Dog Breed Guide

Standard Poodle

Profile

Size

Medium - Large

Country of origin

France

Origin

Around the 15th century

Bred for

Waterfowl retrieving, Companion

Height

45 - 60cm (18 - 24in)

Weight

18 - 32kg (40 - 71lb)

Life span

12 - 15 years

The largest of the Poodles and the original Poodle from which the Toy and Miniature were developed. Its slender, elegant build and graceful bearing are its charm. The curly coat sheds little but keeps growing, so regular grooming is a must. Colors include black, white, brown, apricot and silver.

Among the most intelligent of all dogs, it learns whatever you teach it right away. It is bright, gentle and deeply devoted to its family. Despite its refined looks, it was originally a hunting dog that plunged into water to retrieve birds, so it is a superb athlete and loves to swim.

It needs plenty of exercise, so set aside good time for walks and play every day. Bloat and skin problems are concerns.

Good to know

One astonishing challenge showed the world just how athletic the Standard Poodle is. In 1988 the American musher John Suter entered the Iditarod, a grueling sled dog race of about 1,600km (1,000 miles) across the snowfields of Alaska, with a team made up mostly of Poodles. The Poodles did finish the race, but many suffered from frozen feet and matted coats, and the rules were later changed so that only northern breeds suited to the cold could compete.

The breed also has a history of using its keen nose to find truffles, the prized fungi that grow underground.

In France the Poodle is loved as the national dog, but the dogs from which it descends are thought to have been used for waterfowl hunting in Germany, and its true country of origin is still debated.