New York Poodle Puppies
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New York Poodle Puppies .com, is an organization of poodle lovers that was formed with the sole intention of placing the perfect poodle puppy with families throughout the country. All of our poodle puppies that are advertised are from responsible and professional poodle breeders. Our poodle puppies are of the finest quality and their health is guaranteed. Each poodle puppy that is advertised on our website is from responsible poodle breeders who we personally screened. We do this to assure families they will receive a happy and healthy poodle puppy. We do everything possible to ensure that we only represent professional and responsible poodle puppy breeders. Our organization does not tolerate poodle breeders who do not abide by our strict guidelines. We are strongly against Puppy Mills or breeders who keep substandard conditions.
If you are a poodle breeder and would like to become a member of New York Poodle Puppies .com poodle breeder network, please fill out the form below or call us. By filling out the form below, a member of our staff will contact you immediately to discuss your poodle breeding standards.
Poodle Puppy Vaccinations
Vaccinating your puppy is the basis of good puppy care. Vaccines help reduce the risk of your Poodle Puppy acquiring diseases like parvovirus, distemper, kennel cough, and rabies. Vaccines are usually given when puppies reach 6-8 weeks of age and are given every 3-4 weeks until the puppy reaches 16-20 weeks of age. Boosters are then needed every one to three years. There are many different vaccine schedules your veterinarian might use. For example you puppy might receive shots at the following ages: 6, 9, 12, and a rabies vaccination at 15-16 weeks of age.
Puppies are usually vaccinated against: Distemper, Adenovirus (hepatitis), Parvovirus, and Parainfluenza. All of these vaccines are usually combined in one vaccine typically referred to as “the distemper shot.” Also depending on where you live, you may also need vaccines against Coronavirus, Lyme disease, Leptospirosis, and Bordetella. Rabies vaccination is needed as well and is required by law. Rabies vaccine is usually given at sixteen weeks of age, and then boostered a year later, and then boostered one to three years later depending on the local laws and regulations. Rabies vaccine is the only vaccine that you must absolutely get for your Poodle Puppy. Only a licensed veterinarian can administer a rabies vaccine. However, we recommend vaccinating with distemper shots as well as rabies.
CONSULT YOUR LOCAL VETERINARIAN FOR VACCINATION SCHEDULE
Poodle Puppy Nail Trimming
Puppy nails have tiny sharp points that can easily scratch you, your children, or your furniture. It is important to keep your puppy’s nails trim. Untrimmed nails can also lead to broken nails that are painful and bleed. To trim your Poodle Puppy’s nails, you can simple use an ordinary nail clipper. You may want to hold your puppy in your lap or have someone hold your Poodle Puppy on a table. Hold your puppy’s paw firmly and push on his pads to extend the nail. Start cutting off only the very tip of the nail and make several small nips with the clippers instead of one larger one. Be careful not to cut too much as you may cut the vein (quick). If you accidentally cut the quick, wipe off the blood and apply Kwik-Stop or styptic powder to stop the bleeding. It is not serious and will heal quickly.
Poodle Puppy Feeding
Your Poodle Puppy will arrive with a bag of dry kibble. We recommend continuing to feed your Poodle Puppy the same food and slowly (over the course of 5 days) wean them off and put on a holistic puppy food such as Vet’s Choice or Wellness. During this weaning period, your Poodle Puppies stool may become soft or even turn to diarrhea. For this we recommend adding cooked white rice (no butter or flavorings) to the dry kibble.
Feeding Schedule
We recommend feeding your Poodle Puppy 3X daily (morning, afternoon, evening) until 6 months of age. After 6 months of age, you can feed your Poodle Puppy 2X daily (morning, evening). Adjustments can be made depending on your personal schedule. You should never leave food out all day long so that your Poodle Puppy will eat whenever he wants. You want your Poodle Puppy to eat on a set schedule.
Amount of Food
Follow the recommendations of the food manufacturer. On the back of the puppy food bag, you will find detailed feeding quantity based on your Poodle Puppies age and size.
Water
Water is to be left out all day and night. Never deprive your Poodle Puppy of fresh, clean water. Water is the most important nutrient of all.
