General Information
- Adaptability
- All-around friendliness
- Health And Grooming
- Exercise needs
- Trainability
The flamboyant Poodle show coat served a practical purpose in the breed's early years. Hunters wanted their dogs to have free range of movement in the water, but they also wished to protect vital areas of the anatomy from the cold. They shaved the legs, neck, and tail but left the chest, hips, and leg joints coated. The rounded tufts on the legs, hips, and tail tip are called pompons. (Note the spelling: Cheerleaders have pom-poms; Poodles have pompons.)
The Poodle's many fine qualities allowed it to move from the lake to the lap of luxury. Elegant Poodles of the Standard and Miniature varieties found favor among the nobles of France and, eventually, all of Europe. The breed's showy looks and trainability made it a natural entertainer, and Poodles have long been associated with the European circus tradition. An excellent nose brought the Poodle additional work as a truffle hunter.
- Breed Highlights
- Poodles are among the smartest dog breeds. Their intelligence and eagerness to please make them great service dogs. Poodles are also employed as guide dogs, assistance dogs for people with other physical disabilities, and therapy dogs. They've even been utilized as truffle hunters due to their keen noses.
- Common to see this breed trained for Service Dog work?
- Another of the service dog "Fab 4". One of the most common breeds to be seen as a service dog.
- Health Concerns
- Most Poodles live long, happy, healthy lives thanks to the efforts of dedicated, responsible breeders who routinely test all breeding stock. As with all breeds, however, some health issues can occur, including hip dysplasia and several eye disorders. Idiopathic epilepsy, sebaceous adenitis, von Willebrand¿s disease, and immune-mediated disorders are also seen in the breed on occasion. Two orthopedic problems, Legg-Calve-Perthes and luxating patellas, are more likely to occur in Toy and Miniature Poodles than in Standards. The Standard variety are more at risk for gastric dilatation with volvulus (bloat) and sebaceous adenitis.
