Edie MacKenzie

Edie MacKenzie is a published author, traveler, dog lover, and tortoise enthusiast. Passionate about what she does, her books provide peopel a firm grounding in the dog breed and their unique characteristics with a nice touch of humor.

The Current Poodle Breed Standard (Part 1)

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The current Poodle breed standard was approved August 14, 1984, and reformatted March 27, 1990, by the Poodle Club of America. Again, except for height, the standard is the same for all 3 varieties. The breed standard refers to the ideal dog. No dog is ideal, however, and many dogs excluded from the show ring for minor faults make excellent pets.

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Size: Here lies the only difference of note among the three varieties. The Standard Poodle is over 15 inches at the highest point of the shoulders and weighs 45 to 65 pounds. The Miniature Poodle is 15 inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders, with a minimum height in excess of 10 inches. He weighs 14 to 18 pounds, and is the most popular of the Poodle varieties today. The Toy Poodle is ten inches or under at the highest point of the shoulders. He weighs between 6 and 12 pounds. (European standards are somewhat different, dividing the breed into four size categories: Standard, Miniature, Dwarf, and Toy.)

The first Toy Poodles were nearly always white, but the other colors were introduced by breeding white Toy males to Miniature females of various colors. Today, Toys come in the same range of colors as Standards and Miniatures.

General Appearance: The standard states that the Poodle is a “very active, intelligent, and elegant-appearing dog, squarely built, well-proportioned, moving soundly and carrying himself proudly. Properly clipped in the traditional fashion and carefully groomed, the Poodle has about him an air of distinction and dignity peculiar to himself.” That describes the Poodle most accurately.

At first, the English and American breed standards were identical. Both the English and the American Kennel Clubs recognized Standard and Miniature Poodles; both recognized all colors. Today, minor differences exist between the two. In America, the Toy Poodle must be under 10 inches; it is categorized in the Toy Group, while the other two sizes are categorized in the Non-Sporting Group. The English Toy Poodle is another inch higher, and all varieties of Poodle are categorized in the Utility group.

The general appearance of the Poodle is square, meaning that “the length of body measured from the breastbone to the point of the rump approximates the height from the highest point of the shoulders to the ground.”

Head and Expression: The proper Poodle has almond-shaped eyes which are “very dark” and “oval in shape.” He should have “an alert intelligent expression.” It is considered a major fault if the eyes are “round, protruding, large, or very light.” The ears should hang “close to the head, set at or slightly below eye level.”

The skull should be “moderately rounded, with a slight but definite stop.” (The stop is where the muzzle meets the upper part of the skull.) The muzzle should be “long, straight, and fine with slight chiseling under the eyes.” The ideal length is clearly defined; it should be the same as the “length from occiput [the back part of the skull] to stop.” A muzzle that is too long is called “snipey” and is considered a fault in a Poodle.

Here’s an interesting Stand Poodle question:

  • Standard Poodle Question? | anon – Over all how high energy do you think standard poodles are? How tolerable are they? What do you know about standard poodles?Answer:Everything Vixen said plus.

Poodle Breed Standard

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Describing the Poodle as an individual breed is best articulated by whats called a “breed standard.” This specific standard is compared with what genetics determine – a dog’s physical characteristics, such as height, weight, body type, color, or coat. Breed standards also spell out the breeds desired temperament, personality, and faults. Breed standards assigned by a kennel or dog club may vary slightly from nation to nation, and can change over time.

In a nutshell, the breed standard paints a picture of what the ideal Poodle should look like and how it should act, making it distinct and special from other breeds. Only those dogs that most closely meet the standard receive championship status or are elected to be bred, at least in theory. The first American Kennel Club official standard for the Poodle was approved in 1901.

The very first AKC breed standard for the Poodle was similar to the standard for The Kennel Club (English), which was written in 1886. Three distinct varieties of the Poodle – Toy, Miniature, and Standard – existed then, but they were distinguished by weight rather than height as they are now. The following description summarizes the current breed standard, as set by the Poodle Club of America:

Appearance: The Poodle is intelligent and elegant in appearance. Known for his alert expression, the Poodle is well proportioned and moves gracefully. The Poodle has what enthusiasts call “an air of distinction.” Its poise and dignity are unique to this breed.

Size: There are three sizes or varieties of Poodles: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. They are all the same breed. Toy Poodles are 10 inches tall or less at the shoulder, Miniatures are 15 inches or less, and Standards are 15 inches or taller.

These three are the only sizes recognized by the American Kennel Club, though prospective Poodle buyers may find “teacup” (very small Toys) or “royal” (very large Standards) Poodles as one of their choices. However, these are not AKC-accepted sizes.

Coat: No matter which size of Poodle you choose, the Poodle’s curly coat is her crowning glory. White, black, brown, cream, blue, gray, and apricot are the colors accepted by the AKC. A well-bred Poodle’s coat texture is one-of-a-kind: harsh, dense, and curly.

Personality: The Poodle’s other greatest asset is his personality. Poodles are highly intelligent, good natured, sensitive, and adaptable. Poodles are people lovers, and aim to please, generally following through on any request their owner may ask. Poodles are suited to show careers, field work, therapy dog work, or life as a pleasing companion. Being the adaptable animals they are, the Poodle can live happily in a city apartment or take to life on the farm.

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