Poodle

Poodle dog

Highly intelligent, athletic water dog with a distinctive curly coat.

Size Weight Height Lifespan
Toy 4 - 6 lbs 9 - 10 inches 10 - 18 years
Mini 10 - 15 lbs 10 - 15 inches 10 - 18 years
Standard 45 - 70 lbs Over 15 inches 10 - 18 years
(These are estimates and may vary.)

Origin: Germany



Own a Poodle? Share what activities they enjoy to help other dog owners.

Chewing (1) Digging (1) Cuddling (1) Fetch (1) Playing with Toys (1) Herding Hiking Socializing Tug Of War Frisbee Agility Training Guarding Running Hunting Swimming Exploring Obedience Training Tracking

Know a Poodle? Share their personality traits to help other dog owners.

Loyal (1) Stubborn (1) Energetic (1) Playful (1) Clever (1) Fearless Friendly Docile Calm Patient Clever Aggressive Gentle Sociable Adaptable Agile Protective Affectionate Independent Confident

May be a good fit if you:

  • Want a dog that is generally responsive to consistent, positive training.
  • Are looking for a breed that generally does well with children.
  • Want a dog that generally gets along well with other dogs.

Things to consider:

  • This breed may not do well when left alone for long periods.
  • Coat maintenance may require significant regular grooming.

The Poodle is strongly associated with France, where it became enormously popular and is the country's national dog, but its early development is generally linked to European water dogs and particularly Germany. Even the name points toward that working history: "Poodle" is derived from the German "pudeln," referring to splashing in water. The Standard Poodle was used as a water retriever, entering ponds and marshes to retrieve birds for hunters. The breed's famous coat clips also have practical roots. Hunters wanted to reduce the amount of heavy wet hair carried by the dog while leaving protection around important areas of the body, although the elaborate styles seen in modern show rings developed much further. Smaller Poodles were later developed from the Standard rather than representing completely separate breeds. Poodles also became popular performers in circuses and traveling shows because of their intelligence and ability to learn complicated routines. Today the breed's glamorous reputation sometimes overshadows the fact that its foundations are those of a capable working retriever.

Frequently Asked Questions About Poodle

The Poodle is generally considered hypoallergenic, but no dog is completely allergen-free. Individual reactions can vary.

The Poodle tends to shed relatively little, although coat care is still important.

The Poodle tends to need significant regular grooming and coat maintenance.

The Poodle is generally a high-energy breed that tends to enjoy an active routine.

The Poodle tends to need plenty of regular physical activity and mental stimulation.

The Poodle is generally highly trainable and tends to respond well to consistent, positive training.

The Poodle generally tends to do well with children when properly socialized and supervised.

The Poodle generally tends to get along well with other dogs when properly socialized.

The Poodle is generally considered relatively approachable for first-time dog owners.

The Poodle generally tends to adapt well to apartment living when its exercise and enrichment needs are met.