Standard Poodles

At a glance
standard poodleStandard Poodles are part of the utility group and can be trained to become champions at agility training and for show. Their coats can be groomed into unique and beautiful clips.

Summary

  • Names – Caniche, Barbone, Chien Canne, Grosse Pudel
  • Group – AKC: Non-Sporting Group; KC: Utility
  • Size – large
  • Life expectancy – average of 13; range of 10-14 years
  • Cost of ownership – medium
  • Ease of ownership – high
  • Aggressive tendency – medium
  • Amount of Exercise – medium
  • Amount of Grooming – high
  • Ease of Training – high
  • Obedience level – high
  • Suitable for Children – medium
  • Amount of Care Required – medium
  • Susceptibility to Health Problems – medium

Appearance
This is a refined-looking dog with a slender muzzle and long neck. The coat is abundant and curly and is commonly styled into one of many defined Poodle cuts. The movement of the dog is graceful and lively, mainly due to their well developed and robust thighs.

Weight

  • Dog: 45 lbs to 70 lbs (20 – 32 kilos)
  • Bitch: 45 lbs to 60 lbs (20 – 27 kilos)

Height
Dog: Over 15 inches (over 38 centimeters)
Bitch: Over 15 inches (over 38 centimeters)

Coat

  • Color – any solid colors, such as silver, cream, gray, blue, black, white, apricot, red, cafe-au-lait and brown
  • Coat – thick, rough coat which has no undercoat
  • Shedding – low
  • Allergies – low
  • Causes Allergies – low

Character
Far from the delicate-dog misconception, the Poodle is actually an agile sports lover. They are known for being among the most intuitive, attentive, and intelligent dog breeds. Lively and playful, they are a dog that has an insatiable love of life.

  • Separation Anxiety – medium
  • Barking tendency – high
  • Aggressive tendency – low
  • Compatibility with other animals – high
  • Suitable for children – medium
  • Watchdog suitability – high

Temperament
This breed’s marking and hunting instincts tend to be displayed more often compared to other breeds. Poodles are not content sitting by their master’s feet, since their energy and interest for the world around them preoccupies most of their time. Bored poodles can become destructive when left to their own devices.

Poodles are people-oriented and are simply eager to please. They are excellent watchdogs and Standard Poodles are good playmates for more sensible children. Poodles are adaptable and easy to train.

Training
The Poodle’s intelligence makes him eager to learn. In fact, this explains why Poodles are able to be skilled circus and street act performers. The Poodle is unusually sensitive to the sound of a human voice, which may be one reason to explain the dog’s trainability. Many pet owners, using gentle and consistent training methods, have seen their Poodles excel in obedience trials, flyball and agility.

In order to achieve successful Poodle training, positive reinforcement needs to be used and not the old leash/collar tugging method of training.  Modern training calls for rewarding and praising the Poodle for doing every action correctly.

Positive reinforcement encourages the poodle to think and work things out. Clicker training uses the clicker to “mark” or “tell the poodle” that what they are doing at that particular moment is what is required of them.
Obedience – high

Exercise required
The Standard Poodle needs daily exercise. They are comfortable in water and love to go for walks. They will also take great pleasure in being allowed to play off the leash in a safe area. The Standard has maintained his natural sporting instinct, has great stamina and needs a more significant work-out than the smaller Poodle varieties.

  • Energy – high
  • Amount required – 30 -60 minutes per day.  Exercise can include a walk and/or a session of fetch in the yard or park

Care
Poodles are prone to ear infections. Their full, floppy ears unfortunately have the best conditions for yeast and bacteria. Healthy poodle ears should be frequently rid of dirt and plucked free of hair (which is painless if done properly).  This can help prevent infections.

Poodles can be expensive to maintain. Potential owners need to not only consider how much they can afford to give in terms of the attention the dog needs, but also the cost of having them professionally groomed every 6-8 weeks and annual vet exams.

Food
When it comes to quality commercial dog food, the first ingredient owners need to look for is meat. Do not purchase food that contains corn or meat by-products. Crude protein should be no less than 21 percent and crude fat no less than 20 percent. The fiber content needs to be 4 percent or less.

In the case of a pregnant dog, she will need a nutritious raw diet which is just slightly more than the usual serving. After the pups are born, she will require more food to keep the entire litter fed.

