History of the Toy PoodleThe Toy Poodle breed is centuries old. Breed historians believe this petite poodle originated in Germany, with some Russian influences, and then became standardized in France where it is the national dog.
The aristocracy's breed of choice The Toy Poodle is featured in many seventeenth century paintings, and is known to have been a royal favorite. Louis XVI owned one, as did Queen Anne of England. During the eighteenth century, the Toy Poodle became exceedingly popular and served as hand-warmers within the large sleeves of the nobility and emerging merchant classes. This practice became so widespread that they became known as "sleeve dogs." Soon becoming the pet of every grand lady in the country. For centuries, the poodle's intelligence and personality made it a favorite with gypsies and other travelling performers who trained it to perform all manner of tricks for paying spectators. A valued truffle dog The Toy is also credited with being the principal ancestor of the truffle dog of England. Toy Poodles were employed to paw the ground when they caught the scent of the rare mushrooms. With his intelligence and keen sense of smell, the breed was a natural for this task. Today, the Toy Poodle is still considered a quick study—learning faster than almost any other breed and exceptionally sensitive to praise and correction. And their lively, loyal personality has made them popular in the show ring, agility, and as a family pet. Toy Poodles are loved everywhere. |
Breed Standard
Poodles are know for their coats and beautiful hair cuts. The clips that are seen today in the show ring actually have a purpose and function from the past. The Continental clip was used to protect the dogs joints and internal organs in cold water. Since a Poodle's thick outer coat can get heavy when wet, the bottom half of the body was shorn back to help keep the dog afloat and to prevent drowning. To keep his organs warm in cold waters, the hair was kept long over the chest and head. Bracelets of ankle hair were left to protect joints from rheumatism, and a topknot was used to keep long hair out of the eyes when swimming. In the past their big beautiful coats were usually seen in two types; corded and curly. The corded coat is very rarely seen today. It requires a lot of time, work and dedication to keep up these corded coats especially on a dog being shown. Many people find these show dog clips to be fru-fru and impossible to maintain. However, there are literally hundreds of cuts to put a poodle in that are much easier to maintain for the average pet owner. They are a high maintenance breed and require regular grooming as their hair does not stop growing and they do not shed their undercoat as most dogs do, so it must be brushed out.
Poodles have worked in virtually every capacity a dog is capable of filling. From cart-pulling draught animal to parlour-room trickster, from sled dog to assistive guide dog, from warrior to rest-home companion, from truffle-hound to eminently competent bird dog, and from watchdog to show ring master, the poodle excels at everything it sets its mind to. With such a rich and varied history, the poodle is a master of all trades and one of the finest companions any human could ever hope for. |
This is the Poodle:• The Toy Poodle is known for superior intelligence and exceptional learning ability.
• There are 3 varieties of Poodles: The Toy, Miniature & Standard. All other terms such as "Teacup" are not recognized by either the American Kennel Club (AKC) or by the Poodle Club of America. These terms are usually marketing gimmicks used to inflate the value. |
Temperment & Excercise• Poodles are eager-to-please & highly trainable. They like to work closely with their humans.
•Exceptionally smart, active and excels in obedience training, agility, tricks, & the show ring. • Easy to Train • Highly Intelligent • All Poodles can be trained with great success. |
Nutrition & Health• Good nutrition for a poodle is very important from puppyhood to their senior years.
• Clean, fresh water should be available at all times. • Poodles are generally a healthy breed • Responsible breeders utilize genetic testing of their breeding stock to reduce the likelihood of disease in their puppies. |
Grooming• Regular grooming with a brush, comb and bath will keep them clean and looking their best. Grooming can be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your pet.Teeth should be brushed regularly.
• This breeds hypoallergenic coat may reduce allergic reactions, but requires regular professional grooming |