Poodle (Standard / Miniature / Toy)
| Size at withers | Toy 24–28 cm / Miniature 28–38 cm / Standard 45+ cm |
|---|---|
| Weight range | Toy 3–4 kg / Miniature 6–7 kg / Standard 20–32 kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–15 years |
| Size class | Toy (< 10 kg) |
| Normal resting vitals | Heart rate 90–140 bpm · Respiration 15–30/min · Temperature 38.3–39.2 °C |
| Coat | Dense, curly, low-shedding coat |
| Temperament | Highly intelligent, biddable, hypoallergenic-adjacent coat |
| Common health issues | Hip dysplasia (Standard); progressive retinal atrophy; von Willebrand's; Addison's disease (Standard); patellar luxation (Toy) |
| Exercise needs | Standard: high; Miniature: moderate; Toy: low |
| Climate & housing suitability | Popular in urban settings; grooming is very intensive. |
| Owner notes | Coat maintenance is a real ongoing cost. Poodle intelligence means daily mental engagement is essential. |
Origin and purpose
Non-sporting (Standard) / Toy. Origin: Germany, refined in France.
Coat maintenance is a real ongoing cost. Poodle intelligence means daily mental engagement is essential.
What a breed was built to do explains most of what it will do in your home. A dog selected for hundreds of years to run, guard, herd, or hunt does not stop wanting to because it now lives in an apartment — the drive is the breed, and the owner's job is to give it somewhere to go.
Temperament and training
Stated temperament: Highly intelligent, biddable, hypoallergenic-adjacent coat
This is a biddable breed that wants to work with you, which makes it forgiving of a novice's mistakes — but biddability is not the same as needing no training. Reward-based training, started early and kept short and frequent, is what these dogs thrive on. Punishment-based methods damage exactly the willingness that makes the breed easy.
Conditions this breed is predisposed to
Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease)
Hip dysplasia
Patellar luxation
Progressive retinal atrophy
von Willebrand disease
Health screening — what to test, and when
| Screen for | Test | When |
|---|---|---|
| Hip dysplasia | Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring) | Once at 12–24 months; earlier if lame |
| Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease) | Adrenal function blood tests (including electrolytes) | On vague, relapsing illness — Addison's is 'the great pretender' |
| Patellar luxation | Patellar palpation by a vet | At each annual examination from 12 months |
| Progressive retinal atrophy | Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed | DNA once; eye examination annually |
| von Willebrand disease | von Willebrand factor blood assay, or DNA test | ONCE, and BEFORE any elective surgery or neutering |
Every dog, every breed: an annual health examination (twice yearly from seven years), body-condition scoring at each visit, dental assessment, year-round parasite control, and the core vaccinations.
For breeders — test before you mate
- Hip dysplasia — Radiographic hip evaluation (hip scoring)
- Hypoadrenocorticism (Addison's disease) — Adrenal function blood tests (including electrolytes)
- Patellar luxation — Patellar palpation by a vet
- Progressive retinal atrophy — Ophthalmologist eye examination, plus DNA test where one exists for the breed
- von Willebrand disease — von Willebrand factor blood assay, or DNA test
Feeding
Small stomachs, fast metabolisms. Feed a diet formulated for small breeds, split across three or four meals a day as a puppy and two as an adult; toy puppies can become dangerously hypoglycaemic if a meal is missed. Portions are tiny, which means treats and table scraps overwhelm the daily allowance startlingly fast — a single biscuit can be a meaningful share of a 4 kg dog's intake. Dental disease is near-universal in small breeds, so ask your vet about diet texture and dental care from the start.
Exercise and enrichment
Stated requirement: Standard: high; Miniature: moderate; Toy: low
A high-energy dog needing substantial, committed daily exercise plus mental work. Do not take this breed on unless the daily commitment is realistic on your worst week, not your best one.
Coat and grooming
Dense, curly, low-shedding coat. Comb every other day; professional clip every 4–6 weeks. Mats to felt if neglected.
Climate and living conditions
Stated suitability: Popular in urban settings; grooming is very intensive.
Ageing and senior care
Life expectancy: 12–15 years. This dog is a senior from around 9–10 years, at which point wellness examinations should move to twice a year and senior blood and urine screening begins. Small dogs age slowly and often live into their mid-teens. Dental disease and heart-valve disease are the two things that most often shorten a small dog's life, and both are catchable early. Senior care →
Before you take one home
- Ask the breeder for the health-test results listed above — for BOTH parents, on paper, before you pay a deposit. A breeder who has done the tests will be proud to show you; one who deflects, or who tells you the tests are unnecessary in this line, is telling you what you need to know.
- Consider adoption. Shelters and rescues have dogs of every kind, including purebreds, and the local native or landrace dog is often healthier, better adapted to its climate, and more in need of a home than almost anything you can buy. See Part XII.