An alternative to ready-made food is the raw food diet, which is in many ways more superior to the former. An example recipe is to grind the following: carrots, parsley, zucchini, celery or just about any leftover veggies from your own dinners. Remember that dogs are sensitive in particular to chocolate and onions and Poodles are no exception.

Be sure to feed your Standard Poodle two to three small meals per day as opposed to the traditional one to two larger ones. This will help prevent bloat.

Grooming
A poodle’s coat needs clipping every six to eight weeks. This breed sheds very little. A dog needs regular shampooing and the nails need to be trimmed every two to three weeks.

  • Ease of grooming – medium
  • Amount of grooming – high

Breeding
There are at least 5 areas to examine when someone plans to breed Poodles: motivations, enough physical space to raise the pups, personal time for the dogs and litter, finances, and the form and health status of the Poodles (bitch and dog).

Stud fees start at $300. A breeder will also need to feed your female(s) the best food available and pay for the first shots when the puppies are born. In fact, it is said that the best breeders pay more attention to the actual quality of the litter than how large the profit margin will be.

The female will be ready to breed when a clear discharge is observed and accompanied by bleeding. After 10 more days, the female will be ready for the stud.  Standard Poodles usually go into heat only twice a year and the second heat is more preferable to the first. All those responsible for the breeding must take no chances. For example, they must be ready to assist the stud to fulfill his part if he looks “unsure” and the female may need to be held to prevent lashing out at the male. Keep in mind that a cesarean operation might be necessary if the mother is having a difficult labor.

In regard to the litter, a Standard Poodle can have from one to eight or more puppies, although some might be stillborn. Once the puppies are born healthy and are growing, you can start promoting the puppies. However, they should not be taken to their new home until they are at least ten weeks old, as they need their mother’s milk until this point.

  • Litter size – average of 7; range of 3 to 8 puppies
  • Puppy cost – average of USD $ 800 and a range of $USD 600 to 2,000

Health
Standard Poodles are susceptible to many genetic diseases and tend to be outlived by their smaller counterparts. Some common concerns for the Standard Poodle are sebaceous adenitis and Addison’s disease. The Standard Poodle’s deep chest renders it prone to gastric torsion (bloat). Epilepsy is highly hereditary in this breed as well.

  • Life expectancy – average of 13; range of 10-14 years
  • Susceptibility to illness – medium
  • Common health problems – Cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, allergies and skin conditions, hip dysplasia, runny eyes, ear infections and Von Willebrand’s Disease

Ownership
Like most large dogs, Standards need regular exercise and training in order to further their good manners and household etiquette. Standards may not be the ideal choice for first time dog owners and are more suited to those who can accommodate this breed’s continuous need for mental simulation. Due to their size and energy level, standards are not a good choice for people who live in cramped, small-spaced homes or with small children.
Living conditions – Poodles are very people oriented dogs at heart and should live in the house with your family. They are agreeable to living in an apartment or condominium but their energies need to be channeled into sufficient exercise.

  • Good with Children – Mature children are better companions for this dog breed, as younger and more careless children can play too rough and make the Poodle nervous.

History
The Standard Poodle is the oldest of the three Poodle sizes, the miniature and toy varieties having been developed later. The exact origin of the poodle is still a matter of opinion, with some saying the dog was used in Germany as a water retrieving dog but evolved into their present form only in France.

  • County or origin – Germany
  • Group – Gun Dog, Non-Sporting (AKC), Utility (UK)
  • Recognition – CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, KCGB, CKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, CCR, APRI, ACR

Trivia
Did you know…

  • Some famous owners of Poodles include:
    • John Steinbeck (Charley)
    • Patrick Swayze (Derek)
    • Winston Churchill (Rufus)
    • Mary Tyler Moore (Diswilliam)
    • Vanessa Hudgens (Shadow)
  • Some famous Poodles are:
    • Georgette from Disney’s “Oliver and Company.”
    • The devil Mephistopheles became incarnated in a Poodle, according to German man of letters Goethe’s version of “Faust.”
    • Roly, a Poodle who appeared in the BBC’s EastEnders for eight years.
  • In 1932 the American millionaire, Ella Wendal, left a record legacy of 75 million dollars in her will to her Standard Poodle called Toby.