Poodles
are a breed of dog much favored as house pets because of their
intelligence and affectionate ways. The variety most commonly
seen has a thick coat of white, curly hair, which may be clipped as
fashion or the whim of the owner decrees. Other poodles are
black, and still others are reddish. The hair may be short and
tightly curled, or it may hand in ropelike cords. Poodles vary
in weight from twenty to forty pounds and they are well built,
active and graceful. The tallest Poodle breed, the Standard
Poodle, stands over 15 inches at the shoulder. The eyes are
very dark and oval, not round, protruding or too large. The
ears are close to the head with long leather but not too excessive
fringe; skull is moderately rounded with a slight but definite stop;
cheeks flat; muzzle long, straight and fine, with slight chiseling
under eyes, and should not appear snippy. The shoulders are
well laid back and not steep; forelegs straight and parallel; feet
are oval and rather small, not paper or splayed. The poodle can be
clipped in any of the four acceptable fashions: Puppy, English
Saddle, Continental, and Sporting. Poodle colors should be
even and solid. Colors are blue, gray, silver, brown, cafe-au-lait,
apricot and cream. Parti-colored dogs are disqualified from
competition. Nose, eye rims, lips, toe nails and eye color
should adhere to the dog's color.
Poodles are egotistical
dogs and thrive on praise, applause and attention. The
Standard Poodle is regarded as the most intelligent of all breeds of
dogs. If you are seeking an obedience worker or an easily
trained dog, do not overlook this handsome dog. Socialization
is a must since the Poodle, for all his brilliance can be pretty
socially retarded and unfriendly towards strangers. Owners
must work on his approachability, though with his family he is most
affectionate. Poodles thrive on city life and do very well in
that environment. Poodles like kids, display selective
listening and memory, making them a challenge to say the least.
The normal birth weight
for a Standard Poodle is between 8 and 16 ounces. Tail length
varies at birth, and proper docking requires experience.
Dewclaw removal is optional. Depending on the color expected
at adulthood, the puppy may change color as he matures. An
example would be a gray poodle is born black, and change slowly to
gray as they get older; apricots are often born a deep shade
and lighten to a soft peach color by adulthood. At eight weeks
of age, the puppy weights 5 to 7 pounds.
