Breed Standard Toy Poodle

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* Here is a photo of a typical representative of the Toy Poodle dog breed . You can send us photos of your animals by email, and we will post them on the website. Don't forget to send your pet's name.

Other breed names:

Miniature Poodle, Miniature Poodle

Video

* We invite you to watch a video about the Toy Poodle . In fact, in front of you is a playlist in which you can select and watch any of 20 videos about a given dog breed by simply clicking on the button in the upper right corner of the window. In addition, the material contains quite a lot of photos. By looking at them you can find out what a Toy Poodle looks like.

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The Toy Poodle is an elegant and pretty dog, famous for its miniature size, unusual curly hair, good-natured and cheerful character, and intelligence. It looks exactly like the Royal Poodle, but is tiny in stature. This breed perfectly combines the appearance and proportions of its older brother.

Video “How to trim a toy poodle”

In this video, a specialist will show you how to properly cut a miniature poodle's haircut.

Similar article: Rules for the care and basics of keeping a poodle

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The history of the origin of the toy poodle

Dog handlers are completely convinced that the poodle is one of the most ancient dog breeds. Several centuries ago, such dogs were ubiquitous in most countries in Western Europe. As for the homeland of the poodle, at different times different countries claimed this title - France, Hungary, Germany, and their ancestors are considered to be shepherd or water dogs with shaggy and curly hair.

All the same dog experts are sure that the poodle owes its appearance to several dog breeds at once. Thus, according to etymological analysis and written documents, the ancestors of poodles are called bullets, water spaniels, barbets, Hungarian shepherds, retrievers, greyhounds and pointers.

Interesting fact: The first written mentions of poodles can be found in European chronicles that date back to the 16th century. Several varieties of these dogs are also mentioned here, which differ from each other in color and size. The Toy Poodle (miniature poodle) is one of them.

Toy poodles gained the greatest popularity in the 18th century and fans of the breed, as a rule, were representatives of the European nobility. Around the same time, the art of hairdressing began to develop rapidly in Europe, and during the reign of Louis XVI, the first hairdressing salons for animals already appeared in Paris.

The court hairdressers also tried to keep up with fashion and began to cut their masters' pets in a variety of styles. The king himself, in order to please his beloved wife Marie Antoinette, issued a decree proclaiming the miniature poodle a court breed.

The Toy Poodle is bred from the Royal Poodle. Moreover, the first one belongs to the decorative breeds, and the second one to the service and sporting breeds. The toy poodle received official status as a decorative dog breed only in 1936, and the latest breed standard dates back to 2007.

Origin story

The Toy Poodle breed was developed only in the 20th century. Some consider France to be its homeland, others call it Germany, since the word “poodle” is of German origin. The dogs were bred to participate in hunting. Translated from German, poodle means “splash in the water,” and the same breed in France means “duck,” which proves the origin of the poodle from hunting dogs. The dogs' job during hunting was to bring back already killed game.

Toy poodle - description of the breed

The prefix “toy” in the name of the toy poodle means “toy” in English. That is, toy poodle literally means “toy poodle.” Representatives of this breed in appearance correspond to the appearance characteristics of the Royal Poodle, with the exception of their small size.

At the same time, minor deviations in the dog’s appearance from the standard are not a significant reason for culling, but the show score may be reduced. Toy poodles with pronounced defects are not allowed to show and are not recommended for breeding.

The height and weight of an adult individual directly depends on its category, of which breeders distinguish two: toy and small toy. Toy - height at withers no more than 28 cm, and weight - 3-5 kg. Small toy - height at the withers up to 25 cm, and weight - up to 2 kg.

The toy poodle has a regular shaped, fox-type head. The forehead is of medium width, convex and somewhat oblong. A toy poodle's nose is proportional to its head. The color of the nose is black or matches the color of the coat. The eyes are almond-shaped, with dense and colored eyelids. The color of the iris ranges from amber or golden to dark brown.

The ears are hanging type, rectangular and rounded at the ends, adjacent to the head. The poodle's physique is proportional, regular, with smoothed withers and a pronounced scruff. The back is of medium width and tapers somewhat at the croup. The croup itself is round, the stomach is tucked, and the lower back is well defined.

The tail is straight and set high. According to the standard, both natural and docked tail lengths are allowed. The dog's paws are smooth, dense with fairly strong joints, proportional to the length of the body with pads and claws that match the base color or the color of the nose. Hips are wide and muscular.

