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The Standard Poodle
is the oldest and largest of the
three Poodle varieties with no
restriction on size. The Standard
Poodle must be over 15" at the
shoulder in order to qualify as a
Standard Poodle under AKC
guidelines. Typically, however,
Standard Poodles will be about
21" to 27" high at the
shoulder with the females usually a
little smaller than the males. The
average weight is 50 to 55 pounds. Terms
such as a "Royal
Standard" are marketing
gimmicks, used to promote the sale
of animals that are dramatically above the
norm in size.
Most poodles
are square, proportionally long-legged dogs.
They have dense, curly,
non-shedding fur that grows
year-round and requires regular
grooming every 5 to 6 weeks.
The tail is usually docked in the
US, less often in Europe. These
days, tails, when docked, are left
much longer than in times past.
"Bunny like tails" (very
short-docked tails) are now rarely
seen except among puppies from puppy
mills.
Poodle Coat
Poodle hair sheds little or
not at all, and ranges in
texture from coarse and wooly,
to soft and wavy. Poodle show
clips require many hours of
brushing and care per week, about 10
hours/week for a standard poodle.
Poodles are usually clipped down as soon
as their show career is over and put
into a lower-maintenance cut. A Poodle show coat takes about 2 years before it is the proper length and
texture. If left
unhindered, the outer coat forms thin
cylindrical mats known as cords. Corded
Poodles, because they are difficult to
keep clean, are rarely seen in the
United States. Pet clips are much less
elaborate than show clips and require
much less maintenance.
Standard Poodle Colors
Most are solid-colored, and the AKC and other registries only allow solid colors in conformation shows. Solid-colored poodles may either "hold" their color (i.e., stay more or less the same color throughout their lives) or "fade" or "clear" to a lighter shade. Usually, the ears and the thicker guard hairs hold more of the original color than other fur. The most common colors are black and white although apricot, brown, blue, red and silver are possible The skin color of Poodles varies as does the coat color. Skin may be pink, blue, silver, or cream
Poodle Temperament
Poodles are intelligent, alert and active. Historically, their aptitude has made them ideal for performing in circuses across the globe. Poodles are frequently found at the top of their class in obedience competitions.
Otherwise notable is this breed's keen sense for instinctual behavior. In particular, marking and hunting drives are more readily observable than in most other breeds. They are
natural hunters and many have earned the "Master Hunter" classification at field trials. Classified as highly energetic, poodles can also get bored fairly easily and have been known to get creative about finding mischief.
Poodles are extremely people-oriented dogs and, therefore, are eager to please. They are excellent watchdogs, but unlike some working breeds, don't usually become "one-person" dogs when they are part of a family. Standard Poodles in particular tend to be good with children. Poodles are adaptable and easy to train. Like most dogs, they appreciate daily exercise, such as a walk or a play session. Most are fairly agile and athletic and excel at dog sports such as agility and
fly ball.
Poodles are an excellent family dog for
thoses who care prepared to maintain the
coat. |
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