Poodle: Breed Focus

The name Poodle was derived from the German word ‘pudel’ which means ‘splashing in water’. The breed’s purpose was to retrieve game from water. The Poodle cut is a functional cut; the shaved portions of the body was to allow the dog to swim more efficiently, without this hair they become vulnerable to the cold so Poms were left around the vital organs and joints for warmth.

Group: Utility

Life Expectancy: 12 - 15 years

Professional Grooming: 6 - 8 weekly

Exercise: 1 hour a day

Health: Sebaceous Adenitis, Addison’s Disease, Cushing’s Disease

Brushing: Daily

Breed Standard Traits

Active

Fun

Alert

Glamorous

Energetic

Instinctual

Faithful

Intelligent

The History of The Poodle

The Standard Poodle was developed in Germany in the 14th century by breeding various European Water Dogs together for the purpose of creating a breed to retrieve game from the water. The result was an athletic, intelligent dog with a curly coat.

France adopted the use of Poodles, or Caniche, as service dogs for their physical abilities and trainability. A smaller scale version of the breed was bred for circus tricks and companionship.

Poodle circa 1649

Appearance

A Poodle looks well-balanced and proud with elegant features. Standard Poodles can run speeds of up to 30mph.

Colours include: Blue, Black, White, Grey, Silver, Brown, Apricot, Cream and Café-Au-Lait. Solid colours are preferred for showing.

All poodles have a hypoallergenic non shedding, curly coat. The coat is a harsh, thick texture that shows the quality of the coat. Once the hair has grown to its predetermined length it then sheds into the dense curls surrounding it.

Standard: Height 45-62 cm, Weight 20-32 kg

Miniature: Height 28-35 cm, Weight 12-14 kg

Toy: Height 24-28 cm, Weight 6.5-7.5 kg

Grooming Requirements

Poodle hair has a longer active growth stage, which means the hair can grow long but since it is curly it may not appear long. Without daily brushing with a slicker/pin brush to remove loose hair. Poodles benefit from professional grooms every 6 - 8 weeks to remove dead hair caught in the coat and to trim the length to prevent matting.

Training Requirements

Obedience Training is essential, regardless of the size Poodle. This teaches them to follow your command as a pack leader, otherwise they will assume the role of alpha. Intelligent dogs need mental and physical exercise to keep them stimulated.

They excel at obedience, agility and hunt tests.