The Poodle dog is often described as having a long and beautiful coat that stands straight up. The Poodle usually weighs between eight to twelve pounds. The most common colors are black, blue, silver, liver, chocolate and fawn. A Poodle’s body shape is very distinct and unique, with its long, narrow shoulders, wide ears and tail, it is easy to identify this breed. Poodles are extremely friendly and loyal dogs, making them popular as household pets all over the world.
The Poodle is the only non-sporting breed in the United States registered with the American Kennel Club, which was formed in 1875 to improve the standards of the American dog breed. The Poodle belongs to the non-sporting group of dogs because of its high activity level, high intelligence, playful nature and ability to mimic. There are only five recognized breeds in the Poodle group: the Poodle; the Dachshund, the Miniature Schnauzer, the British Shorthair, and the English Pug. Because of the low activity level of the Poodle this breed has developed a number of health problems, one of the more serious being the “Poodle Complex”.
The Poodle’s thick and woolly fur is its most vulnerable body part, so much so that in the past it was critically infected by man’s waste. Other than the skin and hair the other parts of the poodle are also susceptible to infection by bacteria and fungi. Poodles suffer from patellar luxation, a common bone disease suffered by many of the toy breeds, due to the excessive strain placed on the patella during the pulling of the chain or the “puppy” in poodle terminology.