Origin - History - Characteristics

The Poodle is an older breed and with their crisp, curly coat as protection against the elements, superlative swimming ability, and off-the-charts intelligence, the Poodle was, and still is, a magnificent retriever. Poodles are the national dog of France, and the French sure do love them. Despite the Poodle's association with France, the breed originated as a duck hunter in Germany, where the word "pudelin" refers to splashing in water.

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The flamboyant Poodle show-coat served a practical purpose in the breed's early years. Hunters wanted their dogs to have free range of movement in the water, but they also wished to protect vital areas of the anatomy from the cold. They shaved the legs, neck, and tail but left the chest, hips, and leg joints coated. The rounded tufts on the legs, hips, and tail tip are called pompons.

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The Poodle's wonderfully cute qualities allowed it to move from the lake to the lap of luxury. Elegant Poodles found favor among the nobles of France and, eventually, all of Europe.

The Standard was bred down to the Miniature. The miniature was bred down to a toy and was first bred in America, in the early 20th century, as a city-dwelling companion dog. The toy was bred down to a teacup here as well! These adorable little puppies just keep getting smaller and cuddlier!

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They make great family pets and are usually not afraid of larger dogs or cats. Many Yorkies are used as therapy or emotional support dogs.

Training

Poodles are usually quite easy to train because they are so intelligent. They will observe your traits and behaviors and learn what to do to get their desired reaction from you. To train a Poodle to listen, you will need  **consistent rules**, dependable leadership & guidance. A Poodle relies on you to create a dependable routine in your household and out in the world.

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Structure is a powerful way to help your dog be the perfect pet you always wanted. When your little dog can rely on a safe routine, and they know that you will take care of them, they begin to learn to calm down and stop overreacting or getting too excited. Yorkies as a breed, and especially those with behavior problems such as separation anxiety, fear, signs of aggression, and many more issues are greatly helped by giving them a consistent routine and commands so they always know what to expect.

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Having clear and consistent rules is extremely important for dogs. Small dogs thrive on clarity. Consistent patterns and expectations create a sense of security and increase a sense of calm and build trust in dogs. Many unacceptable behaviors are reduced or eliminated by simply setting up consistent household rules that your dog can rely on, such as door manners, crate training and command training will build impulse control and help your Poodle's energy levels.

Don’t give them treats because they look cute or because you came home feeling guilty that you were gone all day. Give them treats for good behavior as a reward. They are people pleasers and will quickly learn what earns them a reward and will enjoy pleasing you and seeing you happy.

Diet & Nutrition

Monitor your Poodle’s eating habits, especially during puppy stages. Offer your puppy food every 3 to 4 hours to help prevent low blood sugar. They should be eating roughly ¼ cup to ½ cup of dog food per day based on activity level and how much they weigh. A larger puppy will need more food on a daily basis than a smaller puppy.

A high-quality, small-bite size dry dog food is recommended to maintain their shiny coat, to protect their bones, keep their teeth clean,  gentle on their digestive system, and keep them healthy overall. We recommend the brand Royal Canin in their Poodle formula X-Small bites dry dog food. There is a Poodle puppy formula for puppies 8 weeks to 10 months old. Then, there is an adult Poodle formula for 10 months and beyond. A nutritional supplement, such as Nutrical, may also be needed in teacup and smaller sized puppies to prevent Hypoglycemia.