Description and breed standard

Toy poodle mini dogs, despite the young age of the breed, have already successfully passed the standardization procedure at the international and regional level. Therefore, there is a specific characteristic of the breed. To meet the standards, a Toy Poodle must have the following description:

• The typical size for an adult is 24–28 cm. The ideal height is 25 cm, and the weight is no more than 3 kg. The dwarf subspecies is slightly larger. However, the canine service does not separate these two varieties;
• an elongated head that resembles a fox's muzzle;
• dark, large nose;
• almond-shaped dark eyes. Sometimes there are amber inclusions. They are planted narrowly;
• ears strongly widened at the base. At the ends they are rounded and hang. The ears are completely covered with curly hair. Can stop at an early age;
• solid color and any color;
• the body is folded proportionally;
• The paws are strong and muscular.

As you can see, the standard includes various criteria that a purebred dog of this breed must meet. If the standard is not met according to all criteria, the animal is considered defective. Therefore, if you plan to breed these animals at a high level, you need to know a detailed description of the breed.

Similar article: Care and features of keeping a miniature poodle

Popular colors of toy poodles

The coat of the toy poodle is curly, thick, with fine guard hairs. The hairs themselves are quite elastic and resist being compressed. There are also individuals with coarser corded fur. There is no undercoat, and there is no dog smell either. Toy poodles do not actively shed and their fur does not cause allergies.

The Toy Poodle comes in a wide variety of colors. Only six options have been officially approved (according to the standard), but in reality there are many more. After all, when crossing dogs with different coat colors, the color of the offspring can turn out to be the most unpredictable. Yes, such dogs will not be allowed to show, but in all other respects they will be quite decorative and cute.

Dogs of the Toy Poodle breed have the following colors:

• White. The most common and popular color today. The toy poodle with white fur looks very noble. Puppies may have a faint cream or apricot tint to their coat, which fades over time. The skin of a white dog is usually pink, less often spotted. The nose and claws are black, the eyes are brown;
• Black. Classic color. In this case, the color of the coat should be extremely even, without spots of other colors or a reddish tint. Paw pads, claws, nose - only black, without any multi-colored spots. Skin - gray or blue;
• Brown (chocolate). The coat has a uniform, rich brown color without spots. The fur on the ears is a little lighter. The nose is brown, the eyes are amber or brown;
• Silver. The coat is an even silver-gray color. It is interesting that this color is formed only by 2-3 years of a dog’s life, because puppies are born with black hair. However, according to some signs, dog lovers can identify silver color starting from six weeks. At the same time, the eyelids, nose, lips are black, and the eyes are dark brown, almost black;
• Red (mahogany). Coat color is dark red. Nose, eyelids, lips - brown or black;
• Apricot. All apricot shades are allowed - from dark to light. As a dog ages, its coat becomes lighter in color. Very old dogs have a cream colored coat. Skin color is pink, much less often blue. The color of the eyelids, nose and lips is black or brown.

In 2007, two more colors were added to the Toy Poodle breed standard - white and black (harlequin) and black with tan (markings) of any color.

Breed description, standards and appearance

Toy Poodles are well-proportioned dogs with a compact, neat build. They retained the strength and strength of large types of breed, but became more graceful.

Characteristics of a poodle according to the international standard:

Kinds

There are several varieties depending on size:

Important! Determining the type of poodle is not always easy. Often the expert will make a decision based on the dog's height and weight. Sometimes there are “tickup mini” poodles. The name is based on the fact that in puppyhood they are placed in a teacup. This makes them even smaller than Japanese Miniature Poodles.

Coat

At birth, the fur looks like curly cords. Over time, it becomes heavier and gains density. It grows to at least 20 cm. However, softness and silkiness remain at any age. This coat is easy to cut. The most common are single-colored individuals.

The color of miniature poodles is varied: peach (red), black, white, gray (silver).

In 2007, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognized the red (brown) color. Individuals of rare colors are more expensive.

Important! Red toy poodles are often called apricot poodles.

Character and habits of toy poodles

All varieties of poodles are distinguished by their quick wit and fairly high intelligence. Such dogs learn very easily and with interest, and also master complex tricks with great pleasure. If an animal lives in a family, then it very quickly remembers the most frequently used phrases of the people around it and over time begins to understand everything that is said to it.

Toy poodles are active and cheerful dogs. They become very attached to their owners and require constant attention; they do not tolerate loneliness quite well, which is why it is better not to leave them alone in the apartment for a long time. If your toy poodle is left alone at home all day, you should definitely get a second pet (cat or dog).

Toy poodles are very willing to play with children, but the behavior of the latter should be delicate and not cause any unpleasant sensations to the animal. When children impose their company too much on a dog, it can show its hunting nature and even bite. For this reason, adults should clearly explain to the child that a pet is not a toy, but a family member whose feelings and desires must be respected.

