The Poodle Dog Breed
The Poodle dog breed comes in three sizes – toy, miniature, and standard. The Toy Poodle dog breed is classified under theToy Dog Breeds of the American Kennel Club (AKC) while the miniature and standard Poodle dog breed is classified under the Non-Sporting Dog Breeds. Although different in size, everything else about the three Poodle dog breed varieties is relatively the same.
The Poodle dog breed originated in Germany. He was bred to be a water retriever and later as a performer. When the Poodle dog breed was used as a water retriever, his hair was cut in a certain working pattern which allowed for better swimming as well as protection against the cold water. His hair was left long on the chest, joints, and tail tip while the rest was shaved.
The Poodle dog breed is intelligent and very responsive to training. As such, he became popular in France as a performing circus dog. In France, his breed was developed further into the various sizes you see today.
The Poodle dog breed is called Pudel in Germany and Caniche, meaning Duck Dog, in France. Even though he is still used as a retriever is some remote parts of the world, today he is bred more as a companion dog – so much so that he is not part of the AKC Sporting Dog Breed Group.
The Poodle dog breed has a harsh curly long coat which can be any solid color. This coat does not shed but grows continuously and requires constant clipping. He has oval eyes, a long thin muzzle, and low set ears which hang close to the head. The tail of the Poodle dog breed is straight, carried upward, and docked. He has a wide and deep chest and sturdy legs with small oval feet. The Toy Poodle dog breed stands under 10 inches and should weigh about 4 to 6 pounds. The Miniature Poodle dog breed stands about 10 to 15 inches tall and weighs about 12 to 18 pounds. And the Standard Poodle dog breed stands over 15 inches tall and should weigh between 45 and 70 pounds.
The Poodle dog breed is very playful and rather energetic. He needs daily physical exercise, nice long walks for the larger variety. The Poodle dog breed is also very intelligent so mental exercise is needed as well. Without enough mental exercise, he is likely to develop bad behavior problems such as chewing in order to keep from being bored. The intelligence combined with his amiable nature makes the Poodle dog breed easy to train. He can be sensitive to harsh training and harsh training isn’t really needed with this obedient and eager to please dog breed. Although the Poodle dog breed tends to be devoted to one person, he is good with other pets and does well with children.
As with most purebred dog breeds, the Poodle dog breed is inclined to develop certain inherited health problems. He can develop eyelid problems and/or a disease called progressive retinal atrophy which could lead to blindness. He can develop skeletal problems such as patellar luxation or Legg-Perthes disease. Patellar luxation is problems with the knee cap which can lead to lameness. Legg-Perthes disease is problems with the femur bone which can lead to hip problems. The Poodle dog breed is also inclined to have neural issues such as epilepsy which results in periodic seizures. The Standard Poodle dog breed is specifically inclined to develop a genetic skin disorder called sebaceous adenitis.
If you are interested in adding a Poodle dog breed into your family, consider adopting or purchasing from a reputable dog breeder. A dog purchased from a reputable dog breeder may be more expensive but he will be less likely to develop certain health issues. A reputable breeder will most likely be a member of the Poodle Club of America and will have had the dogs tested for certain health issues.
The Poodle dog breed in any size is great for just about every family. The smaller variety may not do as well around smaller children and he may tend to bark a lot. Anyone with other pets should have little trouble in integrating this adorable dog into the family. And the fact that the Poodle dog breed doesn’t shed is a plus for people concerned with dog allergies.
The Poodle Dog Breed Figurine
American Dog Blog 