Treats
Treats should never account for more than 10% of your Poodle Puppies caloric intake. Your puppy’s food is his sole source for the nutrition he needs, so do not over do it with the treats. Hard chew treats keep your Poodle Puppy entertained and may improve dental health by exercising the gums and scraping the teeth. It also satisfies your Poodle Puppies need to chew.
DO NOT GIVE YOUR POODLE PUPPY RAWHIDES OR PIG EARS FOR PUPPY TEETHING/TREATS. Pig ears break into small sharp pieces that can easily cause blockage. Rawhides are indigigestible and can cause your puppy to vomit. We recommend Bull Sticks for teething and milk bone dog biscuits for treats.
Poodle Puppy Bathing
We recommend using a puppy shampoo when bathing your Poodle Puppy. But before you bathe, you need to brush.
Brushing
By brushing your Poodle Puppy before bathing, you remove loose hair and significantly improve the effectiveness of the shampoo in cleaning down to the skin. Brush your Poodle with a natural bristle brush. Start by gently brushing at the head and work toward the tail. Brush in the direction of the coat’s grain to remove loose hair.
Bathing
Use only Puppy shampoo when bathing. Never use human shampoo as it contains much harsher detergents and can damage your Poodle Puppies sensitive skin. Thoroughly soak your Poodle Puppy with warm water and apply the puppy shampoo. Work from the neck to tail, and massage the shampoo into the hair. Use a wet cloth to wash the face, being careful not to get shampoo in the eyes. Rinse completely and make sure to check the groin area, armpits, and between toes.
Drying
KEEP PETS WARM AND AWAY FROM DRAFTS WHILE THE HAIR DRIES. DO NOT LET YOUR PET OUTSIDE UNTIL HAIR IS COMPLETELY DRY. To dry your Poodle Puppy, you can simply use a towel or blow dry. If you choose to blow dry, make sure it is with warm air and never hot air.
Puppy Cologne
If you choose to, you can spray and rub in puppy cologne as a finishing touch.
Poodle Puppy Toxic Foods
Chocolate/Caffeine: Chocolate contains theobromine which is a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic. Symptoms from chocolate can include staggering, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, abdominal pain, seizures, fever, heart rate increased, arrhythmia, coma, death.
Onions/Garlic: Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Out of the two, onions are more dangerous. Onion toxicity can cause haemolytic anaemia, where your puppy’s red blood cells burst while circulating in their body. Symptoms include Hemolytic Anemia, labored breathing, liver damage, vomiting, diarrhea, discolored urine. Usually symptoms appear a few days after ingesting onions. Garlic also includes this the toxic ingredient thiosulphate but is less toxic and large amounts would have to be eaten to cause illness.
Grapes/Raisins: As few as a handful of raisins or grapes can make your Poodle Puppy ill. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and lethargy.
Mushrooms: Certain mushrooms can be fatal. Amanita phalloides is the most commonly reported severely toxic species of mushroom in the US. Symptoms include drooling, abdominal pain, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma, death.
Nuts/Macadamia Nuts: Macadamia nuts along with most other kinds of nuts can cause illness. Their high phosphorus content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones. Symptoms include development of tremors of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated.
Preparing For Your Poodle Puppies Arrival
Below is a list of supplies you will need before bringing home your Poodle Puppy. Some supplies are optional and some are a necessity. We strongly recommend being prepared beforehand to assure an easy transition for you and your Poodle Puppy.
Things You Will Need Before Bringing Your Poodle Puppy Home
| Needed Supplies | Optional supplies |
| Stainless Steel Water Bowl
Stainless Steel Food Bowl Leash and Collar Premium Brand Dog Food (Holistic) Dog Crate
|
Treats
Dog Bedding Dog Toys and Chews (Bull Sticks) Dog Brush Puppy Shampoo Dog Clippers
|
Poodle Puppy Proofing Your Home
Puppy proofing your home is not only a smart thing to do it can also save your Poodle puppy’s life. Puppies will chew on anything and everything – including electrical wires, chicken bones, socks, and underwear. Puppy proofing is easy to do, follow the steps below and your house will be puppy proofed in no time.
- WHEN UNSUPERVISED, YOUR POODLE PUPPY SHOULD BE CRATED.
