Dogs

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN France.

MOST SUITED AS Hunting dog by origin but now a family pet.

SIZE
The shoulder-height is 35 - 45cm (13 1/2 - 17 1/2in).

COAT
The coat consists of fine, woolly but frizzy hair. Acceptable colours are monotone white, black, apricot, brown, and grey. Poodles that form corded coats after a time are very exceptional.

CARE REQUIRED
Show dogs have to be clipped out according to the breed style. This requires considerable skill and knowledge and is best left to a profession­al specialist salon. Keeping a dog in this condition requires not only considerable time but also costs a great deal of money. The Poodle is regarded as one of the most difficult breed standard patterns to achieve if not the most difficult. The competition is usually considerable in the show ring. Poodles that are kept as pets are usually closely trimmed, leaving longer hair on the head, the ears, and the legs. The grooming requirements for these house hold pets is considerably easier than with show dogs. They do not shed hair. Check the teeth for tartar and clean the ears regularly. Poodles can be washed quite often.

CHARACTER
These are extremely intelligent, high spirited dogs which are lively, affectionate, sociable with other dogs, that are loyal to their handler. Most of them love to swim.

TRAINING
This breed is fairly easy to train because they learn so quickly. They can win the attention of the top people in various dog sports such as fly ball and agility skills trials.

SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
These dogs get on well with their own kind and with other household pets; there is also unlikely to be any problem with children. You will always be warned of visitors.

EXERCISE
This Poodle needs fairly substantial exercise. Most of them like to swim and to retrieve.