Toy poodle
A breed of dogs of several sizes that used to be used as hunting dogs in hunting, currently mainly for companionship. Very smart, cheerful, tender, non-aggressive poodles are quite gentle mentally and learn quickly. Toy poodle is the smallest poodle, by no means inferior to major cousins in terms of intelligence. They feel good in the apartment, provided, however, that the owner takes into account their need for movement and activity – even if it was retrieving toys or learning tricks.
Nature
Regardless of their size, poodles are considered one of the most intelligent dogs. Stanley Coren in his book “Intelligence of Dogs” lists them in second place in terms of utility intelligence (in this case, the greatest importance is attached to the ease of training a dog for human needs). While such rankings should not be taken too literally – after all, it is difficult to measure exactly such a thing as intelligence – undoubtedly in the case of poodles, there is a lot of right in it.
Skills
There are of course some temperamental differences between poodles of different sizes. The large poodle, although it loves activity, is the most refined and distinguished. Toy poodle is at the opposite pole, it is busy and very cheerful. He is not as barking as some other small dogs.
Miniature poodles and Toy poodle, thanks to their agility and susceptibility to training, are perfect for mini agility. Some of them are racing so fast that it is almost difficult to keep up with them.
Contrary to popular belief, these are not ideal dogs for older people. They feel good in the apartment, provided, however, that the owner takes into account their need for movement and activity – even if it was retrieving toys or learning tricks. It is obvious that the poodle-owner, especially if he wants to display it, should be prepared for rather tedious care of the coat or passing the dog from time to time in the hands of a specialist.
Poodles are still underestimated in Poland. Even worse, by many people, they are even considered stupid dogs, which is completely out of the truth and is very harmful to the breed. Certainly, the haircut method preferred at exhibitions contributes to this, but it has its historical justification – dogs retrieving from water were cut this way. Under the fancy hairstyle, it’s worth to notice a well-built, intelligent animal.
Toy poodle. Training and education
Due to their intelligence and willingness to cooperate, poodles are easy to train, and even a novice owner should cope with their arrangement.
Maybe in our case poodles will start appearing in obedience or agility competitions, as it happens in many other countries of the world.
Who is this race for?
These dogs are well suited for beginner owners. They are not difficult to arrange. Of course, like none of the races, they are not suitable for everyone. The poodle owner should provide him with mental activity, because although he is not a dog with such a high need for activity as some shepherds or hunting dogs, it is, contrary to popular belief, a type of sport dog that does not like to be bored. The poodle will happily learn instructions, retrieve a ball or take long walks.
Toy poodle. Advantages and disadvantages
Disadvantages
- requires time-consuming care
- he may be jealous of the owner
- on a long coat can bring a lot of dirt, especially since he likes water
- sometimes barking
Advantages
- intelligent and willing to cooperate
- gentle to people and animals
- It doesn’t molt
- the small size makes it easy to wear on your hand and nutrition is not expensive
- adapts to different conditions
Health
Poodles are generally healthy dogs, and the toy variety is one of the most long-lived dogs.
Feeding
It should be considered superstitious opinions about the fancy way of feeding poodles and particularly economical feeding during the rearing of toy poodles to preserve their small growth and smoothness. The small size depends on the genes and dogs should absolutely not starve!
Also, toy poodles can be fed like any other, both good quality dry or wet food, as well as food prepared at home (e.g. diet).
Care
Poodles require time-consuming care based on regular combing. Hair should be combed very carefully. In addition to combing, a dog bath is necessary, followed by drying with a dryer. Drying is aimed at straightening the hair, because only straightened can be cut fairly evenly during a subsequent haircut. Hair should be divided into strands and direct airflow from the skin itself. The hair needs to dry, because even minimal moisture will twist it back.
Of course, if you do not want to spend so much time on it, you can always trim our poodle for a short time.
Particular attention should be given to the eye area. Poodles often have suppuration and tearing. Poodle ears also require frequent care, which involves plucking the hair and cleaning the ears with circular motions to remove excess brown discharge.
History
Poodles are very old breed. Their origin is lost in the help of history. In fact, it is not even known which country they come from, although they were officially recognized as French. In addition to the French, Germans, Spaniards and even Italians also willingly admit to the poodle.
The very name “poodle” has German roots and comes from “poodle”, which means “splashing in the water.” In French, this breed is called “caniche”, which means “dog for ducks”. Poodles are derived from hunting and shepherd dogs. One of the poodle’s ancestors is a barbeta – an old French hunting dog breed with a similar coat.
It is an undeniable fact that poodles were used as working dogs, retrieving shot animals. They also worked as circus dogs and looking for truffles. They hit salons early and became favorites of the aristocracy. So, while some representatives of this breed enjoyed themselves in luxury, others sometimes found it difficult to earn a living.
Of the four poodle varieties existing today in terms of growth (large, medium, miniature and toy), the toy is, on the one hand, the youngest and on the other hand the oldest. In England and France, there has been truffle poodle – a small dog used to sniff truffles. He may have had a small admixture of terrier blood, but it is believed that he may have been the early ancestor of today’s toys. These dogs were usually white, since truffles were mainly sought at night. Until the first half of the 20th century, truffle poodles were a separate breed. Then they were crossed with small miniature poodles (existing since the 18th century) to create a modern Toy poodle.
The popularity of miniature poodles and toys gradually increased in the 20th century. The miniature poodle is currently the most popular variety, while toy is still relatively rare.
Template
Toy poodle – group IX FCI, section 2, reference number 172
- Country of origin: France
- General impression: A miniature dog with a proportional, elegant structure and a characteristic coat. Smart and active.
- Head: Straight lines, strong and elegant muzzle, dry lips. Eyes set obliquely. Long and hanging ears.
- Body: Slightly longer than tall. Short back.
- Tail: Set on high.
- Forequarters: Perfectly straight.
- Hindquarters: Well angulated.
- Movement: Light and danceable.
- Coat: Hearty, woolly, well twisted.
- Color: Black, white, apricot, brown and silver.
- Height: Below 28 cm.
- Lifespan: 17 years
Interesting facts
In Paris, especially on the Pont Neuf bridge, shoe-makers kept trained poodles that peed on the shoes of passers-by, increasing the wages of their owners.
Not everyone knows that poodles can also be kept and displayed in a cord robe, i.e. similar to that of a komondor and a pot, only with a shaved muzzle. However, it is very unpopular because of the difficulty of keeping it clean.