shop

The Furry Critter Network

French Poodle Breed Description

Back to Canine Breed Menu


Poodle Club of America

Native Country
France/Germany

Other Names
Poodle, Chien Canne, Standard Poodle, Toy Poodle, Caniche, Pudle, Barbone, Miniature Poodle, Duck Dog, Pudelhund

Life Expectancy
Approximately 12-15 Years

Litter Size
Average 3-8 Puppies

Breed Group
Toy: AKC Toy Group, Miniature: AKC Working Group, Standard: AKC Working Group

General Description

The poodle is a very active, intelligent and elegant dog, squarely built, and well proportioned. To ensure the desirable squarely built appearance, the length of body measured from the breastbone to the point of the rump approximates the height from the highest point of the shoulders to the ground. The eyes should be very dark, oval in shape, and have an alert and intelligent expression. The ears should fold over close to the head, set at, or slightly below, eye level. The coat should be of naturally curly texture, dense throughout, although most AKC-registered show dogs have a lion-cut or other, similarly shaven look.

Breed Standard

Head: Dignified, straight, in proportion to body. Slightly domed skull. Pronounced occipital peak. Stop not very pronounced. Straight nosebridge. Fairly tight-lipped. Nose matches coat color.
Ears: Fairly long, hanging against the cheeks, tips reaching to the commissure of the lips when outstretched. Covered with wavy, very long hair.
Eyes: Almond-shaped, slightly slanted. Black or very dark brown to dark amber, depending on coat color.
Body: Longer than height at the withers. Solid, slightly arched neck. No dewlap. Chest well let-down. Firm, muscular loin. Tuck-up. Back short, neither arched nor hollow. Croup rounded but not sloping.
Tail: Set on high, docked by one-third or one-half in curly-coated variety. Left natural in corded variety. Raised to a slant in action.
Hair: Curly: abundant, fine, woolly, very curly. Thick, well-furnished, of uniform length, forming regular curls. - Corded: abundant, fine, woolly, dense, forming small, well-defined cords of uniform length. Must be at least 20 cm long (8 in).
Coat: Black, white, brown, gray, and apricot. Brown, gray, and apricot must be solid.
Size: Standard Poodle: 45 to 60 cm. (17.5-23.5 in).- Medium-sized Poodle: 35 to 45 cm. (14-17.5 in).- Poodle: 28 to 35 cm. (11-14 in).- Toy Poodle: less than 28 cm. (11 in).
Weight: Standard Poodle: approx. 22 kg. (48.5 lb), Miniature Poodle: approx. 7 kg. (15.5 lb), Toy Poodle: less than 7 kg. (15.5 lb).


History

This French breed once used to hunt waterfowl was originally named the French Poodle, from the nickname chien cane or canichon (duck dog). "Poodle" is short for Pudelhund, from the Low German pudeln (to splash) and Hund (dog). According to Buffon, the Poodle comes from Africa: He is descended from the Barbet of northern Africa, brought by the Arabs to the Iberian Peninsula, where he was apparently crossed with the Portuguese Water Dog. From Iberia the breed spread throughout Europe, after setting down roots in France. As a result, in 1936 the FCI officially recognized France as the birthplace of the Poodle. A standard was published the same year, and a Poodle club was founded in Paris in 1922. Initially used on waterfowl, the Poodle was kept by noble ladies under Louis XIV, was a lapdog under Louis XV, and was miniaturized under Louis XVI. The Poodle comes in four varieties according to size, but the Standard Poodle has been cast aside in favor of smaller versions (Miniature and Toy). The popularity of the breed peaked in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Able to adapt to any life style (whether hunting, performing, or providing companionship), the Poodle soon became the world's most popular pet. Unfortunately, this craze led to overbreeding to the detriment of quality. For this reason, potential Poodle owners should be wary.


Behavior

Active, athletic, merry, very alert, and intelligent, the friendly Poodle delights in life. His loyalty is legendary, but he can be possessive. Highly adaptable, outgoing, and good-natured, he makes a wonderful pet. Still a hunter like his ancestors, he is quite a good swimmer with a very keen nose. If he does not receive firm training, he can become difficult.

He is just as happy in the country as in the city. He hates being left alone. He is very clean and needs daily brushing and combing, as well as one or two baths per month. His ears must be checked regularly, and he requires grooming every two months. There are several different clips: the Continental (or Lion) clip, the Kennel clip (in which the hair is trimmed to the same length on the entire body), the English Saddle clip (with leg bracelets), and the Puppy clip (Continental clip with trousers). Poodles do not shed.

Function

Hunting Dog, Companion Dog


Health

A long-lived breed, Poodles are, nevertheless, subject to many genetic diseases. Some are prone to IMHA (Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia), slipped stifle, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disorders, PRA, runny eyes, ear infections and digestive tract problems. Eye problems such as cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy can cause blindness. Skin conditions and allergies are common, sometimes due to shampoo and/or color reinforcer.



Back to Canine Breed Menu

Featured Rescues

"Don't Shop ... Please Adopt"

laptop pro

ASPCA

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world.

Our organization was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization. We are a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and are proud to boast more than 2 million supporters across the country.

The ASPCA’s mission, as stated by founder Henry Bergh in 1866, is “to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.”


laptop pro

Petfinder

If you can’t find the pet you’re looking for on Petfinder, don’t give up. Some shelters maintain waiting lists for specific breeds, so don’t be afraid to ask! There are also breed-specific rescues for just about every breed, and most of them post their pets on Petfinder. (Petfinder can even e-mail you when a pet that fits your criteria is posted — just click “Save this Search” at the top of your search results page.)


laptop pro

Rescue Me

Jeff Gold, Founder, Rescue Me! Animal Rescue Network

Jeff Gold lives in Watkinsville, Georgia on the same property as Rescue Me's Animal Rehabilitation Center, with 18 rescue animals. Shown with him in the photo to the left are Maggie, Izzie and Cortez. In 2003, after learning there was nobody doing boxer rescue work in Georgia, Gold founded Boxertown, an organization which helped find homes for over 500 boxers during its first two years. Based upon this success, Gold came up with the vision for Rescue Me! ― a network which helps all breeds of dogs, cats and other animals find good homes, anywhere in the world. RescueShelter.com is also a free service of Rescue Me! and provides the world's largest and most up-to-date directory of animal rescue organizations for all breeds of dogs, cats and other animals, including a comprehensive directory of wildlife rehabilitators in over 150 countries.


Top