This is a noble looking dog with a slender muzzle and long neck. The coat is profuse and curly and is often styled. They move with a graceful and prancing gait.
| General
Physical Description |
This is a noble looking dog with a slender muzzle and long neck. The coat is profuse and curly and is often styled. They move with a graceful and prancing gait. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Size Category | Tiny | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight Height Range | The Toy Poodle stands 25 to 28cms and should not weigh more than 4.5 kg. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ailments | All poodles are prone to eye problems such as cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. The toys and miniatures are prone to patellar subluxation. Epilepsy is another disease that plagues all the poodle varieties. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Common Ailments | Missing teeth, sensitivity to rabies vaccine |
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| Susceptibility To Illness | Low | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | This size of poodle was known to exist at least 500 years ago. During the 17th and 18th centuries the poodle became a favourite with the nobility. They wanted dogs smaller than the Miniature variety and so the Toy Poodle was developed. Today the Toy Poodle is exclusively a companion and show dog. | |
| Intelligence | The Poodle is an extremely intelligent and eager to please dog, thus he is inordinately easy to train. As a result, the Poodle has a history of performance, appearing in circus and street acts for hundreds of years. Poodles are unusually sensitive to vocal intonation, probably one of the reasons they are so easy to train. Many pet owners, using gentle and consistent training methods, have seen their poodles excel in obedience trials, flyball and agility. | |
| Show Characteristics | The Poodle standard asks for a moderately rounded skull with a slight but definite stop. The cheeks are flat and the muzzle is long and fine with slight chiseling under the eyes. The muzzle should show the strength of the retriever but still have an aristocratic outline. The teeth should be set in a scissor bite. Oval, wide set eyes must be dark and full of intelligence. The ears are set low on the skull and hang close to the head. The earflap is long, rather wide and well feathered. A proud dog with a haughty head carriage, the poodle needs a long, strong neck, with a smooth deep throat. Muscular shoulders slope back from their point of angulation at the upper foreleg. Well-sprung ribs support a deep and moderately wide chest. The back is short and slightly hollow, fitting with a short, well muscled loin area. A gaily carried tail, set high, is docked to be in proportion with the body. The forelegs are straight from the shoulder and should be parallel, with strong pasterns (ankles.) The hindquarters must be very muscular with well bent stifles and hocks well let down. Facing forward, the small feet should be oval, with well arched, close toes. The pads should be thick and hard. These physical characteristics enable the poodle to have | |
| Country Of Origin | France/Germany |
| Other Names |
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Carniche |
| Dog Group Kennel Club | Utility | |
| Breed Classification | The Toy Poodle belongs to the utility group (although a toy breed and shown in the toy group in the USA). They are used as companions and seen in the show-ring. |
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| Energy | Medium | |||||
| Overall Exercise | 20 - 40 minutes per day. This is a fairly active breed that likes to get out on walks and particularly enjoys games. It is a good idea to enroll a poodle in some sort of activity so that the mind is stimulated along with the body. Poodles can do well in obedience, agility and most dog sports. |
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| Distress Caused if Left Alone | ||||||
| Personal Protection | Low | |||||
| Suitability As Guard Dog | Medium | |||||
| Risk of Sheep Worrying | Low | |||||
| Tendency to Bark | High | |||||
| Ease of Transportation | High | |||||
| Level of Aggression | Low | |||||
| Compatibility With Other Animals | High | |||||
| Suitable
For Children |
Low | |||||
| General Character And Temperament | Getting along with the kids, the cat and the guinea pig is no problem for the poodle. Lively and affectionate, they make wonderful companion dogs, the Toy will adapt to life in more confined quarters as long as they get adequate exercise. They can be good guard dogs, announcing visitors but never being aggressive. Poodles are unusually sensitive to vocal intonation, probably one of the reasons they are so easy to train. Many pet owners, using gentle and consistent training methods,have seen their poodles excel in obedience trials, flyball and agility. Children should be trained to handle these small, delicate dogs carefully though. | |||||
| Lifespan |
> 15 years If healthy, this is a long lived breed, lasting between 14 and 17 years. |
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| Average
Litter Size |
3 Litter sizes are between 2 to 4 puppies |
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| Average
Food Cost |
< $8 per week | |||||
| Feeding
Requirements |
Very small dogs should be fed twice a day to prevent hypoglycemia. Biscuit is good for helping keep their teeth a bit cleaner and healthier. | |||||
| Other
Expenses |
A puppy will cost around $1100 to $1200. It must be remembered that there will be additional costs for professional grooming which is needed every six weeks. | |||||
| Average
Puppy Price |
$600-1000 | |||||