for its superb bird hunting skills and its ability in the water. It is a well-balanced, squarely proportioned breed with an elegant appearance. The Poodle is distinguished by a very special form of clip for the purpose of show activity. It is often described as a good-tempered breed. It has long, fine head with a broad skull and well-chiselled foreface. It has almond-shaped eyes, long, low-set ears that hang close to the face, nose that varies in colour depending on the colour of the coat, and teeth that forms a regular scissor bite. A well-proportioned neck carries the head high and with dignity. The forelegs are straight and well-muscled while the hind legs have muscular thighs cushioned by small, oval feet with thick and hard padding. The Poodle also has a wide, deep chest with a short back. The highly set tail is customarily docked to at least half of its original length. The Poodle comes in all solid colours and three sizes.
IntelligenceAll dog breeds have different levels of intellect. Some dog breeds; working dogs in particular, are very independent thinkers and have been evolved to be very intelligent. Typically, a highly intelligent dog does well in obedience training and other activities. A highly intelligent dog can be very demanding and do require lots of physical and mental stimulation. If you’re looking for a relatively laid-back dog, that doesn’t require lots of mental and physical stimulation, then you must fully understand the level of intelligence of your dog breed of choice.
Before committing to a certain dog breed, you must fully understand their intellect levels and their specific levels of energy. To keep your dog well-balanced and happy, their needs must be met and maintained.
Exercise NeedsAll dog breeds have different needs when it comes to the level of exercise they require. For the high energy dogs; which are your typical working dogs, they have a lot of energy and require lots of daily exercise along with plenty of mental stimulation. A highly energetic dog breed would suit an individual or family that is equally as active and loves the outdoors. There are also breeds that have relatively low exercise needs, such as toy dog breeds. Although they require daily exercise and mental stimulation, they’re just as happy chilling at home with their loved ones. This type of dog breed would suit an individual or family that prefers the peace and quiet and relaxation.
Before deciding on your chosen dog breed, Mypetzilla recommends that you research the exercise needs and whether you’re well equipped before committing to buying or adopting a particular dog breed.
Dogs HealthThere are several dog breeds that are known and potentially predisposed to developing health related conditions. Sensible breeding can help prevent the onset of health related conditions and this should always be taken into condition when researching your dog breed of choice. Before committing to a dog, you should speak to the breeder about any health related conditions that may affect the dog you’re looking to buy or adopt. You can also request to see any test results from genetic testing.
Child FriendlyThere are many dog breeds that tolerate children really well and are not affected by the constant noise and need for play-time. However, there are some dog breeds that don’t do very well with children and can become frustrated and snappy. That being said, all children should be shown how to handle and care for a dog in their home and should always be supervised when playing. As much as a dog can become annoyed and snappy with a younger child, the child can also become less tolerant and misbehaved towards the dog.
Mypetzilla recommends that you always supervise play-time between your children and dog. Children need to respect the boundaries and feeding time for the dog and likewise for the child. We also strongly advise that play-time doesn’t get out of control and too rough which can cause injury to both child and dog.
ApartmentThere are lots of dog breeds that are well suited to living in an apartment. It’s worthwhile noting that you need to check that you’re allowed dogs in your building before committing to bringing one home. If you do decide to own a dog and are living in an apartment, then you must make sure that they have plenty of room to roam around and frequent walks outside to prevent them from becoming bored and depressed.
Mypetzilla recommends that you check as to whether you’re allowed dogs in your apartment building and to fully ensure your apartment is dog proof before committing fully to bringing a dog home.
SheddingAll dog breeds shed to some extent, some more than others. With this, all potential dog owners should be aware of this, as it will be a matter of putting up with some hair or lots of hair being left around the house. Depending on the dog breed, there are certain times during the year where some dog breeds shed the most and this is typically around spring and autumn. However, there are some dog breeds that shed all year round.
If you’re very house-proud, they you may want to choose a dog breed that sheds very little. Mypetzilla strongly recommends that you fully research your dog breed of choice and their shedding levels before committing.
Grooming NeedsAll dog breeds require different levels of grooming. Some dog breeds are easier to maintain than others and only require a weekly brush to help keep their coat in good condition. There are some dog breeds that require regular trips to the grooming parlour and this can come at a huge cost. Either way, all dog breeds require their coat and nails to be maintained and cared for.
Mypetzilla strongly advices that potential owners research the grooming needs and associated costs with their desired dog breed before fully committing.
BarkingBarking is a necessity for your dog to communicate. However, it can also be a nuisance to yourself and fellow neighbours if it’s not kept under control. If you live in an apartment, then you’re better off choosing a dog breed that doesn’t bark as much. If you live further out and far from civilisation, then it’s worthwhile looking into a dog breed that does bark and will bark to alert you of any other company on your property.
Mypetzilla advices that you research the behaviours of your dog breed of choice and whether this would work for you and your family. It’s worth noting that dogs can be trained to bark less and this will take a lot of effort and training from the owner.
AloneMajority dog breeds form very close relationships with their owners and as a result can become very stressed when left alone for a period of time. If a dog is suffering with separation anxiety then they’re very likely to become destructive around the home as a way of dealing with their anxieties. Dog breeds that do form strong bonds with their owners are better accustomed to a household where one member of the family remains home, whilst the others are out, this is to help avoid further anxieties and destructive behaviours.
