Poodle (Miniature)
The middle of the three poodle sizes, and it was the truffle hunter in France while the standard worked water. Same coat, same brain, less dog to house.
Overview
The Miniature Poodle is one of three size varieties of a single breed, and all three are the same dog at different scales. The Poodle is German in origin, developed in France, and it was a water retriever before it was anything else, which is what the traditional clip is for: the puffs protect the joints and vital organs in cold water.
The Miniature was bred down and was used in France to find truffles, being light enough not to damage them.
Temperament
Bright, sensitive and among the most trainable dogs there is. Poodles are consistently ranked at the top of working intelligence lists and the ranking is deserved.
They are affectionate with their families and can be reserved with strangers. The Miniature is more prone to nervousness and to barking than the Standard, and early socialisation matters. They are also sensitive to household tension and they do badly left alone.
Care and grooming
The curly single coat does not shed and grows continuously, so it needs combing right to the skin two or three times a week plus professional clipping every four to six weeks. That grooming bill is a permanent running cost.
Because it does not shed it is often recommended to allergy sufferers, and no dog is truly hypoallergenic. Progressive retinal atrophy has a DNA test, and patellar luxation and Legg Calve Perthes disease occur.
Living and exercise
An hour a day plus training, and the training is what they actually want.
They suit flats well and they are outstanding at agility and obedience. Ten to eighteen years is a wide range and the top end is genuinely achievable.
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