POODLE SIZE AND APPEARANCE

There are three official sizes of poodle that are recognised by the Kennel Club: toy, miniature and standard. Other sizes exist: the tiny toy and teacup, but are not acknowledged by the Kennel Club.

Toy

Possibly the cutest of the breed with its small features and loveable nature, the toy stands at 11 inches or smaller at the highest point of its shoulders. The average weight of a toy is 6-8 pounds, making them the perfect companion for older people or people who like to carry their dogs around with them like a fashion accessory.

The toy has dark eyes, a clipped coat and a docked tail.

Miniature

A slightly larger version of the toy, although still small, the miniature poodle is 15 inches or under at the highest shoulder point. This average weight of the miniature is 12-18 pounds. The miniature poodle has black or brown eyes, a curly coat and a half docked tail.

Standard

The largest poodle, the standard, stands tall and proud and has an elegant and sophisticated air about it. The standard should be over 15 inches at highest shoulder point and weighs between 45-65lbs - quite a difference from its smaller relations! The standard has very dark piercing eyes, a wiry coat and a half docked tail.

The usual weight for the tiny toy is 4-6 pounds and the teacup weighs in at only 2-4lbs - a true petite member of the breed. Because of their small size toy and miniature poodles are ideal for homes with no garden or only a small outside area. But they will still need a certain amount of exercise to keep them healthy and stimulated, as a bored poodle will find its own entertainment, which may not be to the liking of its owner. The standard enjoys long walks and will spend hours retrieving objects, which is in its nature due to its roots of being a water retrieving dog.

Poodles are known for their curly, almost woolly, coats. They require a lot of grooming, whether for shows or if they're just pets. This should be remembered in the decision to purchase a poodle.

Poodles come in a variety of colours, such as black, white, blue, apricot, brown, cafe au lait and silver. Poodles bred for shows must be of one solid colour.

Most poodles are clipped, particularly those that are entered in shows. There are three main types of clip; the puppy clip, the continental and the English saddle. The continental is generally used for show dogs. A pet that isn't going to be shown will still need to be clipped at regular intervals as the coat can become very matted.