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Breed Characteristics
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Miniature Poodle
| Other Names | Caniche, Barbone, Chien Canne, Carniche Moyen, Barboncino Miniatura, French Poodle, Pudle, Zwergpudel |
| Country of Origin | Germany |
| Weight | 15 - 17 lbs. (7 - 8 kg) |
| Height (at withers) | 11 - 15 in. (28 - 38 cm) The sizes of the official AKC-recognized Poodle breeds are determined by height, not by weight. The Miniature Poodle must be over 10 inches and 15 inches or less at the highest point of the shoulder. Any Poodle which is over 15 inches or is less than 10 inches at the highest point of the shoulder cannot compete in the AKC show ring as a Miniature Poodle. |
| Coat | The miniature poodle has a curly or corded coat. This is not fur, but a coat of hair. They do need help with maintaining their coats and that means a good amount of brushing and clipping on the owner's part. The coat is thick and can easily become matted. Grooming styles can be traditional or can be simple, sheered looks. Because of their unique curl, they are often brushed out to keep the curls from matting. |
| Colour | It comes in all solid colours including black, blue, silver, gray, cream, apricot, red, white, brown or café au lait. While it does not make the written show standard, some breeders are breeding parti-coloured Poodles. |
| Litter Size | 4 - 8 Puppies |
| Life Span | 10 - 15 years |
| Origin & History | The poodle has been in history for at least the last 400 years mainly in Western Europe. There are conflicted beliefs about where the poodle was developed including France, Denmark and in Germany, but the French have won the title for being the country of origin in most record books. The dog is thought to be the descendants of the French water dog and the Hungarian water hound. They have various types of jobs and duties. They served as gun dogs and later worked as retrievers of waterfowl. They also were used as hunters especially in water situations. Indeed, they were used heavily for their intelligence as circus dogs and were trained to do various activities. The miniature poodle is bred down from the standard poodle size. |
| Personality | The Miniature Poodle is an intelligent, joyful companion dog. It can be trained to a high degree and is very willing and happy to please its handler. Comical and clever, it is often used as a circus dog. The more intelligent a dog is, the more it needs its mind occupied. This breed cannot live outside in a kennel. It needs to be part of the family. It can be high-strung if not given the proper type and amount of exercise. Do not allow this dog to develop Small Dog Syndrome, where the dog is led to believe it is alpha over humans. It can cause the dog to become sensitive and nervous, and not very trustworthy with children and possibly strangers, along with many other behavior issues. Socialize your dog well. This is a very good watchdog for its size, seldom becoming aggressive. Dogs may start to bark a lot without proper human to canine communication, rules to follow and limits to what they are allowed to do. Poodles are friendly with other dogs and non-canine pets. Be sure you are this dog’s firm pack leader to avoid any unwanted behavior problems. |
Care Requirements
| Health | Poodles are a breed that has been around a very long time and that makes them likely to need some medical attention. They do have a history of having genetic diseases passed down by generations. Some of those include the following: Progressive Retinal Atrophy: manifests as night blindness, slowly progresses to total blindness. Epilepsy: a neurological seizure disorder. There is no test for this. Deafness: Congenital Deafness can be a problem. Allergies: Some will Show in skin conditions that the dogs will have, Allergies to shampoos is common as well as colour reinforcers. Some skin conditions can happen due to the misuse of clippers against their sensitive skin. Diabetes: evident in many dogs Heart disease: Although a genetic condition, this is likely to be minimized with a good Diet and care. Premature Gray: Mostly seen in the brown Miniature Poodle, the colouring may become gray earlier than it should. IMHA: Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia, especially in dogs with a poor source of quality food. |
| Grooming | Extensive grooming is needed if the dog is to be shown. Poodles must be bathed regularly and clipped every six to eight weeks. Clean and check the ears frequently for wax or mites or infection and pull out hairs growing inside the ear canal. The teeth need regular scaling. Since the coat does not shed it needs to be clipped. There are several different types of Poodle clips. The most common for pet owners is an easy-care clip called a "pet clip," "puppy clip" or "lamb clip," where the coat is cut short all over the body. Popular show clips are the English saddle and the Continental clip where the rear half of the body is shaved, bracelets are left around the ankles, and pom-poms are left on the tails and hips. The AKC standard allows for a dog under a year old to be shown in a show-style puppy clip which has special requirements such as a pom-pom on the end of the tail. Other clip styles are the modified continental clip, town and country clip, kennel or utility clip, summer clip, and the Miami of bikini clip. Poodles shed little to no hair and are good for allergy sufferers. |
| Exercise | Miniature Poodles need a daily walk. While out on the walk make sure the dog heels beside or behind the person holding the lead, never in front, as instinct tells a dog the leader leads the way, and that leader needs to be the human. As with all breeds, play will not fulfill their primal instinct to walk. Dogs that do not get to go on daily walks are more likely to display behavior problems. They will also enjoy a good romp in a safe, open area off lead, such as a large, fenced-in yard. They adore water and love sessions of play. They are a very versatile breed with a hunting and retrieving beginning, although they excel in any performance event you offer them, including agility, obedience, rally and conformation showing, and often one will leave one ring and go directly to another to compete again. Since they love water they are great dock diving dogs and love water retrieving. |
| Other Considerations | The Miniature Poodle is good for apartment life. It will be calm indoors if it receives enough exercise. It will do okay without a yard. |
