It is no wonder the Standard Poodle is such a popular dog. Poodles are full of energy and personality. They are popular among owners who want a lively, intelligent and dignified dog with a pleasant, happy disposition. In fact, Poodles are so popular that they have been included in the American Kennel Club’s list of the ten most popular breeds for the last ten years.

All Poodles are members of the non-sporting group of breeds. Toy Poodles, Miniature Poodles, and Standard Poodles all share the same standards of the breed, the only difference among them being height. A Toy Poodle must not be taller than ten inches at the highest point of the shoulder; a Miniature Poodle must not be taller than fifteen inches at the shoulder; and a Standard Poodle must be taller than fifteen inches at the shoulder.

Standards for the Poodle coat are the same for all three sizes. The Poodle coat is dense, wiry and curly, and also rough to the touch. Standards of the breed allow a range of colors from black to white, with brown, apricot blue, gray and silver in between.

The origins of the Poodle breed are uncertain, although Germany, Denmark and France have all claimed credit for developing the breed. Over the years, France has come to be recognized as the Poodle’s place of origin, and the French hold a special place in their hearts and in their culture for what they call the Caniche.

The Standard Poodle is thought to have descended from a mix between the Barbet, a French water dog and a Hungarian Water Hound. The Miniature and Toy varieties were bred down from the Standard Poodle. Once used as a sporting dog, Poodles retrieved waterfowl during gun hunts. The traditional Poodle cut, with extra hair at the joints, was meant to insulate the dogs’ joints against the cold water. Poodles also worked as truffle hunters, and circus performers. In fact, they remain familiar icons in popular culture, and they continue to perform in the modern entertainment industry.

A Standard Poodle can become famous because their owners are famous or because they gain fame in their own right, or because their famous owners incorporate them into their public persona. Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas had three Poodles, named Basket, Basket II and Basket III. “Weird Al” Yankovic has a poodle named Bela, who posed on Yankovic’s head for the cover of his “Poodle Hat” album. WWE Superstar Rene Dupree has a poodle named Fifi.

Entertainer “Weird Al” Yankovic posed his Poodle Bela on top of his head for a photograph used on the cover of his “Poodle Hat” album. When wrestling Superstar Rene Dupree, now known as Rene Bonaparte, gives interviews he often refers to his Poodle Fifi.

Poodles are well known as characters in literature, film and television. The late Jacqueline Susann, the darling of the 1960s, wrote a best-selling novel, Every Night Josephine, about her Poodle, Josephine. One of many examples of Poodles in film is the 2000 film Best In Show, which featured a Poodle named Rhapsody in White as the canine character “Butch”. The TV family in the animated series Rugrats has a Poodle named Fifi as a pet. Although most Standard Poodles will never appear on the pages of a novel or on the big screen, their owners consider them superstars of the highest magnitude.

One of the most beloved dog breeds is the Poodle. Standard, Miniature and Toy sized Poodles are regularly champions in dog competitions. Poodles are widely remarked upon for their elaborate fur clips, especially when primping for show. The American Kennel Club requires that Poodles be clipped in either the Continental or English Saddle styles (for adult Poodles) or the puppy clip (for Poodles under twelve months of age).

Poodles are thought to have originated in the 15th century. Though it is debated whether the breed comes from Russia, Germany or France, the French are given credit for the breed. French Poodle breeders effectively bred Poodles into their three sizes. The word Poodle comes from the German word Pudel, which means splashing or water.

Competition Poodles can be any solid color; however, the American Kennel Club (AKC) does not allow Poodles with multi or parti-colored fur to compete. All three sizes of Poodle can compete if they meet size requirements. The three sizes of Poodle, Miniature, Toy and Standard, have similar overall traits but differ in height and weight.

Poodle breeders understand Poodle breed standard characteristics. They follow the American Kennel Club’s standards when preparing Poodles for AKC competitions. For example, dogs under twelve months of age can be groomed in a puppy cut, which is an all-over trim with fur of the same length.

Adult dogs must be groomed in either the Continental or English Saddle styles which involve shaving the dog’s back half while leaving pom-poms of fur on the hips, legs, and tail as well as styling the head fur in an intricate pompadour.

Buyers can then begin contacting local Poodle breeders and rescue centers. Buyers should look for AKC certified breeders or breeders with references, and should interview Poodle breeders before purchasing a purebred Poodle. By doing this, buyers can ask specific questions to weed out any illegitimate Poodle breeders.

