Toy Poodle - Origin, Characteristics and Behavior

" The Toy Poodle is one of the most popular, beloved and loved types of poodle in the world. You should know that in total, the FCI recognizes 4 types of poodles according to their size. In this breed file we will talk about the smallest of all, considered miniature."

These little dogs have become the most popular companion dogs in recent years. Continue reading this breed file from PlanèteAnimal and find out all about the characteristics and character of the Toy Poodle.

Origin

  • Europe
  • France

FCI Nomenclature

  • Group IX

Physical Characteristics

  • End
  • Proportional
  • Short ears

Size

  • Toy

Height

  • 15-35

Adult Weight

  • 1-3

Life expectancy

  • 12-14

Recommended physical activity

  • High

Character

  • Balanced
  • Society
  • Smart
  • Active
  • Affectionate
  • Docile

Ideal for

  • Children
  • Apartment
  • House
  • The hunt
  • The guard
  • Elderly people
  • Sports

Recommended climate

  • Temperate

Hair type

  • Medium
  • Long
  • Curly
  • End

Origin of the Toy Poodle

" The Poodle is a direct descendant of the barbet, a breed of French origin. Later, the two breeds would be separated through the efforts of breeders as they wanted to develop a dog for waterfowl hunting. However, in their origins, they shared many characteristics.As for its name, the word poodle is considered to come from cane, the female duck."

Thanks to their sociable, extremely faithful and positive character, poodles ceased to be hunting dogs to become domestic animals and, already in the 15th century in France, they were considered the national canine breed of France. Since then, breeders have strived for a uniformly colored coat to avoid spots and other unwanted patterns.

The fame of these animals was such that in 1922 the Club du Poodle was founded in Paris. A few years later, in 1936, the FCI established the official breed standard, but for the Toy Poodle, that recognition would only come many years later. It wasn't until 1984 that the toy poodle was recognized.

Toy Poodle Features

Toy Poodles are small dogs whose height should not exceed 28 centimeters at the withers, and their weight should be between 2 and 2.5 kilograms.For this reason, it is important to watch for possible signs of dwarfism, as it would be pathological if they appeared. Their body is symmetrical, with strong, well-developed legs ending in small oval feet. The tail is set high and has always been kept intact in wire-coated Poodles, but not in curly-coated Poodles, which were previously clipped to one-third of the original tail.

The head of a Toy Poodle is symmetrical, long and narrow in shape, with pronounced cheekbones and expressive dark almond-shaped eyes. As for the coat, there are two types of Toy Poodle: those with curly or curly hair, with abundant, dense and uniform hair, or those with corded or bushy hair, which have finer, softer and more woolly hair, also very abundant. They can be brown, black, gray, orange, reddish or white in color, but always monochromatic and uniform.

Toy poodle character

Toy Poodles are, like other Poodles, active, obedient and intelligent, making them an easy breed to train and educate. In fact, he is even considered one of the smartest dogs in the world according to Stanley Coren. Unlike other canine breeds, the poodle requires few repetitions to understand an order, an exercise or a situation. We also speak of a particularly sociable breed, so it does not support the absence of its caregivers. Indeed, excessive and repeated loneliness can cause this dog to show undesirable behaviors such as destructiveness or stress.

The toy poodle is ideal for families with children, because given its good character and energy, it is the ideal companion for the little ones in the house. They are also able to socialize wonderfully with other pets and seniors, provided they interact positively with everyone during the sensitive puppy period.Well maintained, the Toy Poodle adapts to both small and large spaces.

Caring for a Toy Poodle

Due to the characteristics of their coat, Toy Poodles should be brushed daily to avoid tangles, dirt build-up and excess hair around the house. As for baths, it is recommended to give them once a month. It is important to follow certain guidelines and choose the most suitable brush according to the hair of our Toy Poodle for correct brushing. We must not forget the hygiene of the eyes, ears, teeth and claws as part of the basic care of our Toy Poodle.

Another important aspect is physical and mental stimulation, as the Toy Poodle is a very active dog with an alert mind. He needs guardians who can provide him with environmental enrichment beyond that required by other dogs.We recommend between 3 and 4 daily walks, as well as physical exercises or a little dog sport. We can also teach him obedience, canine skills or intelligence games to develop his cognitive abilities.

Finally, food is a crucial element for the quality of the coat and the he alth of our Toy Poodle. We can learn about the best dog food on the market or consult a veterinarian to choose the best one for our Toy Poodle. We can also enlist the help of a specialist to prepare homemade cooked or raw recipes, such as the BARF diet.

Education and training of the Toy Poodle

The education of the toy poodle must start early, from an early age. The most important stage will be the socialization period, which begins at 3 weeks and ends around 3 months. The Toy Poodle must learn to interact with all kinds of individuals (people, dogs, cats), as well as to know different environments.Provided, of course, that he has received all the vaccines. If he is not able to socialize him with his parents or siblings, we will consult a dog trainer to take puppy lessons.

By the time he's a puppy, we'll teach him to urinate in the diary, inhibit biting, and we'll start playing games and activities with him to start stimulating his mind. Of course, always in a positive way.

Later, once he has all his vaccines up to date, we will teach him to walk, urinate in the street and we will start with education exercises and basic obedience commands. These commands are essential for your safety and for good communication with your dog.

Toy poodle he alth

Poodles have certain pathologies associated with the genetics of the breed, so most of the ones we are going to mention are of hereditary origin.Some of them affect sight, such as entropion, cataracts, glaucoma or progressive retinal atrophy.

Toy Poodles can also have hypothyroidism, which affects thyroid hormones, epilepsy or ear infection. To avoid ear infections, it is recommended to clean these ears by following a series of guidelines, such as doing so with appropriate cleansers or leaving the ears completely dry after bathing. Poodles can also develop diseases that affect skin he alth such as fungus, allergies, or pyoderma. Finally, in the articular field, it is worth highlighting the possible presence of hip dysplasia, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease or patellar dislocation.

To prevent and/or detect some of the he alth problems mentioned, it will be important to go to the vet every 6 or 12 months, since regular monitoring by the specialist will help us quickly detect any abnormalities.We will also strictly follow the dog vaccination schedule or deworming schedule.

Toy poodle photos

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