Perhaps the small poodle is familiar to any dog lover - even if a person has not seen him, he has certainly heard quite a lot. But society has an inaccurate impression of them - many are sure that dogs have only a decorative function and are not suitable for anything else. Therefore, it is worth telling about the breed in more detail.
Beauty and grace are inherent in the breed standards
History of the breed
Most experts believe that the Small Black Poodle was developed in France. But there is also an opinion that Germany or even Hungary became its homeland. And in general, even in the tombs of the aristocrats of Ancient Rome, images of miniature dogs, very similar to poodles, were discovered.
True, until the beginning of the twentieth century there was no standard for the breed - poodles were crossed with griffons, spaniels, pointers and other breeds. It was only in 1936 that general standards were laid down in France, to which the breed was subsequently adjusted.
For reference! A small poodle from Canada named Chanda-Lian knew about 400 commands, including playing the piano.
General information and breed standards
Of course, before getting a small poodle, you should definitely study the description of the breed.
Many breeders are interested in how much a poodle weighs. And it’s true, because some people get a pet as a decorative one and want to be able to carry it in their arms. Well, the average weight for a poodle ranges from 8 to 12 kg, so it is not so easy to pick him up. At the same time, in appearance it is quite compact - the height of an adult dog at the withers usually ranges from 30 to 45 cm.
The coat is soft, of medium length and with a very dense undercoat. Colors can be very different:
- brown,
- black,
- apricot,
- redhead,
- gray,
- silver,
- black and white,
- black and tan.
Therefore, you can easily choose a pet that is suitable for a particular breeder.
Differences from the Miniature and Royal Poodle
The main difference in which the small apricot poodle differs from the dwarf and royal poodle lies in size. And besides, the boundaries here are very blurred - often even experts cannot draw the exact line. As a result, a large dwarf poodle can be confused with a small one, and the tallest examples of a small poodle are almost indistinguishable from a royal one.
Exterior
The poodle is built very proportionally, has a graceful and fairly muscular body, and long legs. The head is harmoniously related to the body and has an elongated, graceful shape.
Important! The breed standard includes a general description for all varieties of that breed. The only differences are in the size and weight of the pets.
A small poodle weighs approximately 8 – 14 kg, depending on the gender of the dog and the conditions under which it is kept. The height at the withers is approximately 35 - 45 cm. They have a very dense and thick coat, distinguished by ornate pile. The poodle requires careful grooming with regular visits to the groomer or combing and trimming at home.
Experts at exhibitions carefully examine the animal for non-compliance with the standard. In particular, the animal’s teeth are examined. They should be strong and white, with a scissor bite.
The dog moves very easily and quickly. The gait literally resembles a dance. The poodle moves naturally, demonstrating the muscularity of its hind limbs and the beauty of its body. Experts in the show ring carefully monitor the dog's ease of movement and ability to listen to the commands of the owner or handler.
Features of character and behavior
Eyes glow with intelligence
Of course, if a breeder likes a German poodle, then it will not be a bad idea to find out the characteristics of his character.
The most outstanding characteristics are increased friendliness, loyalty and playfulness.
The dog constantly needs communication - it frankly feels bad for him alone. If there is no opportunity to play with the owner or even just be near him, the dog quickly begins to get bored and can even cause serious chaos at home, despite his high intelligence.
Character and features
The Small Poodle, unlike other representatives of small breeds, has a larger and stronger physique, is active when walking, shows endurance and tirelessness when it comes to sports and games.
The small poodle is a very affectionate pet and will happily spend time with its owner. If you make some efforts in education and training, your pet will be able to fetch a stick, throw itself into the water after a thrown object, overcoming obstacles and barriers. The Small Poodle shows considerable ability to learn tricks.
Due to its herding background, the small poodle is very kind to children. A dog of this breed is an excellent companion in any outdoor games and a reliable nanny, taking orders responsibly. The poodle, despite its small size, zealously protects its charges from strange dogs and strangers.
Attitude towards children and pets
It’s worth saying right away that small and medium poodles get along well with children. They can play a variety of outdoor games all day long. True, children must understand that this is a dog in front of them, and not a toy. If you cross a certain line, then a good dog may well show his teeth.
Relationships with other animals are also smooth and calm. Poodles do not strive to dominate, so conflicts, if they occur, are from other dogs.
For reference! The poodle was originally a hunting gun dog and most representatives of the breed retained the ability to swim well and follow the trail of shot prey for a long time.
Care and maintenance
In order for a poodle not only to look great, but also to feel good, it needs appropriate care. And this is the main disadvantage of the breed. But you need to know about all the subtleties so as not to later regret the unsuccessful choice of a pet.