Unfortunately, this is necessary to distinguish the good breeders from the many disreputable breeders working only to make a profit. Buyers do not want to buy a puppy mill Poodle, which is a Poodle born and raised in a cage borne of parents who have been neglected, over-bred, and often abused. Backyard breeders continuously breed adult dogs with no regard for the health or happiness of the parents or puppies.

Documentation such as medical records, immunization records and pedigree registrations should be provided upon purchase. Inquire about any warranty or guarantee, including any return policies. Ask is the breeder is associated with any breeder registries (such as the AKC) or rescue and animal shelter groups. A good Poodle breeder should also be able to supply you with information about the history of the breed and be helpful with information about the care, grooming and training of your new pet.

The Poodle is one of the most trainable breeds of dogs. These dogs are easy to train, as they are always eager to please their owners and are by nature easygoing animals. The basic Poodle obedience training has it that the dog should know a few standard commands such as come, sit, down, heel, among others.

It is recommended usually to have your Poodle enrolled into a regular Poodle obedience training class because this will help the dog with the only one problem typical to this breed, which is socializing with both people and other animals.

Among the most common commands your Poodle should learn will be sit, come, down, stay, heel and the like. You can teach these basic obedience commands at home as well because the Poodle is an easily trainable dog. However, having a trainer do it will be faster and less cumbersome for you.

Teaching the command sit is the first and maybe the most basic of all the commands that any dog should learn under obedience training. The Poodle obedience training lists this command as the easiest to teach. Have a treat in your hand and the Poodle on its leash at least two feet in front of you. Show the dog that you have a treat in your hand and then lift your hand above its head and make a circle towards its tail.

You need to teach this command initially with the leash on and then without the leash. Try making it more and more difficult like giving the command of come from inside the house, or a place where it cannot see you. Give this about a week’s time by the end of which you will find that the dog will have mastered the command.

One of the most basic commands under Poodle obedience training is the command sit. This is also one of the easiest ones to teach. What you need to do is put the dog on the leash and have it face you. Take a treat in your hand and make sure the Poodle knows about it.

Raise the hand above the dog’s head slowly ensuring that it is following the movement and then lower it towards its tail. At this point the dog will sit down so it can continue to watch your hand. Say the command loudly, give the treat and praise it profusely.

These steps need to repeated for as long as it takes to have the dog sit at your command, which might take a few days or a couple of weeks depending upon the attentiveness of your dog and your consistency with the training technique. Once you start the training you should not stop in between as this will confuse the dog and make it difficult to train later.

Not all Poodle rescue centres are alike. Some actually aren’t Poodle rescue centres at all, but are puppy mills, or Poodle hoarders who really don’t know what they’re doing. There isn’t any parent organization that supervises all animal rescue centres. Basically, anyone can set up one, but they have to register it as a charity. Here is how to tell good from bad Poodle rescue centres.

First off, if you go online, there are many fine Poodle rescue centres that have websites, but there are also fraudulent ones. Sometimes these sites are scams with no dogs at all or are just fronts for puppy mills masquerading as a Poodle rescue centre. No legitimate Poodle rescue centre will ship their dogs or puppies out to you. They also will not accept applications from anyone who lives more than a few hours drive away. Poodle rescue centres usually do not have Teacup Poodles so don’t even bother asking.

A good Poodle rescue centre’s website will only let you apply for a dog, not put one on reserve. The application should be lengthy, almost to the point of making you cry, and should quiz you on your current knowledge of Poodle information on their care and handling.

If you have a problem with the Poodle rescue centre you are working with, you can only get the problems solved within the Poodle rescue centre. Expect to have your background checked, asked to provide character references and maybe even be expected to submit a letter from your veterinarian.

Although you may have to pay a non-refundable adoption application fee, you should not have to pay the adoption fee for the dog until you actually meet the dog. Never trust photos sent to you about the dogs for adoption. If the Poodle rescue centre discourages you from meeting the dog first, then it is most likely a puppy mill. Run far away and try another Poodle rescue group.

A good Poodle rescue centre will give you a background check like you would not believe possible. This is because they want to be assured that you and the dog will get along, and that the poor dog will not wind up back in the shelter system. A great Poodle rescue centre is run very similarly to a human adoption centre. Be patient, and realize that most of the rescue workers are volunteers with busy lives.