The toy poodle is always friendly and tolerant towards other pets. The dog can readily communicate with both small and large dogs, as well as cats. The Toy Poodle is very friendly to strangers and will willingly play with unfamiliar house guests if they so desire. The dog is completely indifferent to ordinary passers-by on the street.

Due to its intelligence and intellectual development, this breed is able to quickly learn not only the simplest commands, but also more complex ones. Dog experts recommend training a puppy in a playful way, and a separate lesson should not last more than 15 minutes. Another piece of advice from dog trainers: repetition is the mother of learning. Therefore, you need to repeat the lessons constantly - even several times a day.

Character and education of the toy poodle breed

Before you decide to buy a dwarf Toy, you need to find out the characteristics of his character and upbringing. These animals are of a hunting nature. Therefore, they are characterized by service and a tendency to work hard. Dogs have high intelligence, which allows them to be trained in various skills. In addition to standard commands, representatives of this variety are able to learn any type of dog sport (agility).

Problems with raising dwarf dogs should not arise. However, some commands (such as calling) require more attention to be taught. Otherwise, the animal will not fulfill the necessary requirements well, which in a city environment is fraught with problems.

Related article: How to choose a healthy poodle puppy and name it beautifully

Interesting facts about toy poodles

The toy poodle is a thinking dog, and such an unusual quality for a pet should be developed and encouraged in every possible way. To do this, the owner needs to communicate a lot with the dog, constantly explain and comment on his actions.

If you don’t raise your toy poodle at all, then there will be nothing good in it. After all, an ill-mannered dog who has no concept of subordination will most likely consider himself the main member of the family and will demonstrate his disobedience in every possible way.

The owner of a toy poodle should think carefully before taking the pet into his bed, because even after the first time it will not be possible to wean the dog from sleeping together.

Reliable facts about the origin of these dogs have not been found, however, as a result of an investigation, canine specialist from Switzerland Rosa Engler expressed a reasonable assumption that the homeland of miniature poodles is Central Asia, or more precisely, Phenicia.

Initially, toy poodles were called differently. At first the breed was called “barbet”, then “mini-poodle”, and in the twentieth century the modern name took root. Excellent memory and a keen sense of smell, inherited from hunting dogs, help the toy poodle to accurately find his way home, even if he gets lost and runs far enough.

Toy poodles are the longest-living dog breed. Their average life expectancy is 15-18 years.

These dogs eat very little, which is a definite plus. However, they are very desperate beggars. After all, in order to get a tasty treat, the toy poodle will dance, fulfill all commands, and look pleadingly into the owner’s eyes.

The Toy Poodle is a very social dog. Growing up in a family, a pet literally becomes humanized, beginning to take a direct part in all household and family affairs.

Pros and cons of toy poodles

Many owners and dog handlers consider many of their qualities to be the indisputable advantages of toy poodles. Moreover, such a list can be quite long.

Advantages of a toy poodle:

• Very high intelligence;
• Lively mind;
• Hypoallergenic;
• Sociability;
• Tolerance towards children;
• Friendliness and tolerance towards other pets;
• Ease of education and training;
• Lack of active molting.

As for the shortcomings of the breed, opinions are different and quite contradictory, because they are not at all associated with the negative behavior of the animal, but are rather based on the purely personal impressions of different people.

Disadvantages of the Toy Poodle:

• Strong attachment to the owner;
• Mobility (need for frequent long walks and active games);
• Some difficulties in caring for the coat (expensive cosmetics, regular haircuts, etc.).

A considerable part of the owners of these cute dogs are of the erroneous opinion that they do not need training and education at all. Dog handlers are sure that they are wrong, because while walking down the street, an animal, for example, can pick up and eat something wrong, or get carried away by its dog affairs, run away and not immediately return to its owner. Also, a complete lack of education usually leads to various problems when visiting a veterinarian or when traveling.

When training and raising a toy poodle, its owner must understand that the nervous system of this dog is quite sensitive, so using harsh methods or, worse, physical punishment is completely unacceptable. Also, for every well-performed action, a diligent pet must be rewarded with a treat.

Character and appearance of the toy poodle

Toy poodles genetically have high intellectual abilities. With unconditional attachment to people, pets require care and constant attention. Knowing these characteristics of the breed, they leave the dog alone only for a short time.

The character of the breed is characterized by restraint and intelligence. Given these qualities, elegant, energetic dogs are often used in the circus and artistic fields. You can teach your pets to perform simple tricks at home.

Sometimes dogs can be wayward and stubborn. In such cases, it is necessary to act strictly with pets, but without cruelty.