Mypetzilla recommends that all potential owners research their dog breed of choice on their bonding abilities and how well-adjusted they are to being left alone at home. It’s also worth noting that you should never leave your dog for longer than 4 hours alone at home.
TrainabilityThere are certain dogs breeds that have very high intellect and therefore easier to train than other dog breeds. There is also a downside to this; as fast as they learn the new trick or command, they can easily pick up bad habits just as quick. Other dog breeds that don’t rank as high on the intellect scale require patience and plenty of reward treats from their owners during training.
Before committing to a certain dog breed, Mypetzilla advices you to fully research your dog breed of choice and their level of training needs.
Energy LevelsAll dog breeds have different energy levels. The working dog breed has one of the highest energy levels in comparison to the low-energy dog’s breeds such as the Toy dog breed group. To keep a dog truly happy, healthy and well-balanced, their energy levels must be met.
High-energy dog breeds need lots of exercise and mental stimulation. High energy dog breeds would suit an active family or person. Dog breeds that are considered as low-energy, love to spend the majority of their time relaxing and sleeping in their favourite, comfy spot. A low-energy dog breed would suit an individual that equally loves the quiet life and relaxing lifestyle. Of course, low-energy dogs still need their daily walks and mental stimulation, just not as much as a high-energy dog breed.
Mypetzilla recommends that potential owner research fully on the type of dog breed that would suit their existing lifestyle and to also take into consideration the dog breeds energy levels and exercise requirements.
Dog friendlyBefore you decide on what dog breed would be suitable for you and your family, you must consider whether they’re a friendly dog breed and if you already have other pets within the household. For homes that already have dogs and other domestic pets, then it’s wise to choose a dog breed that has a friendly personality and temperament.
There are some dog breeds that mix well with other dog breeds and there are others that don’t suit one another and this could potentially cause issues later on down the line.
Another important point to consider is whether the dog breed of choice is friendly towards people and children.
Mypetzilla recommends to research fully on the right dog breed for your family and to also consider their temperament and characteristics.
The Poodle is probably the most popular breed in the world. However, popular as it may be, the true origin of the breed is relatively unknown and debatable, but it was already a popular subject of painters as early as 400 years ago. Most breed experts believe that the Poodle came from Central Europe or Russia. Although it is officially recognized as a breed that originated in France, some still claim that it was first developed by German breeders and was brought to France by early German soldiers during the early Renaissance period. It was originally bred as a water dog used for retrieving gunned water fowls or ducks in the water and its development had a lot of German influence. In fact, the name itself was derived from the Deutsch word “pfudel” or “pudeln” meaning “to splash” or “puddle.” In France, the Poodle is a renowned duck hunter that goes by the name “caniche.” The coat was traditionally sheared to accommodate swimming because it can get extremely heavy when wet. Overtime, it became a favourite companion of the French social elite and aristocrats and the puffed hair on the knees and tip of the tail that the modern Poodle is known for actually serves an aesthetic purpose today.
The Poodle is an obedient, people-oriented breed; very easy to train, eager to please and love being the centre of attention. It will typically entertain its audience by doing tricks. Often, it is seen performing in circuses because of its ability to learn quickly. It has a tendency to bark excessively and makes an excellent candidate as a watchdog. Highly intelligent and alert, the Poodle is one of the most adaptable and trainable dogs but can become easily bored and will tend to channel its boredom into creative misbehaviour. In general, Poodles are even-tempered and can be quite sensitive at times. They will enjoy the company of their human family and can be quite demanding of them but will not bond with only one member. The miniature and toy variety tend to be more active than the standard variety.
Poodles have boundless energy which could be perfectly channeled through training. They enjoy the physical and mental stimulation derived from it and responds well with positive reinforcement
This breed needs extensive grooming with its profuse, dense, harsh coat characterized by thick and curly hairs. This thick coat is usually groomed in either “pet clip” style with short hair of equal length all over the body.“English saddle” clip and the “continental” clip which shows the dog in partially sheared form with hair puffs left on the ankles and balls of fur left on the hips and tip of the tail. Poodles shed little to no hair but must be bath regularly.
The Poodle is a long-lived breed with an average life expectancy of 10 to 14 years. Some medical predispositions associated with the miniature poodle that owners and would-be owners should be aware of include: cataracts, congenital heart disease, distichiasis (eyelash problem), entropion (eyelid problem), epilepsy, glaucoma (optic nerve disease), intervertebral disc degeneration (a degenerative disc disease), lacrimal duct atresia (deformed or absent tear ducts that causes tears to run down the face), Legg-Calve-Perthes syndrome (a degenerative disease of the hip joint), progressive retinal atrophy or PRA, patellar luxation, trichiasis (ingrown eyelashes), and urolithiasis (bladder stones).
The miniature variety requires minimum amount of exercise such as short walks or a session of play in the yard.
It is a playful breed and is very good with children and other pets in the house, but often shy with strangers and can become snappish especially if spoiled. Grooming is extensive and requires frequent attention, including frequent trimming, bathing and brushing. The coat should be trimmed every four to six weeks. It is not right to believe that Poodles don't shed hair. When the Poodle sheds, the hair does not fall out but sticks to the coat which can cause matt to form if not regularly brushed. Show dogs require more frequent professional grooming. Check the ears for wax build-up and should also be trimmed of hair.
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