Also expect a good Poodle rescue to do surprise check ups on how you and your new best friend are getting along. And Poodle rescue volunteer workers are great for turning for help and advice on all things dog. They might not be able to get back to you right away, but they usually do within 48 hours.

And that is for no extra charge. They also get to know the personalities of all of the dogs up for adoption, so that you are assured of compatibility.

Even though it may have taken you some time to finally decide what kind of puppy you are going to be bringing home, you have finally decided to purchase a Poodle puppy. And now that the hard decisions are over, the hard work is set to begin, as you must make sure that your house is completely puppy proof in the sense that there is nothing left around that they can get hurt from.

Such things would include rat traps and poison, even if you think that are hidden well enough because just like children, you can never be completely sure of what they can get into until they actually find something that they were not supposed to. B

Some more things that you will want to have done before your Poodle puppy comes home is having a good detailed list of the things you want him or her to learn such as where to go potty and to stay off of the couch. Once you have come up with your list, you want to determine which of the dog lessons are the most important to you. By doing so, you can make sure you get to the most important task first because puppies should only be trained on one lesson at a time.

A good thing to do before your Poodle puppy comes home is to already have a good idea about what your training plan of action is going to be. You will want to start training your puppy right away in order to save things such as your carpet or your furniture. Make a list of things you would like your new Poodle puppy to learn and then figure out which lesson on your list is the most important.

If you have read a lot of books and magazines about the Poodle puppy you are on the right track but know that no matter how much you read, it will never compare to experiencing Poodle puppies first hand.

There is a lot more to learn and to deal with then the books make there out to be and that is not something you will truly understand until the puppy is in your home.

One of the biggest frustrations that new owners experience is the fact that the Poodle puppy is very difficult to potty train. You need to expect a lot of accidents and mistakes while your little puppy is still learning all of the house rules.

With a little patience and a big sense of humor, you will be able to make it through and soon enough you will have a very well behaved and fully trained puppy.

Proper training is important for all dogs, but especially so with Poodles. These are really great dogs, amazing dogs, but if they are not trained properly when they are young they will end up developing poor behavior problems, such as barking incessantly and chewing destructively. They will attack shoes, clothing and other things around the home if they are not trained.

There are of course professional dog trainers who will come into the home and help train the dog, but owners should realize that the Poodle training process is a great opportunity to spend time with and bond with their dog, and this should definitely be taken advantage of.

There are a few great tips in particular that are helpful for Poodle training. Basic dog obedience should be the first step, and then as the dog makes progress the owner can add in more lessons. The come command is one of the first and most important lessons that an owner should teach their dog, and to do this the owner needs to order the dog to “Come!” and right after they have given the command they need to pull the dog towards them and praise them. Praising the dog both verbally and physically is very important because this is going to make sure that the dog understands that they have done well.

Heel is another important command to teach the Poodle in Poodle training and to do this the owner needs to command them to “Heel!” while they are walking out with the foot closest to the dog. It is important for them to remember that if the dog’s head or neck is not level with their leg then they need to jerk the dog into this position, otherwise they will never learn.

The bottom line is that although a lot of time and effort has to be put into Poodle training, it is well worth it to stave off Poodle problem behaviors before they begin. Poodles are truly amazing dogs and make great pets, even in families with young children.

One of the most important tips an owner needs to remember when it comes to Poodle training is to be repetitive. Most dogs are forgetful but the Poodle is especially so, and so more than ever it is important that the owner be consistent with their training to stave off future Poodle problem behaviors. Even by missing just a day of training can leave the dog confused and they may even forget everything that they have already learned.

Being firm but friendly is also very important, because dogs respond better to positive reinforcement than to anger and frustration. When an owner is giving commands it is important that they use a happy and friendly voice.

It is also very important to make sure that there are no distractions around while training the dog, such as toys and food, because then the dog will not be able to focus and this will make training them a great deal more difficult. Owners should also remember that there are many wonderful professional dog trainers out there who will be able to help out here and make sure that the dog is properly trained.

If you think a Miniature Poodle is just a smaller version of the Standard Poodle – you’d be right! The Miniature Poodle and the Standard Poodle are almost identical in their physical characteristics, their temperament, their needs and their incredible intelligence. The only difference is in their size.

The Miniature Poodle is built just like the Standard Poodle, only on a smaller scale. They have the same temperament, needs and grooming requirements. There are some who think the Miniature Poodle is the most intelligent of the Poodle types, but there is really no way to prove this.

