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The Miniature Poodle is a beautiful dog, with curly coat. They are a loyal breed and possess intelligence and agility. This adorable breed has all the sophisticated qualities of a Standard Poodle but in a small body, the Miniature Poodle is small but isn’t tiny as the Tiny poodle.
The Miniature Poodle is the second most intelligent dog breed and is one of the most famous and popular breeds worldwide and for good reason too, the Miniature Poodle is a retrieving water dog. They are probably the most recognizable dog breed.
History of the Miniature Poodle
The miniature Poodle is a magnificent, curly coated breed, the breed was originally bred to be a hunting companion and now they are loyal pets, intelligent and agile companions. Some dogs in this breed can be classy and would rather sit on a cushion than get dirty.
The Poodles began as duck hunting dogs almost 400 years ago. Although some think these hunting dogs were bred in France, they were actually bred in Germany which goes to say there is no French Poodle. This Poodle gained popularity across Europe not just because they are duck hunters, they owe their success to being truffle hunters, circus dogs and military dogs.
In no time, these talented, adorable pups caught the eyes of nobles who wanted a particularly majestic and impressive looking animal that is small enough to be a lap dog, thus, the Miniature Poodle came to be.
The French call the Poodle a “Caniche” which is variation of the French word for a female duck. The English word for the Poodle is gotten from the German word “Pudel” which itself is derived from another German word which means “splash in water”.
Decades after being away from the hunting field, the breed is making a comeback in that field as more and more Poodles are being used for hunting purposes. The Miniature Poodle is believed to have come into existence in the 15th century and they were recognized by the American Kennel Club in the 19th century
Appearance and size
The Miniature Poodle has curly coat which is often clipped in distinct pattern which makes them easy to identify, even when the coats are unclipped, this breed is still easy to identify.
According to the American Kernel Club, this breed may weigh up to 10-15 pounds and can be as tall as 10-15 inches tall at the shoulder. The have either long and thick curly coat or a wavy coat. The coats have solid colors with beautiful shades that highlight their dazzling curls, the colors of their coats include black, apricot, cream, blue, brown, red, silver, grey, white and silver beige.
Grooming
The hair of the Poodle may be clipped short or partially clipped with only a few parts (the head, chest, ears and legs) being fully furred. Some poodles may not grow into their full adult coat until they are three years of age.
As much as the clips may look fashionable, it served a purpose in the ancient days, it protects the vulnerable parts of the dog from cold and helped them to be better swimmers, today, clipping makes the task of grooming easier for owners.
The Miniature Poodle will shed but not so much. If you choose not to clip your Poodle, then her curls or waves will need to be brushed daily as the fur closest to the skin will become matter if it is not groomed carefully.
Several famous cuts require a different degree of maintenance.
If you want to have your dog’s coat clipped short overall, you’ll be more likely to get away with less brushing and combing of the fur.
If you want her coat partially clipped or partially long, then you’ll still have to maintain her long hair with daily combing or brushing.
Please note that the clipped areas of your dog’s fur will need to be re-clipped every four to six weeks.
Neglecting your Poodle’s coat is a terrible idea as you will wind up at the Veterinarian’s office paying large sums to treat painful skin infections on your dog, there’s a chance you could end up with a bald poodle since coats that have been over neglected have to be shaved fully to remove the tangles and mats without damaging their sensitive skin.
Brush their teeth 2 or 3 times in a week to avoid bacteria and tartar build up in their teeth. Trim their nails monthly. Examine their mouth, eyes, nose, ears and bodies for redness, infections, inflammation, rashes and parasites. The Miniature Poodle is known to have a have a lot in their coats which means their coat needs to be checked often for tick and fleas
Temperament
Poodles are a friendly breed and the Miniature Poodle is not an exception. The Miniature Poodle can be shy and cautious with strangers, they might even growl at strangers or bite strangers in extreme cases. They are intelligent dogs who are eager to please, they have a lot of long and a strong sense of loyalty to their owners.
This breed is confident, dignified and can be oblivious of their small size, they carry themselves like royalty. The mini poodles are incredibly loving, steadfastly loyal, with a hint of stubborn confident. They live to be the center of attention and give as much love as they receive.
They are elegant, funny, and well mannered. Families say these dogs enjoy behaving like clowns, they love to play and get into trouble and sometimes they are known to challenge their owner whenever they get the chance to
Health
Like all pure breed dogs, the Miniature poodles are prone to inherited health conditions which include:
Cushing’s Disease: This disease is common is small and older dogs, it is as a result of tumors on the adrenal gland. Once this disease has been diagnosed, the pup may need lifelong medication and surgery to get rid of the tumor or tumors and may require radiation therapy.
