Poodle

Overview

Weight

40-70 lbs

Height

12-22 Inches

Lifespan

12-15 Years

Exercise

1-2 Hours Daily

The Poodle is an impressive family dog with many talents. They are often used in shows due to their impressive hairdos, proud attitude, and willingness to please. Poodles are among the most intelligent dog breeds, are very energetic, have a good temperament, and a long history.

Poodles come in three size varieties namely the standard poodle, miniature poodle, and toy poodle. All three of these sizes are considered to be one dog breed and held to the same breed standards. They also come in different color varieties.

These guys have a hypoallergenic coat which makes them great for those of us who want a pet but have allergies. This does however mean that Poodles need a lot of grooming since they have hair, like ours, that just keeps on growing.

Poodles are excellent beggars and it may break your heart to withhold treats but it is better for their health. They have a tendency to easily become overweight which can lead to a whole host of other problems. If you love grooming your dog, then this is the right breed for you.

A Rich History

The Poodle is a breed that comes in three size varieties. All sizes of this breed need to conform to the same breed standards. Despite their reputation as luxury dogs, they were originally bred as water retrievers before starting their showbiz careers.

The name Poodle was originally derived from the German word Pudel or Pudelin which literally means to splash in the water. In France, they are also often referred to as Caniche which means duck dog.

If you think Poodle, the first thing that might come to mind is their bazaar hairstyles, but even these had a function in the past. Short areas lightened the dog’s coat and kept it from snagging on debris in the water while the longer hair around the joints and chest protects the vital organs against cold water.

No matter your dog’s size, they are renowned for their playful personalities and affectionate natures. When it comes to training, the Poodle is top of the class. They make excellent jumpers, agility dogs, and obedience show dogs. There are also lots of crossed breeds like the Cavapoo.

History

Poodles are one of the oldest breeds that were originally developed to retrieve waterfowl. This breed originated in Germany, but only developed into its own distinct breed in France.

No one is really sure of the ancestry of the Poodle, but it is believed that this breed came to be by crossing several European water dogs, including Portuguese, French, German, Spanish, Hungarian, and Russian waterdogs. Some also believe that the North African Barbet was one of the Poodle’s ancestors as well as Asian herding dogs.

No matter its ancestry, no one can deny that the Poodle is a very old breed. Illustrations of Poodle-like dogs retrieving game from marches and herding other animals can be found on Egyptian and Roman artifacts as well as in tombs that date back to the first centuries B.C.

Some believe that the Miniature and Toy Poodles emerged shortly after the Standard, but others seem to think that it is more likely that smaller versions of the breed only emerged in the 1400s to delight the Parisian bourgeoisie.

In France the Standard Poodle’s main job was duck hunting, the Miniature was used to sniff out truffles and the tiny Toy Poodle was a companion for nobility as well as the wealthy merchant class.

It was also discovered by the Gypsies that Poodles are excellent performers. They trained them as circus dogs. These dogs were trained to do tricks, got dressed up, the coat got clipped into fanciful shapes, and dyed to suit the performance. This started a trend with wealthy patrons who started copying the Gypsies to decorate their own Poodle companions.

The first Poodle registration in England was in 1874 and the first British Poodle club was created two years later. No one knows for sure when Poodles first arrived in the U.S., but they were registered with the American Kennel Club in 1886 and the Poodle Club of America was founded in 1896 but fell apart shortly after. It was reestablished in 1931 by Poodle enthusiasts.

These dogs were quite rare in America until after World War II. The breed did however spike in popularity around the mid-1950s and became the most popular breed in the U.S. for more than 20 years.

Health

Unfortunately, Poodles are not exempted when it comes to health problems. Some conditions can affect your dog quite seriously. Here are some of the health conditions that affect Poodles:

Addison’s Disease

This condition is extremely serious and is caused by insufficient production of adrenal hormones.

Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus

This condition is also referred to as bloat and commonly affects deep-chested dogs like Poodles. If left untreated, the dog may die.

Cushing’s Disease

This condition is caused by an overproduction of cortisol.

Epilepsy

This condition is often inherited and can cause mild to severe seizures in Poodles.

Hip Dysplasia

This is an inherited condition that causes poorly formed hip sockets and loose ligaments.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is caused by an underactive thyroid gland.

Legg-Perthes Disease

This condition is common in Toy Poodles and is characterized by the decreased blood supply to the head of the femur which then starts to disintegrate.

Patellar Luxation

This condition can be inherited and is caused by abnormally long tendons which allow the kneecap to dislocate.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

This is an inherited condition that consists of a family of eye diseases that cause deterioration of the retina.

Optic Nerve Hypoplasia

This is a congenital disease that results in the failure of the optic nerve to develop properly.

Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)

This condition is a serious problem in poodles and affects mostly the skin of Standards. It is estimated that 50% of poodles are either affected or carriers of this genetic defect.

Von Willebrand’s Disease

Von Willebrand’s disease is an inherited condition that affects the blood’s ability to clot.

Interesting Facts

Poodles have hair instead of fur.
The Poodle was originally bred as a hunting dog that retrieves waterfowls.
There was a team of Poodles in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race that takes place in Alaska.
Walt Disney owned a Poodle.
Poodles make great service dogs due to their eagerness to please and their extremely high intelligence.