There has always been a stereotype considering poodles to be stuck up, snobby. But if you have or have ever had a poodle you know that is not true, and you love your fluffy little friend for its intelligence and friendliness. They take to training quickly, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble establishing that routine. Poodles are also known as the breed that sheds the least and doesn’t have a strong odor.
When you look at it, the poodle sounds like the perfect dog, doesn’t it? So, if you decide to get one, or are already an owner, there are a few things you should learn about them.
Types of Poodles
There are three basic recognized types of poodles. The standard poodle is the largest, and although it’s not visually intimidating at all, it’s said to be a great guard dog, since it’s very brave, alert, and protective. Miniature poodles are actually mid-sized among the types. They have a great personality and therefore are awesome pets. Toy poodles are the smallest type.
They are fun, the size of an average pint, and are a great choice if you want a lovable lap dog. There are official and unofficial poodle types, the ones aforementioned are official. The unofficial types like the Klein (Moyen) poodle or Teacup poodle are classified into one or the other official group.
Grooming
Now, if your poodle is just a puppy, you will have minimal trouble getting them all brushed and bathed. But when your puppy starts growing up, it will develop a coat you’ll have to pay much attention to. Of course, the level of difficulty of keeping a well-groomed poodle depends on how exactly you plan to groom them, to have shorter or longer hair.
Maintaining short hair means much less maintenance, but be careful and learn how to properly brush it to prevent knotting and matting. Some people prefer taking their poodles to a professional groomer every 5 weeks or so, and be sure that they are getting the perfect treatment constantly.
One of the upsides of doing it yourself is that you get that extra bonding time with your pet friend.
A good tip for grooming is to put your poodle on an elevated surface (E.g., a table) when you’re grooming them.
Bathing
One of the coolest things about poodles is their hair. It never stops growing (just like our own), and you’ll always have fun experimenting with different looks for it. Also, you can just use the same shampoo you use yourself; you don’t have to bother with that.
Poodles are usually very clean and have a low odor, so you don’t have to bathe them too often. Once in two to three weeks is a great routine, unless the dog gets dirty somehow. Bathing them regularly is very important for them maintaining healthy, quality hair.
Training
A generalization about poodles is that they are considered fashion accessories, and shouldn’t or can’t be trained. Poodles are very energetic, intelligent, and willing to learn. It needs to be introduced to different settings, different people and get plenty of exercise on a daily basis. You should walk your poodle for at least an hour every day (unless it’s the smallest kind, you can let that one run around the house and it will get enough exercise).
The first thing you should do when you start training is to teach it his/her name. Just look at the puppy when you say its name and call it to come to you, and reward it when it complies.
Then of course start teaching it the standard commands like sit/stay/lie down. Beware that poodles will get bored quickly if you don’t make training fun for them because they are highly intelligent dogs. This is one of the bad sides to having a smart pup, but you’ll get used to it.
If you’re not certain you’re up to the goal of properly training it, there’s no shame in calling a local trainer and signing up for a class. It takes kindness, patience, and positive reinforcement to train your poodle in the best way possible.
Diet
When you bring your puppy poodle home, you might want to switch its diet to a more preferable brand of dog food. The thing is, you’ll have to be patient and make the switch gradually, giving it a small percentage of the new food and mostly the old, and then slowly working on changing the percentages until its diet consists of 100% of the food you chose.
You should check if it includes calcium, proteins, and extra calories. Also check for vitamins, amino acids, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates that are right for your type of poodle.
Keep in mind the size of your poodle and create the portions accordingly.
So, whether you’re an owner already or are soon to be, bringing a poodle into your life is a great idea, just be sure to study up on all the requirements and the best ways of treating it. Have fun with your furry friend!
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