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Poodle

Poodle Dog Breed Information

Size 9-24 inches (24-60 cm)
Weight 8-55 lbs (4-30 kg)
Origin France
Color Black, white, brown, gray, red, orange
Lifespan 10-13 years
Suitable as Guide dog, family dog, companion dog
Personality Obedient, adventurous, excitable, playful, intelligent
Exercise
Drooling
Shedding
Grooming

>Poodle Photo: Chengdongshan/Shutterstock

Breed Characteristics

As soon as you see a Poodle, you know: this dog has a certain special something. Something dignified and noble despite their funny curly hairstyles. They are passionate hunters that love fetching sticks and swimming. They can be a little shy with strangers but very open and friendly with their family. They have a great sense of humor, and love to play the fool. The Border Collie is known for its intelligence. But did you know that the poodle, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the second smartest dog in the world?

Discipline and Training

Today it is primarily a family dog, who likes to retrieve. Due to its intelligence and willingness to learn, it is perfect for dog sports such as obedience and agility. No wonder that poodles also have loads of cool and officially recognized tricks in stock, such as: B. "Fastest 32 feet (10 meters) on a walking globe by a dog" (33.22 seconds). The "Dog with the largest repertoire of tricks" was Poodle Chanda-Leah. She mastered 469 different tricks! These included playing the piano, skateboarding, painting - even tidying up the rooms.


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If you consider buying a poodle, you should be dead certain that you are able to cope with this smart and active dog. Lying around all day? No way! You have to constantly challenge him, play games, teach him commands and practice them with him. That sounds great at the beginning, but many owners lose their interest in this in the long run. It's best to talk to a dog trainer. He can advise you, if a poodle would suit you.

Top Activities

Obedience, Tracking Training, Follow the Leader

Poodle Photo: Bmaine92/stock.adobe.com

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Suitable for beginners
  • Doesn't shed
  • Possibly suitable for people with allergies
  • Easy to train
  • Very smart

Cons

  • Needs lots of exercise
  • Tends to bark often
  • Needs lots of grooming

Two funny Poodles running Photo: PCHT/Shutterstock

Appearance

Poodles are available in four sizes: Standard, Miniature and Toy. The Standard Poodle is up to 24 inches (60 cm) tall at the shoulder, the Toy Poodle is only 9-11 inches (24-28 cm) tall. The coat comes in a variety of colors. Officially recognized are: black, white, brown, brown and white, black and white, silver/gray, apricot and red.


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Poodle Photo: Molostock/stock.adobe.com

Health and Care

Usually dogs have two layers of coats. An undercoat and a top coat. Poodles, however, have only one coat. They barely do hair. Poodles should be brushed frequently, in order to avoid matting, especially long-haired poodles several times a week.

History and Origin

Poodles were bred as hunting dogs, especially as water retrievers. Did you know that there are many crosses between poodles and other breeds? Their name is put together, so they are called Maltipoo (Maltese and Poodle), Schnoodle (Schnauzer and Poodle), Labradoodle (Labrador and Poodle), Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever and Poodle), Pekapoo (Pekingese and Poodle) and so on. And where does the name come from? Poodle derives from the old German word for "paddling" = splashing in the water.

Fun Facts

In Germany people often proclaim "So that is what was hidden in the poodle!“ What do they mean by that? There is a tragic play by the german writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe named "Faust". In this play the main actor, a student, meets a black poodle. But in fact it is the devil. As the student witnesses the poodle retransforming into the devil, he uses this phrase. Germans mean by that they figured out something crucial.

Many famous personalities had a poodle: the painter Pablo Picasso, the actress Marilyn Monroe, the filmmaker Walt Disney and even Miss Piggy from the Muppets owned a poodle!

Comparable Breeds

Poodle Photo: hedgehog94/stock.adobe.com