No Miniature Poodle will fulfill every requirement of the breed standard. If you are not sure what the Miniature Poodle breed standard is, even the one for Standard Poodles (the big guys) will suffice. They are identical except for size. A Miniature Poodle is between eleven and fifteen inches tall at the shoulder. They should ideally weigh from fifteen to seventeen pounds, but the shelter dog will most likely be less or more than that.

Any Poodle information for Standard Poodles tends to also apply to Miniature Poodles, only on a smaller scale. Their breed standards are identical (again, except for size). They should be lean, athletic dogs under remarkably puffy coats. Their expression should be happy and lively. Their trot should be lively and bouncy, with their heads and tails naturally held high. Many show Poodles have their tails half docked – a practice which is thankfully dying out.

Their long and strong bodies have a level spine (called a topline in the dog show world), although some pet-quality Miniature Poodles will have a topline that slopes down to their hindquarters. The tail and head are naturally held high. The feet are oval in shape, although pet-quality Miniature Poodles will have splayed feet. The overall look of the dog is that all of the body parts should be in proportion to each other.

The Miniature Poodle does not naturally grow the outrageous coats seen in the show ring. Their coats do need to be clipped every six to eight weeks or else they take on an evil life of their own. Many owners of pet Miniature Poodles choose the puppy clip, which mimics how the coat looked as a two month old puppy.

Their coats are actually hair and not fur, which makes Poodle types great for those with dog allergies. The coat never seems to stop growing, and grooming demands for Miniature Poodles are high. You will have to go to the groomer at least ten times a year in order to keep the miniature Poodle’s coat under control (and sanitary).

Common faults that would disqualify them from a show ring include too large and protruding eyes, an ewe neck, splayed paws instead of oval shaped paws, more than one color on the coat, the tail held too low, the tail curled over the back or the spine sloping downwards to the hindquarters. They still make wonderful pets.

The Miniature Poodle is the middle sized of the three American Kennel Club Poodle types. (A fourth Poodle type – the Teacup Poodle – is not recognized). All Poodle types are considered the same breed – the Poodle. The Standard (or biggest) Poodle is the oldest of the variations. But because they were so big and active, a smaller version was wanted for those who lived in smaller homes.

The Miniature Poodle stands about eleven to fifteen inches tall at their withers (the highest point of the shoulder.) They only average about fifteen to seventeen pounds, compared to a Standard’s average of fifty to sixty pounds

No Miniature Poodle will fulfill every requirement of the breed standard. If you are not sure what the Miniature Poodle breed standard is, even the one for Standard Poodles (the big guys) will suffice. They are identical except for size. A Miniature Poodle is between eleven and fifteen inches tall at the shoulder. They should ideally weigh from fifteen to seventeen pounds, but the shelter dog will most likely be less or more than that.

Miniature Poodles have the same body types and facial expressions and attitudes of their larger Poodle brothers and sisters. They possess lean and athletic bodies underneath the enormous coats. They are built more like small hounds, with a pointed nose, a profile officially described as chiseled, a rounder forehead than regular hounds and floppy rounded ears that naturally seem to hug the head. Their eyes are usually dark, but lighter colored eyes do occur, although not in show quality Miniature Poodles. They have a scissors bite, which is used just on food and toys.

The breed standard is usually based on looking at a Poodle in profile. In profile, a Miniature Poodle should stand square, have a level topline (spine) and a profile that looks somewhat chiseled and not heavily jowled. The preferred eye color for the show ring is a dark brown, but much lighter eye colors happen often in pet Miniature Poodles. The ears are floppy, with rounded ends and seem to hug the head. They may or may not have dewclaws.

The Miniature Poodle comes in many colors, but all of them are to be solid for show dogs. Even the lips and nose should be the same color. This is where a lot of Miniature Poodles fall short as show dogs, as they could have bi-colored lips, or more than one color in their coats. Some brown Miniature Poodles will go prematurely grey, so a grey-tipped brown Miniature Poodle may be younger than he looks. Other faults common to Miniature Poodles include large, protruding eyes, an overbite, ewe-neck, a too low tail carriage or a downward sloping topline.

The breed standard for any dog breed is an ideal representation of the breed, not necessarily based on any living example. But the breed standards can act as a good general guide for identifying dogs in shelters.

They don’t seem to care whatever clip they are given. Miniature Poodles are long lived (some have reached twenty) and is one of the more healthy breeds of smaller dogs available.

