Poodles as Pets: Toy, Mini or Standard

I have been the proud owner of Toy Poodles for a few years now and I never tire of them! They make wonderful constant companions! They love people and they love to show off for people. No surprise since the toy breed was bred solely for human companionship. Additionally they have fantastic hearing and make excellent watch dogs! The poodle is an ancient breed and was originally bred to be water retrieving hunters. Thus the water resistant, and very unique, coat! Their coat does not shed and has very low dander making it a good choice for households with allergies.

The Poodle, be it standard size, mini or toy is a stylish, prancy, and proud dog. Their number one goal in life is to be recognized, pampered and loved. They reward their owners with their intense desire to please and in general are most loving and cuddly. Some are even being trained as therapy or service dogs because of their loving nature and high intelligence. The Poodle is considered the second smartest dog breed in the world. Maybe too smart, as some seem to think they are humans! Some believe the Poodle truly thinks he is a little person in a dog's body.Some are even being successfully trained to respond to written commands according to Animal Planet.

The Poodle is amazingly trainable, but if left to his own devices for too long will get into trouble. They are very sociable dogs that prefer human company to any other. Some strongly bonded Poodles may display intense jealousy of their owner or even others in the home. They tend not to be as stubborn as some other breeds, probably because they live to please. The poodle will be an active and fun-loving pet but doesn't require much of his or her owner other than their company. Grooming is a big factor in owning a Poodle of any size but, there are certain cuts that are lower maintenance. They need to be brushed daily or every other day depending on the coats condition. A bath is recommended once a month minimal. Curiously the Poodle does not really smell like a dog at all compared to other breeds. He normally has little to no smell at all.

Overall this is a loving, smart, entertaining, born to perform breed. The Poodle is one of the most successful breeds of all time concerning the traits the breeders were looking for.They come in all colors, even from a single litter and most are AKC recognized. They will be happy on a farm or in an apartment as long as they are loved and properly cared for.This breed can be very rewarding to the right families. They are generally not too hard to housebreak as they learn quickly. Of course this only covers the poodle in general, as every dog has his or her own personality and ways!