Description

The Miniature Poodle is a widely known and popular dog. Probably his most recognizable feature is his curly coat. While most miniature poodles have the common curly coat, others have a tighter curl that looks like cord. The miniature Poodle has a high tail and most have their tails surgically docked to about half its natural length. The Miniature Poodle has long, flat and wide ears that lay on the head, with black or brown eyes. The breed has a mildly arched neck and a long head for its body size. His overall body appearance is squared. He is smaller than the Standard Poodle while he is larger than the Toy Poodle.

Coat Description

There are two types of coat for the Miniature Poodle: the curly coat and the corded coat. Their coat is not typical dog fur, but rather hair that needs regular attention. The coat is thick and the curly texture easily gets tangled.

The Miniature Poodle can be cream, white, silver, apricot, and café au lait, gray, blue, red or black. For show dogs, Miniature Poodles must be a solid color.

History

Though the Standard Poodle is thought to be a descendant of the Hungarian Water Hound and the Portuguese Water Dog, it is France where the Poodle is thought to have originated from. The dog has been noted in history for over 400 years, and has a rich history in France, Denmark, and Germany. The Standard Poodle has been used as a hunting dog and even as a circus dog. The Miniature Poodle is a breed created from the smallest of the Standard Poodles.

Temperament

The Miniature Poodle is a very intelligent dog and therefore can be trained for a variety of events and competitions. Miniature Poodles are moody or temperamental, and they can get very jealous of their owner's attention on another person or dog. They enjoy being the center of their master's attention. This is one of the reasons he tends to do so well in competitions. They like to please their masters, so they are happy to perform tricks.

Even though the Miniature Poodle is a little jealous, he loves to play with anyone who shows him attention so he gets along fine with children. Nervous animals should be supervised closely with children. The best way to help a Miniature Poodle not be shy or sensitive, he should be socialized at an early age. He can be trained as a watchdog, but he is not an aggressive breed so though he might bark, he will not attack.

Health Problems

As the Miniature Poodle is an old breed, he is prone to many genetic diseases common in purebred dogs. He has a tendency towards illnesses like Progressive Retinal Atrophy, which can lead to blindness. The breed also can have a propensity towards congenital deafness. Some Miniature Poodles suffer from the seizure disorder called Epilepsy, while others have simple allergy problems. Other problems are diabetes, heart disease, and Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia.

Grooming

Miniature Poodles have a naturally thick coat, so they need a lot of grooming attention. The dogs should be bathed at least weekly, and they definitely need regular coat clipping and grooming. If their coats are left to get long and unruly, the hair will cause skin irritation and the hair can become matted. There are several types of cuts or clips for Miniature Poodles:

[-]Pet Clip is used for Miniature Poodles with very short coats.[/-]

[-]The English Saddle (also called the Continental Clip) is when the back part of the dog's body is shaved and left with rings of fur at the feet and on the tail. There is also fur left on the dog's hips.[/-]

[-]The Lamb Clip is a less particular clip where the dog's fur is cut to the same length all over the body.[/-]

The ears of the Miniature Poodle, as with almost every other breed of dog, need to be cleaned regularly. It is also important to trim the fur around the dog's ears. The Miniature Poodle should have his teeth cleaned regularly. An interesting thing about poodles is that they are generally considered hypo-allergenic as they have hair that is closer to human hair than dog fur.

Exercise

The Miniature Poodle likes to play with other dogs his own size and he also loves to play with family members and children. He needs exercise since he is an energetic dog, but he does not need constant activity. He likes walks and loves to swim, but remember that his small size prevents him from being able to handle very long periods of walking or running. If you have a fenced yard, he will be happy to run around the yard and play. They enjoy playing with people, so look for small activities like catch or chase games to play in the yard.

Training

The Miniature Poodle is a very smart animal, and because of this he can be trained to do an amazing number of feats. He responds best to positive reinforcement training methods because he is a natural people pleaser. This makes the breed quick and eager to learn from their masters. Some of the jobs the Miniature Poodle can be trained to do are watchdog, performer and competitor. They are also good retrievers. But the breed does not need a job to be happy; they are quite content as companion animals.