See Article on Home Page regrading Poodle Crates.
- Check for and secure electrical wires so that they are not within reach of your labrador retreiver puppy.
- Put safety latches on cabinets that have poisonous items — often under the kitchen and bathroom sinks. Ask for these latches at your hardware store.
- If your Poodle puppy will have access to a garage, be sure there is no anti-freeze within reach. It has an attractive smell and taste to dogs and cats.
- Walk around your home and look for things that are potentially dangerous for your Poodle puppy.
- Pick up trash containers that might contain anything harmful to your Poodle puppy.
- Remove any poisoinous household plants. See List of Poisoinous Plants on Home Page.
- If you have a fenced yard, terrific! Walk around your fencing and look for any place that your Poodle puppy might be able to squeeze through. See if anything else in the yard needs puppy proofing.
- Plan your potty-training arrangements. Where do you want the puppy to do its stuff? How will you clean it up?
Poodle Puppy Housebreaking
Bringing your Poodle puppy home is one of the most exciting moments. There is a new bundle of furry joy that enters your family and settles in for a long and nurturing bond between dog and human. However, this joy can quickly disperse as the role of housebreaking comes along and you start to become frustrated.
First, the new Poodle Puppy owner must realize that not all dogs are the same. One puppy may be easily trained by the time it is 12 weeks old, while another puppy could be 5 months old before being fully housebroken. Each puppy is different and must be trained according to what fits for that particular puppy.
What is housebreaking?
Housebreaking is the act of getting your puppy to soil where you want. Usually this is outside of the home but some owners of smaller breed dogs choose to litter train their puppies instead. For Poodle Puppies, litter training is not an option so we must assume that the Poodle Puppy will be trained to pee and poop outside of the home.
Importance of Schedules
Schedules are one of the most important aspects of housebreaking your puppy. The first thing any new or expecting family should do is create a bathroom schedule for their new puppy.
Puppies around 8-16 weeks old will usually need to go to the bathroom every 3 hours. Therefore, you should schedule bathroom breaks every couple of hours, even if your puppy does not show signs of having to go to the bathroom. If you keep to a 3-hour schedule, your puppy will catch on quickly and start to begin to hold from going to the bathroom indoors until that scheduled potty break. As your puppy gets older, this 3-hour schedule can be extended an hour at a time, until your puppy can finally wait up to 8 hours or more. Please note that this is a gradual process and will take several weeks to months before being able to wait that long as a puppy’s bladder is underdeveloped when young and cannot physically wait that long without having the urge.
Training to go Potty
So now that you know what housebreaking is and the importance of scheduling, how do you get your puppy to go outside? It is a simple process of awarding your puppy for good behavior.
Most Poodle Puppy owners follow a very simple routine when they take their puppy outside: take your puppy out on a leash directly to the spot you want your puppy to eliminate, use a command to tell your puppy to do its business such as Go Potty, do not play with your puppy while outside for bathroom time, as your puppy goes potty repeat the command over (this helps train your puppy to go on command), treat and praise when your puppy goes potty, do not return your puppy to the house until 10 minutes have passed even if your puppy has already eliminated (it may go potty again), and praise your puppy when it comes back into the house.
Beyond the 3-hour schedule, your puppy will need to go to the bathroom:
• When they wake up in the morning or after a nap
• Before they go to sleep
• After they play
• Before and after they go on a car ride
• When they get overly excited
Using a Crate
We strongly urge crate training for housebreaking puppies. By using a crate, you provide your puppy with its own den and capitalize on its innate tendency to keep this area clean. A puppy kept in its crate for a reasonable period of time – no more than three to four hours at a time during the day – will refrain from soiling and will learn to hold itself until you let it out. Consistently doing this will help your puppy establish a regular schedule for elimination. Crates also prevent young puppies from getting into mischief when you cannot watch them and confines their chewing to objects you have provided. Like children, puppies need lots of rest but they also require pleasant physical contact and socialization. Use common sense about how much time your puppy should spend in its crate.
