Breed History – An instantly recognisable breed of dog, Poodles are one of the canine world’s most elegant members, having won numerous dog shows over the years. Although known for being show dogs, the actual origins of the breed stem from being gun dogs – a role that they are sometimes still used for in this day and age. They are incredibly strong swimmers, and this originates from their capacity as a retriever when hunting game bird, although they are primarily a show dog they still retain hunting instincts.
Breed Description – The curly hair of the Poodle is its most obvious distinctive feature, and is uniquely referred to as ‘hair’ instead of fur, due to its similarities to human hair and openness to styling. Their hair is non-shedding, but due to its dense nature requires regular grooming or will become tangled and matted. This should ideally be done every 6 to 8 weeks. Although breed standardisation varies from country to country, they can grow to an average of 38 cm at the withers.
Special Needs – There are numerous health problems associated with Poodles, and years of in-breeding has taken its toll, resulting in a number of genetic problems that have been passed down each generation. These include Addison’s Disease, thyroid issues and epilepsy.
Owning a Poodle – The Poodle is a family-orientated breed of dog, and will have no problems adapting to a close-knit family set up. They are both agile and athletic, and as such will require regular exercise and time spent playing games with them to make sure hey are both fit, healthy and do not become lethargic.
Healthy Pets are pet insurance specialists. Healthy Pets offers an excellent range of dog insurance policies for all breeds of dog, including Poodle insurance.
