Small Dog Breeds

Information About The Toy Poodle Dog Breed

The Toy Poodle has a personality that is full of fun. He is obedient, intelligent, affectionate, and has a long lifespan. In the United Kingdom, this breed has proved himself to be a tough competitor in the obedience competitions. He also enjoys playing in water. This breed is very popular in the show ring where he boldly displays the traditional lion clip. This dog requires a fastidious method in canine beauty treatment that some owners and handlers claim that he is the most difficult breed to prepare for the show ring. He is a sensitive dog that is not ideal to be a child's pet and gets noisy when left unchecked.

Size: The ideal height for the Toy Poodle should be under 11in at shoulder and weighs about 5-8lb. He has a very small body and a curly non-shedding coat.

History and origin: The Poodle was originally a shaggy guard dog as well as a good retriever and protector of sheep. This breed's origin is similar to the Irish Water Spaniel. His common ancestors are the French Barbet and the Hungarian Water Hound. Contrary to what many believe, this breed is not solely from the French origin. The Poodle actually originated in Germany as a water retriever, which accounts for his love for water. The word Poodle came from the German word "pudelnass" or puddle. This somewhat large and sturdy breed, which is the Standard Poodle, evolved the Miniature Poodle and the Toy Poodle. The Toy Poodle has been popular in England since Prince Rupert of the Rhine came to help Charles I in battle and brought along his Poodle. The dog won the affection of Marie Antoinette who many believe to be the one who invented the idea of the lion clip to match the uniform of her courtiers. Nowadays, the Toy Poodle is a very popular dog in the United States.

Feeding: Suggested feeding for this breed is 1/3-1/2 can (13.3oz size) of high quality meat product with the same amount of biscuit added or 1-11/2 cupfuls of complete dry food.

Exercise: The Toy Poodle loves a pleasant ball game in the yard, obedience training, or a nice jog in the park.

Health care: The Toy Poodle is susceptible to ear problems, nervousness, and joint malformations. His teeth need a regular scaling.

Grooming: Proper equipment to use in grooming the Toy Poodle is a wire-pin pneumatic brush and a wire-toothed metal comb. He will need to be brushed and combed daily. Although the lion clip is necessary for the show ring, many Toy Poodle owners generally go for the more natural lamb clip. Learning how to clip your Toy Poodle can be quite a challenge and many owners resort to taking their high maintenance dog to a professional groomer. The Toy Poodle needs to be groomed every 6 weeks.

The photo of the 2 toy poodles was provided by Swankyd.com . Thanks very much for that. :)

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