Introducing the Crate
It is important to introduce your puppy to the crate gradually. It may be helpful to use treats to provide a positive association with entering the crate. As your puppy becomes comfortable with the crate, you can increase the time that it spends there, realizing that it is important not to overuse it. Your puppy should not live in its crate — he or she should live with you. However, use the crate for the periods of time when it cannot be watched, when it is resting or eating and while it is being housebroken. This time staying in the crate will teach your puppy to hold itself. Used this way, a crate is an important aid in your puppy’s adjustment to its new life.
Housebreaking is not always an easy task but it doesn’t have to result in frustration and hair loss. With Poodle Puppies, owners need to remain consistent and persistent in their training. Most owners become frustrated because they try something for a week or two and when it doesn’t work, they either give up or try something new. Unfortunately, this ends up confusing the Poodle Puppy and your puppy will be deemed un-trainable. When training fails, it is usually that the owner does not remain consistent with the training or gives up all together. This leads to an 80-pound dog that rules the roost and a very important bond between owner and Poodle Puppy that is lost.
Remember that each Poodle Puppy is distinctly different. However, as long as you remain consistent and persistent in their training, it will be well worth your effort and will be highly rewarding. Your Poodle Puppy would never give up on you so never give up on your Poodle Puppy!
Poodle Puppy Crates
A dog crate is a metal, wire, plastic, or fabric enclosure with a door in which a dog may be kept for security or transportation. For best results in using crates, crate training is recommended.
• There are many types of crates, and variations within the types:
• FOR YOUR HOME, WE RECOMMEND PURCHASING A WIRE CRATE (pictured on right). Wire crates come in all different sizes. Make sure you select appropriate size for your Poodle Puppy. Make sure to put a towel, pad, or soft blanket in the crate so that your Poodle puppy can lie down comfortably. We also recommend covering the back part of the crate at least halfway with a sheet.
• Solid plastic crates are usually more suitable than other types for secure travel, such as in an airplane. They might also be safer in a car accident than other types. Disadvantages are that they take up a lot of space and do not fold for storage.
• Aluminum crates can be either fixed or folding. A few of their advantages are: light weight, very strong when constructed with appropriate bracing, will not rust, excellent airflow & vision for the dog, appealing looks compared to wire crates. Aluminum crates are suitable for use at veterinary hospitals, car travel, as a permanent “den” for your dog inside the home and in breeding kennel environments.
• Soft crates can always be easily folded for storage or transport and are lightweight. They provide your dog with a stronger sense of security but still allow visibility and airflow. They cannot be used with dogs who are likely to dig or chew at the crate, and they are unsuitable for transporting dogs in any type of vehicle. Dog tents are a new alternative to soft crates. They offer many of the same advantages (and disadvantages) of soft crates but fold down to an even smaller size and are ultra lightweight so that they can be stuffed into tent bags and taken virtually anywhere. They make ideal enclosures for people who need to pack their soft crates into cramped vehicles or suitcases or for people who hike, camp or are involved in dog sports. Like soft crates, they are not suitable for puppies, dogs who are not housebroken, or for vehicle travel.
Picking up Your Poodle Puppy at the Airport
1. Please arrive at the airport before your Poodle puppy is scheduled to arrive, and go to the live cargo pick-up area for the traveling airline. This spot is different in many airports and it is good practice to call the regional airport ahead of time to find out this location.
2. Bring with you the shipping information and two forms of identification.
3. You may also want to bring a bottle of water, a blanket or towel, and something super tasty like boiled chicken pieces, cheese, or other meat pieces. Your Poodle puppy may be very hungry and thirsty or not hungry or thirsty at all. Do not be alarmed if either happens. Once your Poodle puppy gets home and adjusted into its own new bed (you may want to continue to use the crate) with new toys and the same food and familiar blanket, your Poodle puppy should start eating and playing normally. If the puppy is not eating much, mix rice or chicken and add it to the dry food your Poodle puppy came with. Do not over-feed your Poodle puppy human foods which may lead to digestive discomfort.
4. The first thing you do when you take the puppy out is to take it to the closest grassy spot ASAP. THEN give your Poodle much love and tender care. Contact LittleLindas to let us know that your puppy has arrived safely.
