Standard Poodle is regarded as the second most intelligent breed of dog after the Border Collie. No one knows for certain where Poodles originated. They were popular in many parts of Europe, including Germany and France, and everyone wanted to claim these versatile dogs as their own. Most experts agree that the Standard Poodle variety is the oldest and was a water retriever. In fact, the practice of trimming the coat was intended to aid the dog in swimming. The poodle is a group of formal dog breeds, the Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle, with many coat colors.
Poodles are retrievers or gun dogs, and are still used by hunters in that role.
Standard Poodles stand taller than 15 inches at the shoulder; most are between 21 and 27 inches tall. They usually weigh between 50 and 75 pounds. There is no officially recognized Poodle variety such as Royal Standard. The head is moderately rounded with a long muzzle. The eyes are dark and oval, and the ears are long and dropped. The tail is docked. The coat is curly and dense. Coat color should be one solid color and may be white, apricot, cream, black, blue, or one of many other colors.
Grooming the Standard Poodle is a complicated process. Show dogs must be groomed in a specific cut that requires some knowledge and considerable upkeep, so potential owners who wish to show their dogs should discuss this with a Standard Poodle breeder. Standard Poodle owners often take their dogs to a professional groomer on a monthly basis; potential Standard Poodle owners should be aware of the cost. Between grooming sessions, the dog should be brushed every other day to prevent matting.
The poodle is a very smart dog breed.
The Standard Poodle is an active dog who needs vigorous daily exercise. The Standard Poodle should go for a run, go for long walks, train on the agility course, or play flyball. The Standard Poodle also needs training. This is an intelligent dog who may be quite large; the Standard Poodle needs to learn basic obedience but is capable of much more. Early socialization is also recommended, as the Standard Poodle dog breed can be wary of strangers.
The Standard Poodle dog breed needs an owner who enjoys grooming and who wishes to do things with the dog. Standard Poodle are good with children and other pets. Health concerns are many and include Addison’s and Cushing’s diseases, epilepsy, eye disorders, hip dysplasia, and thyroid disease.
Poodles are often cited as a hypoallergenic dog breed. Their individual hair follicles have an active growth period that is longer than that of many other breeds of dogs; combined with the tightly curled coat, which slows the loss of dander and dead hair by trapping it in the curls, an individual poodle may release less dander and hair into the environment. In addition, most poodles are frequently brushed and bathed to keep them looking their best; this not only removes hair and dander, but also controls the other potent allergen, saliva. More non-shedding dog breeds can be found here: Dog Breeds that don’t shed
Poodle hybrid designer dogs: Poodles are crossed with other breeds for various reasons, and the resulting puppies (called designer dogs) are described as cockapoo or spoodle (Cocker Spaniel), maltipoo (Maltese), goldendoodle, labradoodle (Labrador), Schnoodle (Schnauzer), pekepoos (Pekingese), Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles), Bernedoodle (Bernese Mountain Dog) and many others. A cross between a shedding breed and a poodle (which does not shed much) can produce a non-shedding dog.
In most cases, whether a poodle is in a pet or show clip, the hair is completely brushed out. Poodle hair can also be corded with rope-like mats similar to those of a Komondor or human dreadlocks. Though once as common as the curly poodle, corded poodles are now rare. Many breed registries allow only certain clips for poodles shown in conformation. In American Kennel Club (AKC) shows, adults must be shown in the “Continental” or “English saddle” clips. Dogs under 12 months old may be shown with a “puppy clip”. The AKC allows the “Sporting” clip in Stud Dog and Brood Bitch classes, as well.
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