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The Miniature Poodle is a noble-looking dog with a slender muzzle and long neck. The coat is profuse and curly and is often styled. They can be seen in many colours.
The miniature poodle can be prone to:
- Patellar luxation
- Legg-Perthes disease
- Progressive retinal atrophy which is an inherited disorder where part of the eye degenerates and wastes away which can result in blindness.
- Osteochondrodysplasia which is a form of dwarfism cause by the abnormal development of bone and cartilage.
- Intervertebral disc disease¹ a condition where there us abnormality in the discs which act to cushion the bones in the spine.
- Cushing's syndrome² which is where too much natural steroid hormone (called cortisol) is produced, leading to symptoms such as excessive drinking and tiredness.
- Entropion³ which is a painful eye condition where the eyelids roll inwards.
- Mitral valve disease4 which is where the heart valves become diseased and don't work properly.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- DNA test for progressive retinal atrophy which tests whether or not a dog has the potential to be affected by this condition
- Eye screening scheme
¹B.A. Brisson et al, 'Intervertebral Disc Disease in Dogs', 2010, Veterinary clinics: small animal practice
²J. M. Hoofman et al, 'Canine hyperadrenocorticism associations with signalment, selected comorbidities and mortality within North American veterinary teaching hospitals', 2018, Journal of Small Animal Practice
³S. K. Jhala, 'Surgical Management of Entropion in Dogs, 2016, Intas Polivet
4K. M. Meurs, 'Myxomatous mitral valve disease in the miniature poodle: A retrospective study', Feb 2019, The Veterinary Journal
The Poodle is a lively, sociable and affectionate dog who is both intelligent and amusing, and makes a wonderful and fun companion. They love to be included in all family pursuits and can be good watch dogs, announcing visitors without being aggressive. They bond closely to their owners and so do not like to be left home alone.
Meet Charlie
"He is such a dream to train, and although I know the teenage phase is still to come, he’s brought so much fun and love into our home."
Meet Maxi
"They are really fast runners. Underneath all that fur, they have a little skinny whippet-like build!"
| Family-friendly: | 4/5 |
| Exercise needs: | 4/5 |
| Easy to train: | 5/5 |
| Tolerates being alone: | 1/5 |
| Likes other pets: | 4/5 |
| Energy level: | 4/5 |
| Grooming needs: | 2/5 |
| Shedding: | 1/5 |
The original Poodle is the Standard Poodle - who was a water retrieving dog so this is a breed who was always very much a worker. The Miniature Poodle was created as a smaller version of the original Poodle for owners who didn’t want such a large dog but were enchanted by their personalities and enthusiasm for all kinds of work. The major influencers in this desire for a smaller Poodle were circuses - who were using this highly intelligent, easy to train, friendly and even comical dog in their shows with great success but found the Standard Poodles just a bit too big.
Up until 1907, the Miniature Poodle was called the Toy Poodle but as even smaller versions of the breed were becoming popular due to selective breeding, these smaller dogs (under 11 inches) became known as Toys, and Miniature was used to describe dogs 11-15 inches.
Mini Poodles require an owner capable of plenty of training, games and fun. Daily exercise is important, but as long as games and fun at home are provided this need not be hours of walks up hill and down dale. This can be quite a loud breed, with a high pitched bark, and they are not well equipped to spend time by themselves so ideal owners will be home most of the time, and willing to put work into teaching a ‘quiet’ cue, and keeping their Poodle busy, a busy Poodle is generally a quiet Poodle. Mostly. Grooming is a significant consideration and it is not appropriate to rely on professional grooming for all their needs and you will still need to groom daily in between clips.
The Miniature Poodle is an active dog who enjoys exercise and will be happy with between an hour to two hours every day - but will still enjoy games, training, interactive toys and being involved in all family activities at the rest of the time too. If under-exercised or bored, they can become overactive and noisy.
The Miniature Poodle can be a country dog or a city dog - and can live in smaller urban spaces as long as they have access to outside for daily exercise and toileting.
Small dogs have a fast metabolism, meaning they burn energy at a high rate, although their small stomachs mean that they must eat little and often. Small-breed foods are specifically designed with appropriate levels of key nutrients and smaller kibble sizes to suit smaller mouths. This also encourages chewing and improves digestion.
Miniature Poodles do not shed and are often (though not always) tolerated by allergic people. Their coats do take a great deal of care, though, generally requiring professional grooming, as well as regular combing and brushing at home. The poodle should be taken to a groomer about every six weeks to be clipped, or you can learn how to do it yourself. A groomer will also advise on ear care.
Poodles are a joy to train as they are clever, quick to learn and love working with their owner. They can turn their paw to dog sports such as mini agility, heelwork to music and even obedience with no problems whatsoever - and in fact training and working with their owner will keep this often busy dog happy and relaxed.
Being a little more robust than the smaller Toys - and not as big and bouncy as the Standards, the Miniature Poodle can make a fantastic family dog.
While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