Hygiene
In general, hygiene consists of the following actions:
- Eye examination is daily. If necessary, wipe them with cotton swabs soaked in tea leaves.
- Inspect and clean ears every week. The same cotton pads will do, but they need to be soaked in hydrogen peroxide.
- Brush your teeth a couple of times a month (if the dog chews bones, branches and toys, then the procedure can be omitted).
- Trimming nails - once every month or two, it all depends on the activity of the dogs. Some people wear down their claws themselves when running on hard surfaces.
- Bathing - twice a month. In this case, you need to use a special shampoo, and after water treatments, dry your dog with a hairdryer - a wet dog will easily catch a cold.
- Brushing - two to three times a week to keep the coat smooth and beautiful.
It’s worth talking about the haircut separately. If the dog was bought for the soul, then you can refuse the procedure altogether. Otherwise, you will have to go to the hairdresser before each exhibition.
Walk
Alone with the wild
The owner must remember that the poodle loves long walks. You need to walk twice a day, and one of the walks should last at least 40-60 minutes.
At the same time, the poodle does not need physical activity, although he will happily run after a ball or stick. But you shouldn’t tire your dog unnecessarily - this is not a breed that is ready to run for hours.
Training and education
Puppy training can begin as early as one and a half to two months. The poodle is generally distinguished by its intelligence and grasps everything on the fly. True, there is a subtlety here - the dog is not only smart, but also cunning. Therefore, she needs to be interested. A stimulus in the form of some kind of dog treat is perfect. Then the dog will quickly get used to following commands and will do it with pleasure.
Another important aspect is proper upbringing. It is very difficult to refuse a cute dog who begs for a treat from the master’s table or wants to sleep on the pillow. But this must be done - by demonstrating weakness once, the owner risks putting the pet on his neck.
For reference! Studying new information about sales of miniature and small poodles, we can say with confidence that the cost ranges on average from 10 to 40 thousand rubles.
Caring for a small poodle
Undoubtedly, the main decoration and advantage of the small poodle is its rich coat. For every owner who keeps a representative of this breed, the coat is an indicator of the dog’s class. The Small Poodle breed is characterized by thick, wavy hair, which may also have medicinal properties. The fleece needs careful and attentive care, daily combing. Haircuts are performed at least once every three months. In addition, unkempt, matted fur can cause the animal to become ill. Before sending your dog to the groomer, you need to wash your pet. Shampoo is used no more than once a quarter.
The owner of a small poodle must have at least the basics of grooming so that the area of the muzzle, between the toes and around the genitals is kept in exemplary order. If the dog is sent to exhibitions, grooming occurs once every 2 months, turning to professional groomers. In our constantly developing world, even dog hairstyles are varied, which provides absolute freedom of choice for the owner. As mentioned above, the “lion” hairstyle has still not lost its relevance. Along with it, the owners of representatives of this breed choose “kennel”, “lamb”, “bichon”, “modern” and varieties of these hairstyles.
See also: Cane Corso
In addition, you need to monitor what ends up in your pet’s bowl. The food can be either dry food or natural food.
Life expectancy and major diseases
In general, poodles live quite a long time - about 12-15 years, which by dog standards is an excellent indicator.
True, the complex of hereditary diseases is quite extensive. First of all this:
- heart disease,
- skin diseases,
- glaucoma,
- Digestive problems.
They are also susceptible to oral diseases - from tartar to inflammation of the tonsils.
Poodles need the same vaccinations as most other breeds.
Nutritional Features
They love to go for walks.
In general, poodles are not too picky when it comes to nutrition. They can easily eat dry food for the rest of their lives - the main thing is to use high-quality food, not cheap food that uses only soy instead of meat. Moreover, a small poodle eats little and the owner probably won’t go broke buying 1-2 kilograms of food once a week.
With a natural diet, the diet should be balanced and include lean meat (sometimes can be replaced with sea fish and offal), porridge (preferably cooked in meat broth) and fresh vegetables (chopped and added to porridge). Low-fat fermented milk products such as cottage cheese and kefir are suitable sources of calcium.
If the owner carefully considers all the advantages and disadvantages of the breed and still decides to get a poodle, then he will definitely not have to regret this decision - he will love his pet forever.
Maintenance and care
Caring for a poodle involves regular brushing of its coat. About once every two months the dog needs to be cut. It is advisable to bathe your pet with special shampoos and balms that make combing easier. This procedure is carried out twice a month. After bathing, the dog must be dried with a hairdryer.
Poodle owners need to know that their active pet needs exercise. It is necessary to organize walks for him in such a way that he can take a sedate walk with his beloved owner on a leash, and run and play with a ball to his heart’s content.