The external characteristics of the breed are based on the ratio of weight (2-2.5 kg) and height (24-28 cm). Such miniature dimensions of an adult dog do not exclude harmony in the composition of the entire body, which looks organic. The dog's movements are springy and graceful.

Breeding Toy Poodles

Toy poodles reach puberty quite early. Females become ready to breed at 7-8 months, and males at 12-18 months. Since already at this time dogs begin to strive for copulation, they need to be closely monitored and protected from unwanted mating, especially for females.

It is also worth knowing that it is unreasonable to start breeding precisely at the onset of puberty, because the animals must still get stronger physically. Thus, it is quite logical to allow females to breed from 18 months, and males from 24 months.

As for the female’s sexual cycle, this event occurs twice during the year with a frequency of 6 months. Accordingly, each sexual cycle ends with estrus. At this time, the female’s external genitalia and mammary glands enlarge and bloody discharge appears, the smell of which serves to convey information about the female’s readiness for mating. It is important for the owner of a female to know that the smell of estrus spreads over long distances, attracting males from all over the area, so you need to keep an eye on her at this time.

Important fact: Toy poodles are usually mated from the 9th to the 14th day of estrus. It is clear that only very healthy animals that have been previously examined by a veterinarian are allowed to breed.

There are two ways of knitting: hand and freestyle. The manual method is usually used when mating a young, restless female with a more experienced male. They put a muzzle on the female, hold her by the collar and belly, and also encourage her in every possible way.

When freestyle mating, the bitch and dog are left alone for some time. Typically, this method is used with more experienced females and with a clear interest in the opposite sex on their part.

Mating is usually carried out in the morning, after a preliminary walk and before feeding. It is impossible to separate animals during the act of mating. The second mating (control) is carried out under the same conditions a couple of days after the first.

Caring for Toy Poodles

The most suitable conditions for keeping a miniature poodle are a city apartment. Although this does not mean at all that such a pet will feel bad in a country house, but rather quite the opposite. After all, the opportunity to walk freely will only improve the dog’s physical fitness and general health.

When keeping an apartment, the fact that a toy poodle can be taught to use a litter box does not mean at all that you won’t have to walk him outside for a long time. Regardless of this, you will have to take the dog for walks, because in addition to correcting its natural needs, the animal requires movement, a lot of movement. So, you need to walk your toy poodle every day, two to three times a day, and the walk should not be less than an hour long.

To ensure that your miniature pet always looks neat and well-groomed, regular grooming of its fur is actually vital. You need to brush your dog daily, at least every other day. To do this, you need special devices: a massage brush and a comb.

The toy poodle loves water, so you can bathe your dog often (1-2 times a month) and this process will not cause him any inconvenience. As a detergent, you should use a special shampoo for dogs with long hair. It is clear that in addition to brushing and bathing, the toy poodle will need regular haircuts.

Also, once a week your pet will need the following procedures:

• Examination of the mouth and teeth for damage;
• Nail trimming;
• Examination of eyes and ears.

If damage, purulent discharge or other unpleasant symptoms appear, you should immediately contact a veterinarian. Also, from the first day of life, a toy poodle should have its own things in the house: dishes, a bed, toys, overalls for walks in cold weather.

Care and maintenance

The miniature poodle requires special care and maintenance.

1. You should bathe it as it gets dirty, but at least once a month. Before bathing, ears are plugged with cotton swabs soaked in Vaseline.
2. Systematically examine your eyes. If necessary, rinse them with warm water or weakly brewed tea.
3. Since poodles do not shed, they require daily brushing. A brush with stiff bristles should be used for this purpose.
4. Check your ears regularly. If you notice discharge or an unpleasant odor, your pet should be taken to the veterinarian.
5. Wash your paws after every walk.
6. Nails should be trimmed and filed 1-2 times a month.

You also need to ensure that your pet receives the necessary vaccinations in a timely manner.

What to feed

From the first days it is necessary to establish what type of feeding the pet will have. You can choose dry, wet or natural food.

You can’t suddenly change one type of diet to another!

The natural type is considered the best option. In this case, the dog's food is prepared by the owner himself. Dry food is the worst. But if the latter option is still chosen, then the products must be premium or super-premium.

The natural menu of a miniature pet should include the following dishes:

• beef or poultry, never use pork;
• boiled sea fish without bones;
• raw carrots;
• from fermented milk - whey and cottage cheese;
• bananas and apples;
• porridges cooked with rolled oats, rice or buckwheat.

In winter, food should be seasoned with vegetable oil.

Pets of this breed are prohibited from giving sweet foods and sugar in general, chocolate, beans, and potatoes. You should also not feed river fish.

