The coat of a Poodle is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it makes the breed shed less so the Poodle may be more easily tolerated by some people with allergies. But the coat – or rather, what people do with it – is what makes many people cross the Poodle off the list when considering the dog that's right for them. Show Poodles are poofed, shaved and hair-extensioned into an appearance that, though once based on practical considerations, is now the epitome of show-dog silly.

Kept in a sensible short clip and treated like a dog, not topiary, the Poodle is smart and hardworking with a sunny disposition. This easy-to-train dog can go anywhere and do anything. They're generally good with other dogs, cats and strangers and are easy to house-train.

Poodles shed little, but require grooming every 4 to 6 weeks. Some Poodle owners learn to use the clippers and do the job themselves, but most rely on professional groomers. Either way, it's essential to take care of the Poodle's curly coat, because without regular clipping, it will quickly become a matted mess that can cause painful skin infections at the roots.

The Poodle's coat comes in a range of colors: apricot, black, blue, brown, café-au-lait, cream, gray, red, silver, silver beige, and white. Parti-colored Poodles are two-tone, including black and apricot, black and brown, black and cream, black and gray, black and red, black and silver, black and tan, black and white, blue and white, brown and apricot, brown and white, cream and white, gray and white, red and apricot, red and white, white and apricot, white and silver. Phantom poodles have tan areas that are somewhat similar to the points on a Doberman Pinscher.

Poodles excel at performance activities such as agility and obedience. They are active dogs who thrive on attention and learning. There's a reason they used to be popular circus performers.

The Poodle's frou-frou reputation is unwarranted. It's too bad that some people dislike the breed just because of that show cut and too easily dismiss a wonderful family dog. As a family pet, the poodle can have a simple and easy-to-maintain look. They don't all wear nail polish on their toes, although they can if you want them to. To Poodles, getting your nails polished means getting attention, and in their book, that's what matters.

More Quick Facts

Poodles are canine scholars. Their intelligence combined with their desire to please makes it easy to train them.

The original purpose of the Standard Poodle was to retrieve waterfowl for hunters, and he is still capable of performing that task today.

Poodles need regular mental stimulation and physical exercise.

Poodles are not prissy and are just as likely as other dogs to enjoy wet or muddy fun.

A Poodle's grooming needs are considerable. Clipping must be done regularly, typically about every 6 to 8 weeks, or that fine curly coat will mat into gnarly knots.

Poodles can be one of the best family dogs possible.

Standard Poodles

Standard Poodle's -Regal Family Members

Country of Origin: France has been officially recognized as the Poodle's country of origin, but the Poodle's earlier ancestors came from central Asia. The German variety has probably influenced the modern breed most (‘Poodle’ is German for ‘splash’ or ‘puddle’). In 18th and 19th century Europe, the Poodle served a wide variety of purposes, including duck hunting, guiding, and later circus performing, from whence the modern grooming style likely arose. The Poodle became a popular pet for the French aristocracy, and in time was officially adopted as the national dog. Poodles were imported to America in the 20th century. They slowly rose in popularity and eventually became the country's most popular dog. Famous Poodles include author John Steinbeck's dog Charley, subject of the book ‘Travels with Charley: In Search of America’, and Weird Al's Poodle Bela, who…sat on his head for the album cover of ‘Poodle Hat.’

Size: The Standard Poodle has a shoulder height of 15-18 inches and weighs 20-32 kg (45-70 lbs). Standard Poodles are very elegant in appearance. They have a long, narrow muzzle, slight stop (point at which the forehead meets the muzzle), dark eyes, and wide ears. Standard Poodles have flat backs, straight, docked tails and small, oval feet. Their length is approximately the same as their height.

Coat: The Standard Poodle has a distinctive fine, frizzy, wooly coat similar in texture to sheep’s wool. Solid white is most common, but the coat may also be solid grey, brown, apricot, or black. There are three distinct grooming styles for show Poodles: puppy clip, continental clip, and English saddle clip. The puppy clip entails shaving the face, throat, feet, and base of the tail. The upper legs and hindquarters are also shaved in the continental clip (currently the most popular), leaving ‘pom poms’ around the ankles. The English saddle clip is similar, but the hindquarters are left mostly unshaved. All show clips require heavy maintenance, thus pet clips commonly entail shorter hair over the entire body. Poodle hair can be formed in a ‘corded’ style, in which the hair is allowed to mat into long, thin rows rather than being brushed out. This is difficult to maintain, and now rare. Standard Poodles do not shed, making them a good match for allergy sufferers, for which reason they are commonly used for crossbreeding.

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Character: The Standard Poodle is sensitive, intelligent, lively, playful, proud, and elegant. It bonds closely with family and makes a great companion. Standard Poodles are very smart, obedient, and graceful, which makes them one of the most popular pets in the world. The Standard Poodle is bouncy, alert, and usually eager to play. Standard Poodles are a bit calmer and less likely to bark than Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodles.

Temperament: The Standard Poodle gets along well with other animals, other dogs, and children. It is best to socialize it as a puppy. Standard Poodles will announce the arrival of visitors, but are generally friendly toward them. Standard Poodles are highly adaptable and make good watchdogs. They may find their way into some mischief!

Care: Show Poodles should be groomed by professionals, and will require a substantial investment of time and money. Poodles which are not intended for show competitions usually have longer hair on the head, legs, and ears, and are trimmed every five to six weeks. Standard Poodles have a long lifespan of 10-13 years. The Standard Poodle is susceptible to cataracts and eye problems. Standard Poodles which are not shaven carefully can suffer skin irritation or rashes. Meals should be spread throughout the day to avoid bloat. Poodles require frequent human companionship and should not be left to live outdoors.

Training: The Standard Poodle is highly intelligent, making training a fairly simple process. They quickly understand what is expected of them and can learn a wide variety of tricks and games. Standard Poodles are likely to enjoy the training process. Any effort put into training the Poodle will reap large rewards.

Activity: The Standard Poodle requires substantial amounts of exercise. Standard Poodles require long walks and outdoor activities such as swimming or playing catch. The Standard Poodle is fond of retrieving, as it has origins as a hunting dog. It should do fine with apartment life.