Drake's Poodles Plus
Correct poodles should have a squarely built appearance; the length of body measured from the breast to the rump should be close to the height of the highest point of the shoulders to the ground. In other words the length of the body should be about the length of the leg.
Poodle Sizes:
Standard Poodle: is over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulders.
Miniature Poodle: is 15 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders, with a minimum height over 10 inches.
Toy Poodle: is 10 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders.
There is no recognized poodle called teacup, tiny, or even pocket pup according to the breed standards. They are simply just a really small version of the toy. Poodle size determinations are done by height and not weight.
Poodle eyes: are supposed to be nice dark and oval in shape and set far enough apart to give a wonderful alert intelligent appearance. In other words no big round or protruding eyes.
Colors:
Poodles come in some beautiful parti-colors, and also phantoms patterns, but they are not recognized by AKC. Although not recognized by AKC they still make wonderful companions and some of the colors are stunning. Be warned poodles can and do change colors sometimes as they get older. I had a brown girl I bought that went from a nice lighter brown to a Lucille Ball red and eventually ended up being a beautiful café-au-lait. Café-au-lait is like a cup of coffee with lots of cream.
Poodle colors are blues, black, grays, silvers, browns, cafe-au-laits, apricots and creams.
Brown and cafe-au-lait Poodles have liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, dark toenails and dark amber eyes.
Black, blue, gray, silver, cream and white Poodles have black noses, eye-rims and lips, black or self colored toenails and very dark eyes.
Apricots while the foregoing coloring is preferred, liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, and amber eyes are permitted but are not desirable.
Grooming:
Poodles are a hypo-allergenic non-shedding breed. Grooming is a very important part of owning a poodle. Truth be told poodles do shed, however the hair doesn’t fall out all over the house, the loose hairs stay in the coat. Therefore it is essential to brush and comb several times a week. I like to keep my gang shaved down (except head and tails) or in a puppy clip to make it more manageable.
They need clipped every six to eight weeks. I use either no tear baby shampoo or my personal favorite is Tea Tree Oil shampoo. You can have your poodle groomed by a professional or learn how to groom her yourself.
If you plan on doing your own grooming I would suggest investing in a good quality set of clippers. I personally use the Oster Professional A5 2 speed turbo clippers. I can show you a box full of less expensive clippers that just didn’t last. * Remember clippers do get hot, if it feels hot on your arm it will on your baby too. I use a shop vac for a quick cool down on my clippers and it also help clean the blades of hair. Also be careful of the thinner skinned areas under the arms and such, they are easily nicked. I would suggest finding someone to give you an idea of what to do or even a good grooming video. Practice makes perfect, you will get better with time, after all hair grows back. The biggest thing is to be patient, make it a pleasant experience for you both.
My pups start out by having the clipper body rubbed all over their bodies and lots of praise so they know it won’t hurt them. Its also a good time to clip toenails as well. If you hear the little click click clicking on the floor its time for a trim. Overgrown nails can hurt and even disfigure a dogs foot. If your dog has white nails they are the easiest to clip as you can see the pink nail bed and make sure you don’t clip in the pink for a trim. Darker nails can be tough, but you can still do it. If possible look underneath the nail sometimes you can see where the nail bed ends and go from there. When in doubt just take off the very tip.
One last thing on grooming… The Ears… Poodles sometimes have large amounts of hair growing from their ear canals. This can build up with wax and dirt and plug the ear and even get infected. Usually when we are sitting down and one of the kids is on my lap I will reach in and pinch a small amount with my index finger and thumb and pull a small amount out at a time till the canal is cleared of most of the hair. The dogs don’t mind this at all.
Going to the salon!
You want a gentle groomer who doesn't yell, likes your dog and who seems to enjoy what they are doing. There is a lot to be said for word of mouth check with your friends, breeder, and veterinarian to find a good recommended groomer.
Feeding:
I personally don’t feed wet canned food ever. Dry kibble is formulated to help keep the tartar build up off your dogs teeth as they are eating. As far as dog foods I recommend a good quality dog food that’s not full of the common fillers like corn, wheat, and rice. The more of those fillers in the dog food the closer to the beginning of the ingredients list it will be. I also believe the more active the dog the higher you can go with the protein. You will notice that a dog will have smaller or less bowel movements with a better quality food. The reason is that they are digesting more of the food rather than just pooping it out. Hence some foods may be more expensive than others, but (no pun intended) it works out in the end. You feed less and they get more of what they need with the better food. And, Yes I am guilty of the occasional snack from my plate.
Treats:
My kids love pigs ears, and occasionally they get rawhides to help with the tartar build up on their teeth. If you do get treats make sure they are digestible if they are swallowed. Try and get your baby used to getting their teeth brushed. Tartar build up no only causes bad breath, but can lead to infections and tooth loss.
Temperament:
Poodles have such a nice pleasant personality. Its easy to forget their dogs with some of their human like traits. Poodles get a bad rap for being little foo foo dogs, or ankle biters. Poodles are active, smart, hardy dogs with a real zest for life. I believe dogs are only as good as their owners, and recommend a good obedience class from the start, it’s a way of opening communications between you and your pet so they understand what you want of them.
So is a poodle right for you?
Before you commit to any pup make sure it’s a breed that’s right for you and your living situation. If your not familiar with a particular breed try and educate yourself through books, and knowledgeable breeders. Consider the grooming, veterinarian care, time you have for training and spending with your new addition. Some poodles can live for up to 20 years are you committed to giving them a good forever home for that many years?
I've added some general information to my page for you. I will be adding photo examples and more information as I can.
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