Checklist:
- Bring paper towels, a blanket or towel
- Bring newspaper
- Trash bag
- Bring a leash and collar
- Bottled water and a bowl
- Boiled chicken pieces, cheese, or other meat pieces
- Wetwipes for self cleanup
Poodle Temperment
Otherwise notable is this breed’s keen sense for instinctual behavior. In particular, marking and hunting drives are more readily observable than in most other breeds. Even Toys will point birds. Classified as highly energetic, poodles can also get bored fairly easily and have been known to get creative about finding mischief. Poodles like to be in the center of things and are easily trained to do astonishing tricks involving both brains and agility. They have performed in circuses for centuries, beginning in Europe, and have been part of the Ringling Circus in its various forms from its inception. The Grimaldis, the famous British clowns Kenneth and Audrey Austin, “developed a stronger circus act” with a clever poodle named ‘Twinkle,’ the success of which allowed them to continue performing even as octogenarians.”
Poodles are extremely people-oriented dogs and generally eager to please. Standard poodles in particular tend to be good with children. Poodles are adaptable and easy to train, but sometimes their intelligence can make them obstinate and stubborn. Like most dogs, they appreciate daily exercise, such as a walk or a play session. Most are fairly agile and athletic. Toy poodles will play ball and love to fetch. Play time is vital, but one must be sure that they get plenty of rest following long play periods and that fresh water is available at all times. Poodles are very easy to housebreak. Whether going outside or being trained on a pad, they learn quickly where to defecate. They are still animals, however, and they need time to understand what is desired of them. It may take a while, but poodles are quite smart and learn more quickly than most dogs.
Poodle Training
There are many methods of dog training and many objectives, from basic obedience training to specialized areas including law enforcement, military, search and rescue, hunting, working with livestock, assistance to people with disabilities, entertainment, dog sports and protecting people or property.
As pack animals, wild dogs have natural instincts that favor cooperation with their fellow dogs. Many domestic dogs, either through instinct or breeding, can correctly interpret and respond to signals given by a human handler.
Most dogs live with people who want them to behave in ways that make them pleasant to be around, keep them safe, and provides for the safety of other humans and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own. The fundamental rule that must be remembered is that one should never apply human standards of society onto the dog with the assumption that the dog will understand. Never assume a dog is trying to insult, injure or deceive you on a personal level. Understand that it is acting as a dog naturally, innocently does, and should be met with patience and thoughtfulness, rather than forcefulness or retaliation. Many trainers treat their dogs with cruelty and irrational punishment, leading to measurably increased stress, illness, and tendency towards violence.
The hardest part of training is communicating with the dog in a humane way that the dog understands. However, the underlying principle of all communication is simple: reward desired behavior while ignoring or correcting undesired behavior. “Corrections” should never include harmful physical force or violence.
Basic pet obedience training usually consists of six behaviors:
• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Recall (“come”, “here” or “in”)
• Close (or loose-leash walking)
• Heel
Reward and punishment
1. Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again.
2. Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again.
When training your dog, use positive training methods. This requires positively reinforcing good behavior rather than punishing to decrease bad behavior.
IMPORTANT: Dogs should not be punished by being placed within a cage, crate or carrier, especially one similar to where they eat or sleep. While this may confine the dog from further disruptive behaviour, and also may seem similar to “sending a child to their room” as a form of punishment, the dog’s mind will unfortunately begin to associate the cage with punishment, and will experience anxiety if put into the container, as a result of the negative feelings associated with it. Punishment involving confinement is an unusual and confusing type of situation for a dog, and should not be used for proper punishment
Rewards
Positive reinforcers can be anything that your dog finds rewarding – special food treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with other dogs, or the owner’s attention.
Punishment
Punishments should only be administered as appropriate for the dog’s personality, age, experience and physical and emotional condition. Some dogs may show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh verbal corrections. Other dogs may ignore a verbal reprimand. Some dogs develop an aversion or fear of water, when water is sprayed at them as an aversive.
Keep in mind that each dog is distinctly different. Training methods should be administered only as appropriate. As long as you remain consistent and persistent in their training, it will be well worth your effort and will be highly rewarding. Your dog will never give up on you so never give up on your dog!