Diabetes: In a study carried out in 2002, it was discovered that the Miniature Poodle is prone to inheriting diabetes. Just as in humans, patients of dog diabetes require a lifelong insulin therapy.
Tracheal Collapse: This is a progressive condition that makes it difficult for the dog to breathe normally and may also cause coughing. Dogs who suffer from this condition will need medication to help the dog breathe normally, surgery may be resorted to to correct the deformity.
Mitral Valve Disease: The Mitral Valve disease is a malfunction of a heart valve which results in blood leaking from one chamber in the heart to another chamber in the heart. This disease is also referred to as the “leaky valve disease”.
Degenerative Disc Disease: This disease is the unprompted burst of the discs that resides between the spinal vertebrae due to degeneration or trauma as a result of age. This is a very painful disease and can lead to hind end paralysis.
Blepharitis: Blepharitis is an inherited allergic inflammation of the eyelid which resembles conjunctivitis— Pink eye, it causes the eyelid to be red, itchy and swollen with clear or yellow discharge. Constant drainage may lead to loss of pigment or fur in the eye area.
In some situations, genetic testing makes it easy to identify dogs that carry the genes responsible for health problems in dogs. Dogs who are know carriers of the genes responsible for health problems should not be used in breeding.
Being small dogs, the Mini Poodle enjoys a long life expectancy, they have an average lifespan of 10-18 years. Some mini Poodles live to 14 years and some make it to 18 years.
A balanced diet that is age-appropriate for your dog is important, you will have to monitor your dog’s calorie intake in their food and treats as well. The Mini Poodle, like any dog, stands the chance of becoming overweight which would only worsen the health issues threatening them. Your veterinarian is in the best position to recommend a balanced diet for your dog based on age, activity level and health to help maintain a healthy weight for your furry friend.
Training and exercise
It is vital that your Miniature pup begins the process of socialization from their puppyhood, it is important to introduce them to new people and animals in order to help them navigate socialization. They tend to have a distrust towards stranger and may growl at them at first but they will warm up to them as time goes on.
Early socialization is crucial for this breed in order to prevent them from being afraid and aggressive to strangers. The Mini Poodle is easy to train and out their retrieving capacities and intelligence to good use, training this breed is relatively easy as they are eager to please.
However, the best way to achieve the best results in the training of this breed is through patience, consistency and positive reinforcement. They are believed to be the most anxious of the Poodle variation, if trained wrongly, they can be aggressive and tireless.
The Miniature Poodle need about an hour of daily play and exercise to keep fit, also they enjoy plenty of interaction with members of the family. A bored mini Poodle is an unhappy mini Poodle, they are best for households that will have time to play with them and keep them entertained.
The envoy activities that stimulate their minds and bodies and sometimes will take a quick power nap in your lap in between games.
Why you should get a Miniature Poodle
Having a Mini Poodle is a wonderful addition to a household, especially a family that will spend quality time with their furry friend. Poodles of all variations are famous for being great with children, especially Poodles that have become familiar with socialization from puppyhood.
They come highly recommended to families with children. Poodles derive joy from the playtime, love and hugs they get from children and as a part of play time, the children and the pup will get a lot of exercise whilst running around.
They require a lot of love and attention and they give as much as they get. They are friendly with members of the household, other pets and animals.
Where to get a Miniature Poodle and price
As there are no laws regulating dog breeding, anyone can breed a dog and sell the puppies of that dog, which means there are no good dog breeders neither are there bad dog breeders.
There are also terrible breeders who only care about how much they can make from the dog and not about caring for the dog, so you’ll have to be careful when picking your dog breeder and do your research on the breeder before buying a dog or selecting a Miniature Poodle.
If you are planning on getting a Poodle to show, you should know that show quality Poodles are one color, it’s a bad sign of you meet a breeder who advertises bicolored puppies as show quality. It’s best to go with breeder who use genetic testing to prevent passing on unwanted traits to help make sure your puppy is unhealthy.
Ask a lot of questions about the health of the puppy, the health of it’s parents, their meals, their medications, their weight and their grooming practices. A good breeder will have breeding stocks and have the dogs in a clean and spacious environment. The breeders may not let you see all the dogs but should allow you see the mother of the litter and the father if available.
Prices for Miniature Poodle pups depends on their availability and the amount the breeder has invested in the puppy’s health and how valuable the puppy’s parents are. Show quality poodle puppies will be more expensive than non show quality puppies. You can expect to pay from $500 to $2000 for a purebred Miniature Poodle.
A good place to get a Miniature Poodle is a breed specific rescue organization, although there is no miniature Poodle rescue organization, instead poodle rescue organizations works with three other Poodle rescue organizations. There are Poodle rescue organizations in the USA and the UK, but there are none in Australia or Canada. These are
Poodles in Need (UK)
The Poodle Club of America Rescue Foundation
Poodle Network Uk