What is it like to own a poodle as a pet? In my opinion, the answer is that these dogs are the ultimate dogs. But it depends on what you want in a dog. Poodles are highly intelligent and while they are young, highly energetic.
Poodles come in various recognised sizes. The largest are standard poodles and they are the size of any of the large dogs, German Shepherds, retrievers and the like. Miniature poodles are more the size of a spaniel, perfect for a house dog. Toy poodles are more the size of a terrier and the tiniest of the range is the ‘teacup', not always recognised by breeders as a true variant, but these dogs are very tiny indeed, more like a Chihuahua .
In general, the smaller the poodle, the more ‘yappy' they may be. They don't seem to find much voice until they are around six months old, so don't be fooled that your new puppy is lovely and quiet. These dogs make great alarm dogs as they will bark at anyone coming anywhere near your home. They don't tend to bark all night and with training, they are not generally ‘nuisance' barkers.
They make great inside dogs because they don't have a ‘doggy' smell. Their fur is wool and therefore they don't shed hair like other dogs do. In all other respects, they act like dogs and will roll in things that are unmentionable and eat even worse. They may have reputations for being ‘posh' or dainty, but they are robust and just as interested in doing ‘doggy' things like sniffing and reviewing their dinners, as any other dog may do.
COLOURS
Recognised colours are; black, chocolate, champagne, silver and white. Mixed or bi-colours are frowned upon by breeders, but can look very attractive in a dog that is not intended for breeding. If you want to be very radical, and you have a white poodle, you can have your dog tinted pink or blue! You may be considered rather cruel or eccentric but life is made up of creative people, so go right ahead, be radical, try green or purple.
GROOMING
A poodle needs a lot of grooming. Preferably, they should be brushed daily or at least regularly. Their hair does shed, but is caught in their woolly coats and this can be cared for by brushing with a good dog brush.
Clipping is difficult as it is very time consuming. It is best if it is done by an experienced dog groomer. They don't have to be clipped in the show cuts, a groomer is just as happy to clip the dog into a basic and less prestigious look. Poodles look very presentable with minimum fuss. Faces can be furry or shaved. It seems kinder to take a lot of hair from the face as they can struggle to see properly through great growths of curly fur.
If you want to have something special, the poodle looks good with a moustache, pom poms on the feet, if you want something a bit exotic or a longer mane. Some people are aghast at the clip where the poodle has a large mane, shaved legs and pom poms along with those strangle blobs of wool on their lower backs. This is a show cut, but it was an original sporting cut.
They need to have their nails clipped and this can be a hard task as the poodle will spend half their time trying to get their feet away from the groomer. Some vets now feel that hair in the ears should be left alone, but many still say that it is desirable to have the hair plucked from inside the ear. This seems a mean thing to do for the dog, but will keep the ear cleaner and prevent parasites or bacteria from getting a hold.
Most countries are dissuading breeders from docking the tails of the dog, which was only done for the look and has not practical reason. Poodles look great with their full tails.
HISTORY
The poodle was used in days gone by to retrieve ducks in the cold waters of Europe . They began as a breed in Germany . As water dogs, their name is derived from the German word, ‘pudeln', meaning ‘to splash about'. They later became so popular in France that they became the national dog, which is why most of us link the poodle to France , rather than Germany .
The sporting clip was a practical clip as the wool was shaved back to give the dog the most freedom in the water to fetch the hunter's fallen duck. The wool that was left was to cover vital organs and the joints of the dog to protect these against the cold. This explains that very strange clip as the wool on the back is to protect the kidneys and the pom poms have a very practical use.
An unusual clip that was popular for a time was to leave the wool and encourage it into dread-locks. This look was called, ‘corded'. It would be high maintenance in keeping the dog clean and comfortable.
WORKING DOGS
We now know that they have been hunting dogs, although it is doubtful that the smaller varieties would have been as useful as the standards in this regard. But they can also be trained as dogs for work in customs, sniffing for drugs or vegetable matter. They have been used in experiments for sniffing cancer cells with some success and have been used in some police forces. They can be trained to make good hearing dogs for those in need of knowing when the phone is ringing or the doorbell is chiming.
The poodle's work as an entertainer in the circus or as a performing dog for street theatre is legendary. The best poodles for this work are those that are from their earliest ages, alert and attentive. They need a compliant personality to master tricks.
GENERAL LIFE
A poodle loves company and can be well socialised with other dogs and with other pets. They do have a penchant for fun and need plenty of exercise. Any dog that is well trained and mastered can have a wonderful sociable personality and the poodle is no exception. A poodle that has the better of their master can be feisty and disagreeable. Poodles that know their ranking in the family make wonderful and rewarding companions.