Poodle Puppies
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The Standard Poodle is regarded as the second most intelligent breed of dog after the border collie, and before the German shepherd. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding. Poodles are elegant in the conformation ring, having taken top honors in many shows, including “Best in Show” at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1991 and 2002, and at the World Dog Show in 2007 and 2010.
History
Poodles are retrievers or gun dogs, and can still be seen in that role. The poodle is believed to have originated in Germany, where it is known as the Pudel. The English word “poodle” comes from the Low German pudel or puddeln, meaning to splash in the water. The breed was standardized in France, where it was commonly used as a water retriever.
The American Kennel Club states that the large, or Standard, Poodle is the oldest of the three varieties and that the dog gained special fame as a water worker. So widely was it used as retriever that it was bred with a moisture-resistant coat to further facilitate progress in swimming. All of the Poodle’s ancestors were acknowledged to be good swimmers, although one member of the family, the truffle dog (which may have been of Toy or Miniature size), it is said, never went near the water. Truffle hunting was widely practiced in England, and later in Spain and Germany, where the edible fungus has always been considered a delicacy. For scenting and digging up the fungus, the smaller dogs were favored, since they did less damage to the truffles with their feet than the larger kinds. So it is rumored that a terrier was crossed with the Poodle to produce the ideal truffle hunter.
Despite the standard poodle’s claim to greater age than the other varieties, there is some evidence to show that the smaller types developed only a short time after the breed assumed the general type by which it is recognized today. The smallest, or Toy variety, was developed in England in the 18th century, when the Havanese became popular there. This was a sleeve dog attributed to the West Indies from whence it traveled to Spain and then to England. The continent had known the poodle long before it came to England. Drawings by the German artist, Albrecht Durer, establish the breed in the 15th and 16th centuries. It was the principal pet dog of the later 18th century in Spain, as shown by the paintings of the Spanish artist Francisco Goya. France had toy poodles as pampered favorites during the reign of Louis XVI at about the same period.
Appearance
Poodles can be a variety of solid colors, including white, black, apricot and gray, but never parti-colored. Also, most poodles have a curly, non-shedding coat that requires regular grooming. Since poodles do not have the plush double coat of many breeds, their fur is often referred to as “hair”, a term usually reserved for humans. Most poodles are solid-colored, and many registries allow only solid colors in conformation shows. “Parti” (short for parti-colored) poodles have large patches of colors different from the main body color. “Phantom” poodles have coloring that resembles a Doberman Pinscher or Black and Tan Coonhound. Poodles come in a wide variety of solid colors including white, black, blue, gray, silver, brown, cafe-au-lait, apricot, red and cream.
Poodle sizes
Unlike most breeds, poodles can come in a variety of sizes, distinguished by adult shoulder (withers) height. The exact height cutoffs among the varieties vary slightly from country to country. Non-Fédération Cynologique Internationale kennel clubs generally recognize three sizes, standard, miniature, and toy, sometimes as sizes of the same breed, and sometimes as separate breeds. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognizes four sizes of one breed, standard, medium, miniature, and toy. Only the Fédération Cynologique Internationale describes a maximum size for standard poodles. France is the country responsible for the breed in the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, and in this country the puppies of all sizes are listed together. The terms royal standard, teacup, and tiny teacup are marketing names, and are not recognized by any major kennel club.
Comparison of poodle sizes defined by major kennel clubs
Standard - Over 38cm (15ins)
Medium - Over 35 cm to 45 cm (14ins to 18ins)
Miniature - 28 cm to 38 cm (11ins to 15ins)
Toy - Under 28cm (11ins)
The United Kennel Club places the miniature and toy in the Companion Group and the standard poodle in the Gundog Group.
Coat
Unlike most dogs which have double coats, poodles have a single layer (no undercoat) of dense, curly fur that sheds minimally. Note that the poodle does shed, but instead of the fur coming off of the dog, it becomes tangled in the surrounding hair. This can lead to matting without proper care. Texture ranges from coarse and woolly to soft and wavy. Poodle show clips require many hours of brushing and care per week, about 10 hours/week for a standard poodle. Poodles are usually clipped down as soon as their show career is over and put into a lower-maintenance cut. Pet clips are much less elaborate than show and require much less maintenance. A pet owner can anticipate grooming a poodle every six to eight weeks. Although professional grooming is often costly, poodles are easy to groom at home with the proper equipment.