The Miniature Poodle is the middle sized of the three American Kennel Club Poodle types. (A fourth Poodle type – the Teacup Poodle – is not recognized). All Poodle types are considered the same breed – the Poodle. The Standard (or biggest) Poodle is the oldest of the variations. But because they were so big and active, a smaller version was wanted for those who lived in smaller homes.

The Miniature Poodle stands about eleven to fifteen inches tall at their withers (the highest point of the shoulder.) They only average about fifteen to seventeen pounds, compared to a Standard’s average of fifty to sixty pounds

The miniature Poodle is between eleven and fifteen inches high at the withers (highest point of the shoulder) and is only about fifteen to seventeen pounds. In comparison, a Standard Poodle is at least fifteen inches in height and weighs an average of fifty pounds.

Any Poodle information for Standard Poodles tends to also apply to Miniature Poodles, only on a smaller scale. Their breed standards are identical (again, except for size). They should be lean, athletic dogs under remarkably puffy coats. Their expression should be happy and lively. Their trot should be lively and bouncy, with their heads and tails naturally held high. Many show Poodles have their tails half docked – a practice which is thankfully dying out.

The breed standard is usually based on looking at a Poodle in profile. In profile, a Miniature Poodle should stand square, have a level topline (spine) and a profile that looks somewhat chiseled and not heavily jowled. The preferred eye color for the show ring is a dark brown, but much lighter eye colors happen often in pet Miniature Poodles. The ears are floppy, with rounded ends and seem to hug the head. They may or may not have dewclaws.

The Miniature Poodle does not naturally grow the outrageous coats seen in the show ring. Their coats do need to be clipped every six to eight weeks or else they take on an evil life of their own. Many owners of pet Miniature Poodles choose the puppy clip, which mimics how the coat looked as a two month old puppy.

The breed standard for any dog breed is an ideal representation of the breed, not necessarily based on any living example. But the breed standards can act as a good general guide for identifying dogs in shelters.

Miniature Poodles are a pretty distinctive breed, and usually are easily and accurately identified by even newbie shelter volunteers. Miniature Poodles, no matter what they look like, will make wonderful pets.

Before a person decides on which breed of dog they want to get they really have to learn more about the breed and take the pros and cons into consideration. Poodles for instance are affectionate and beautiful dogs but they are also very stubborn and domineering. They are high maintenance and need a lot more time and attention than most other breeds, and this makes Poodle care a very important and lengthy process. Poodle allergies and other common health problems should be researched when deciding whether this breed is right for your family or not.

There are certain things that one will have to consider before deciding to get a Poodle however, and more than anything this refers to the Poodle care that is required. Investigating common health problems, such as Poodle allergies, might help you to decide if the breed is right for you or not.

One of the most important components of Poodle care is bathing. At the core of every proper dog grooming procedure is the bathing and drying process, but this is never truer than with the Poodle. If a Poodle is not bathed regularly enough or not fluff dried properly than they may experience problems and definitely will not look as attractive.

Of all the different components important to proper Poodle care one of the most important of all is the bathing of the dog. Especially because they have such a long and unique coat bathing is obviously going to be important. If a Poodle is not bathed regularly enough their long hair will end up getting tangled and matted and will start shedding more than normal. Poodle allergies can appear after using shampoos that are harsh or chemically scented or colored. Keep the heat on the blow dryer low and away from the skin, as this will only irritate the skin further.

One of the most important steps here is to choose the right shampoo for the dog. There are many great dog shampoos available these days and human shampoo should never be used on a dog especially not a Poodle because it will dry out their skin and possibly even give them dandruff. It is important to make sure that all the shampoo and conditioner is rinsed out before they get out of the tub to prevent dry scalp and Poodle allergies as well. Poodles also need to be properly fluff dried after each bath.

Food allergies are often misdiagnosed as fleabites or dry skin because they usually manifest as an itchy skin problem. Food intolerance causes diarrhea and vomiting, but Poodle allergies never have these symptoms. Food allergies usually occur in dogs between the ages of two and six years old and can be caused by a number of different things.

Many foods such as meats, preservatives, milk and grains such as corn and soy can cause Poodle allergies and treatment usually consists of eliminating foods from the diet one at a time until the culprit food is found and removed from the diet.

Poodles are unique in the fact that they cause the fewest allergic reactions in humans. Though they require a good deal of grooming they have special fur that is more like hair and is less likely to cause allergies than most other breeds. This is the sole reason some people will own no other breed of dog