A haircut

Every 4-5 weeks the pet should be cut, as it quickly grows overgrown. You can get a haircut at home, or you can use the services of a specialized salon. To cut your hair at home, you will need to acquire special tools - a clipper or a furminator. If you plan to take part in demonstration programs or exhibitions, where he must come with a haircut, then you cannot do without the help of a groomer. Only a professional can cut it properly. The breed standard allows only certain types of haircuts. The most popular are: Leo, Modern, Bikini.

Mating of a miniature poodle

Many people purchase puppies for further breeding. Mating a poodle is a responsible and difficult process. On the 11-13th day after the bitch has started to go into heat, you can take her to the “groom”. If everything goes well and pregnancy occurs, within 2 months the happy owner will have new pets.

Diet of Toy Poodles

A miniature poodle can be fed either commercially prepared food or natural food. Moreover, in the case of a natural menu, meat products in the diet should be at least a third. Preference should be given to beef, and fresh, rather than frozen, beef or chicken liver. Some meat can be boiled, but raw meat must also be present on the menu.

It is better to use water as a base for porridges rather than meat broth. The following porridges can be cooked: rice, millet, buckwheat, oatmeal. You can occasionally treat your pet to pasta, but under no circumstances overfeed this product. Eggs (chicken, quail), as well as cottage cheese, can be given to a toy poodle no more than twice a week. If your pet refuses cottage cheese, you can offer him cheesecakes, of course, they must be dietary (the bare minimum of fat and sugar).

Important fact: Periodically add raw and boiled vegetables (carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli, beets) and some fruits (apples, pears) to your pet’s diet.

As for dry food, you need to buy it in special stores. Needless to say, it’s not worth saving on food for your pet, because this will directly affect his well-being and if his health deteriorates, treatment will cost many times more. If your pet is prone to allergies, then he will need hypoallergenic food.

In addition to food, it is important for a toy poodle to maintain fluid balance in the body, so his drinking bowl should always have fresh, clean, boiled water, which should be changed twice a day (morning and evening). Adult dogs (from 8 months) are given two meals a day, six-month-old puppies - three meals a day, two-to-five-month-old puppies - four meals a day.

Pros and cons of the breed

Owners of toy poodles note many advantages that emerge when interacting with these funny miniature animals:

• pet's balance;
• high intelligence of the poodle;
• dog's intelligence;
• excellent appearance of the breed;
• fast learning of the pet;
• the dog's loveliness;
• compact size of the breed;
• restraint towards strangers;
• hypoallergenic hair;
• almost invisible shedding.

Disadvantages of the breed:

• painstaking daily care of the pet;
• taking serious measures to prevent and, if necessary, treat various pathologies, most of which are hereditary;
• excessive noisiness of the pet, frequent loud barking.

Due to their expressed friendliness, toy poodles are not suitable for the role of guard.

Taken together, the pros and cons make up a complete list of the characteristics of the breed, knowledge of which helps in organizing the maintenance of amazingly graceful animals.

Diseases and health problems

Small breed dogs often get sick. The Toy Poodle is considered a relatively healthy breed, but is still susceptible to some diseases.

The most common diseases of toy poodles:

1. A congenital defect of the fusion of the nasal passages, in which the animal experiences severe snoring and difficulty breathing. It can only be treated with surgery;
2. Heart diseases. To reduce the risk of disease, it is important not to physically overload your pet and protect it from stress;
3. Eye diseases. Most often, such dogs have cataracts, conjunctivitis, retinal atrophy, glaucoma, and entropion. Most eye diseases are passed on to offspring genetically and have almost no cure. Older dogs often begin to see poorly or become completely blind;
4. Epilepsy. Another hereditary disease that is diagnosed at a tender age and is associated with increased excitability of the animal. Epilepsy can either progress during the animal’s life or be in remission;
5. Diabetes. The endocrine system, in particular the pancreas, is the weakest point of all small dog breeds. Diabetes is not directly inherited, but genetic predisposition plays a role;
6. Oral diseases. Toy poodles, especially with age, suffer from stomatitis and gingivitis. The cause of the disease is insufficient oral care and poor nutrition;
7. Otitis. The direct reason here is the shape of the ears, which does not allow them to be fully ventilated. If fluid gets inside a dog's ear, it can easily develop inflammation. An important preventive measure against otitis media is proper and timely ear hygiene;
8. ICD (urolithiasis). It manifests itself as a result of a serious metabolic disorder, which is caused by the accumulation of salts in the body and their improper elimination, thereby provoking the appearance of stones in the bladder and kidneys.

Also, small dog breeds suffer greatly from various viruses. Therefore, strict adherence to the vaccination schedule is very important for them.