The Poodle is one of the most famous dog breeds of all time. If you’re interested in welcoming one of these gorgeous, intelligent dogs into your family, then it’s essential to understand exactly what you’re getting into.
Read on for helpful Poodle dog breed information and a breakdown of this dog’s key personality traits.
These days, Poodles are thought to represent a luxurious, restful life. Historically, though, this could not be further from the truth. Poodles were originally bred as working “water retrievers” whose job was to collect waterfowl killed by hunters.
In fact, the French name for Poodle, “Caniche”, derives from “chien canard”, meaning “duck dog”. Let’s take a closer look at the main personality traits of this hardworking breed:
Toy, Miniature and Standard Poodles are all extremely intelligent dogs. This intelligence means they can pick up training very quickly, but it can also result in stubbornness. Put simply, a Poodle is unlikely to do something if they don’t want to do it.
The Poodle is a playful breed that loves to have fun with humans and other dogs. Poodles tend to have a cheeky side, which helps them get on super well with kids. A Poodle is a fantastic family dog that will settle into your crew with ease.
Poodles are very loyal dogs that will always strive to keep their loved ones safe. In some cases, this can cause a Poodle to be wary of strangers, but they soon warm up to new faces when they understand they are not a threat.
Poodles make wonderful companions for their owners. But are the good suitable for other members of the family?
Poodles are naturally sociable dogs that like to interact with others. However, they can be quite protective if they haven’t been in regular close contact with other dogs. This is why proper socialization from a young age is really important, even if you don’t plan on getting more dogs in the immediate future.
If you’re planning on bringing a Poodle puppy into a household that already contains dogs, then you shouldn’t really have any problems.
Poodles that have spent a lot of time around other pets while growing up have no trouble sharing their space with others. In fact, most Poodles actually enjoy having a friend around to play with.
As with dogs, Poodles that have grown used to being the only pets in the house will need some time or extra training to adapt to a new animal.
A Poodle is a great companion for kids, and will love to play with them. As with all dogs, it’s important to teach your kids the right way to behave around dogs to prevent either party from getting accidentally hurt.
As we’ve said before, the Poodle is extremely active and needs regular exercise and attention to stay calm. Without this, Poodles can become anxious and restless, which often manifests itself in destructive behaviour.
If you’ve noticed your Poodle chewing furniture or shoes, then it probably means they need more exercise.
Poodles can be left alone for short periods of time, but this breed does suffer from quite severe separation anxiety. Of course, this affects every individual differently, but it’s important to recognize that Standard, Miniature and Toy Poodles generally don’t cope well by themselves.
Poodles are considered to be moderately vocal and will bark quite a lot. The main things that trigger a Poodle’s barking are loud noises, separation anxiety and excitement. Poodles are also wary of strangers and can bark when faced with someone new.
With a strong working dog history, it makes sense that the Poodle is a highly active breed. Poodles are very keen to exercise and also excel in dog sports. If you’re looking for a pet that will get you active and out of the house, then you can’t go wrong with a Poodle.
Even the smaller Toy and Miniature Poodles love running around and exploring.
Whether you’re looking for a Miniature Poodle, Standard Poodle, or Toy Poodle, it’s important to know what you’re going to get. In the vast majority of cases, this intelligent breed is an absolute joy to live with and will become the centre of your family in no time at all.
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