Show clips
Many breed registries allow only certain clips for poodles shown in conformation. In American Kennel Club shows, adults must be shown in the “Continental” or “English saddle” clips. Dogs under 12 months old may be shown with a “puppy clip.” The American Kennel Club allows the Sporting Clip in Stud Dog and Brood Bitch classes as well.
Some sources believe the show clips evolved from working clips, which originally provided warmth to major joints when the dogs were immersed in cold water. The rest of the body is shaved for less drag in the water. Others express skepticism at this theory, instead citing the French circus as the origin of the entertaining and unique clips.
Second Puppy
This clip is also called the Scandinavian clip or puppy clip. It was invented by Swedish and Norwegian show groomers in the 1970s. This clip is the most common one in all sizes for shows in Europe, and is allowed for adult poodles to be shown in the FCI countries. The face, throat, belly, feet and the base of the tail are shaved 5 to 7 days before the show to get a nice smooth appearance of the shaved areas. The hair on the head is left to form a “topknot” that is fixed in place using latex bands; this is because in most European countries, hair spray is banned. The rest of the dog is shaped with scissors. It makes the parts of the dog look fluffy.
Continental clip
In the continental clip the face, throat, feet and part of the tail are shaved. The upper half of the front legs is shaved, leaving “fluffy pompons” around the ankles. The hindquarters are shaved except for pompons on the lower leg (from the hock to the base of the foot) and optional round areas (sometimes called “rosettes”) over the hips. The continental clip is the most popular show clip today.
English Saddle clip
The English saddle clip is similar to the continental, except for the hindquarters. The hindquarters are not shaved except a small curved area on each flank (just behind the body), the feet, and bands just below the stifle (knee) and above the hock, leaving three pompoms. This clip is now rarely seen in standard poodles.
Pet clips
Pet clips can be as simple or as elaborate as owners wish. The hair under the tail should always be kept short to keep feces from matting in the poodle’s curls. Most owners also keep the feet and face clipped short to prevent dirt from matting between toes and food from matting around the dog’s muzzle. Beyond these sanitary requirements, desired clips depend on owners’ preferences. Some owners maintain a longer clip in winter than summer, which they groom often with a wire slicker brush to remove tangles and prevent matting.
Corded coat
In most cases, whether a poodle is in a pet or show clip, hair is completely brushed out. Poodle hair can also be “corded” with rope-like mats similar to those of a Komondor or human dreadlocks. Though once as common as the curly poodle, corded poodles are now rare. Corded coats are difficult to keep clean and take a long time to dry after washing. Any poodle with a normal coat can be corded when thei adult coat is in. Corded poodles may be shown in all major kennel club shows.
Temperament
Otherwise notable is this breed’s keen sense for instinctual behavior. In particular, marking and hunting drives are more readily observable than in most other breeds. Even Toys will point birds. Classified as highly energetic, poodles can also get bored fairly easily and have been known to get creative about finding mischief. Poodles like to be in the center of things and are easily trained to do astonishing tricks involving both brains and agility. They have performed in circuses for centuries, beginning in Europe, and have been part of the Ringling Circus in its various forms from its inception. The Grimaldis, the famous British clowns Kenneth and Audrey Austin, “developed a stronger circus act” with a clever poodle named ‘Twinkle,’ the success of which allowed them to continue performing even as octogenarians.”
Poodles are extremely people-oriented dogs and generally eager to please. Standard poodles in particular tend to be good with children. Poodles are adaptable and easy to train, but sometimes their intelligence can make them obstinate and stubborn. Like most dogs, they appreciate daily exercise, such as a walk or a play session. Most are fairly agile and athletic. Toy poodles will play ball and love to fetch. Play time is vital, but one must be sure that they get plenty of rest following long play periods and that fresh water is available at all times. Poodles are very easy to housebreak. Whether going outside or being trained on a pad, they learn quickly where to defecate. They are still animals, however, and they need time to understand what is desired of them. It may take a while, but poodles are quite smart and learn more quickly than most dogs.
