Poodles
Origin of the poodle or poodle
The poodle is a direct descendant of the barbet, a breed of African origin that came to the Iberian Peninsula to cross with Portuguese water dogs. Later, both breeds would separate due to the efforts of breeders, who wanted to develop a dog for hunting waterfowl. However, in their origins they shared many characteristics. As for its name, the French word "poodle" is considered to come from "cane", the female duck. Thus, the term is in relation to the action of these animals in the water, as if they were ducks, splashing.
Thanks to their sociable, extremely faithful and positive character, poodles stopped being hunting dogs and became domestic animals and, already in 15th century France, they would be considered the national dog breed of France. From then on, breeders strove to achieve a uniform coat color in this breed, avoiding spots and other unwanted patterns.
Such was the fame of these animals that the Poodle Club was founded in Paris in 1922. A few years later, in 1936 the FCI established the official breed standard, but for the toy-sized poodle this recognition would not come until many years later. It was necessary to wait until 1984 for the toy poodle to be recognized. Some of the names of the poodle in other countries are poodle in the US or pudding in Germany.
Characteristics of the poodle or poodle
Toy poodles are small dogs, whose height should not exceed 28 centimeters at the withers, and their weight should be around 2 to 2.5 kilograms. Therefore, we must be attentive to possible signs of dwarfism, since it would be pathological for these to appear. Its body is symmetrical, with strong and well-developed legs, ending in small, oval feet. The tail is set high and has traditionally been kept intact in corded-coated poodles but not in curly-coated ones, which in the past were cut until only a third of the original tail remained.
The head of a toy poodle has symmetrical lines, an elongated and narrow shape, with marked cheekbones and expressive, dark almond-shaped eyes. As for the coat, there are two types of toy poodle: those with curly or kinky hair, with abundant, dense and uniform hair, or those with stranded or tufted hair, which have finer, softer and woollier hair, as well. very abundant. They can be brown toy poodle, black toy poodle, gray toy poodle, orange toy poodle, reddish toy poodle or white toy poodle, but always monochrome and uniform.
Character of the poodle or poodle
Toy poodles are, like the rest of poodles, active, obedient and intelligent, which makes them an easy breed to train and educate. In fact, it is considered one of the most intelligent dogs in the world according to Stanley Coren. Unlike other dog breeds, the poodle requires few repetitions to understand a command, exercise or situation and is able to perform practically to perfection. We are also talking about a particularly sociable breed, which is why it does not cope well with the absence of its caregivers. In fact, excessive and repeated loneliness can cause this dog to exhibit unwanted behaviors such as destructiveness or stress.
The toy poodle or 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. He is also capable of socializing wonderfully with other pets and elderly people, as long as he is positively related to everyone in his sensitive period of his puppy stage. Well cared for, the toy poodle or poodle adapts well to both small and large spaces.
Poodle or poodle care
Due to the characteristics of their coat, toy poodles must be brushed daily, in this way we will avoid the formation of tangles, the accumulation of dirt and excess hair throughout the house. As for bathing, it is advisable to do a monthly bath. Remember that for correct brushing it is important to follow some guidelines and correctly choose the most appropriate brush taking into account the hair of our toy poodle or poodle. Let's not forget eye hygiene, ear hygiene, teeth hygiene or nail trimming as part of the basic care of the toy poodle or poodle.
Another important aspect will be physical and mental stimulation, since we are talking about a very physically active dog with an alert mind. The toy poodle or poodle requires caregivers who can provide it with enrichment superior to that required by other dogs. We will offer you between 3 and 4 walks daily, in addition to practicing physical exercise or some dog sports. We will also teach you obedience, dog skills or play intelligence games so that you can develop your cognitive abilities. Environmental enrichment at home will also help us in this sense.
Finally, we must not forget the importance of diet, which will impact the quality of the coat and the health of the animal. We can find out about the best dog food on the market or go to a veterinarian to consult the most suitable one for our toy poodle. Likewise, we can also ask the specialist to help us prepare homemade cooked recipes or raw homemade recipes, such as the BARF diet.