Toy poodles, along with standard poodles and miniature poodles, are famously known for their proven excellence when shown. Their curly and voluminous coat in combination with a confident strut always seems to steal the show. The breed is intelligent, athletic, and loyal, making it a great choice for single owners and families alike.

Characteristics

Toy poodles are charismatic family pets that love to be the center of attention. They are highly intelligent and take well to obedience training but can suffer from separation anxiety due to their companionable nature. They do well around children and other pets. They are well-suited to life in smaller spaces thanks to their petite size.

History

The poodle was bred to be a duck hunting dog in Germany over 400 years ago, where its thick curly coat came in handy to protect against the cold. Their athletic skills and eagerness to please made them perfect retrievers.

The exaggerated show cut that poodles are often recognized for today stemmed from their historic days of retrieving. Hunters would cut the dogs’ coats to ensure they had free range of movement while also having adequate protection from the elements. So, hunters would shave their poodle’s legs, neck, and tail. Their chest, hips, and leg joints would still be covered with curly hair in rounded tufts.

Poodles have three variations: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. The standard poodle is the oldest of these varieties and the miniature and toy variations were eventually created for those who desired smaller dogs. Despite their small size, toy and miniature poodles were working dogs. Toy poodles, specifically, have historically been desired for circuses due to their high intelligence and athleticism.

The toy poodle was first bred in the early 20th century as a companion dog, especially great for those living in apartments or smaller spaces. Today, poodles are exceedingly popular among pet owners. In fact, the poodle is the national dog of France.

Toy Poodle Care

Though poodles have gained a reputation of being fancy and high maintenance, they really are no harder to care for than the average dog. In particular, toy poodles are considered the easiest of the bunch. Grooming and exercise will take no time at all thanks to their petite frame.

Exercise
While larger standard poodles need plenty of room and exercise to thrive, smaller toy poodles do not. However, they are still an active breed and love going for daily walks with their loved ones. They also love swimming, retrieving, and performing tricks to burn off energy.

Grooming
Due to the toy poodle’s thick and curly coat, owners will need to brush their dogs daily from root to end to prevent any matting. If their coat develops mats, toy poodles may need to be shaved quite short to give their hair a chance to grow back nicely. Fine-toothed combs with sturdy teeth are great options to keep in your toy poodle grooming kit. They get the job done well without causing a significant amount of discomfort for the dog.

Toy poodles are very low shed, making them a great pet for people with allergies. Still, some owners prefer to keep their toy poodle’s coat cut short to reduce the chance of matting and make clean-up after a muddy play session a little easier. Owners may opt to do the trimming themselves with a pair of clippers or head to a pro every six weeks for a cut, bath, and nail trim. Luckily, it’s easy to train a toy poodle to behave at the groomer.

Training

Toy poodles are an intelligent breed and absolutely love to please their owner. As active and graceful dogs, they excel at sporting activities. This may come as a shock to those who believe poodles are prissy. A common misconception. Toy poodles are great at learning and performing tricks.

Common Health Problems

Purebred toy poodles are generally healthy, but as with any pet, there are health risks.

Some health problems to watch out for in toy poodles include:

Addison’s Disease
Hypothyroidism
Progressive Retinal Atrophy

Diet and Nutrition
The best food for your dog will depend on its size and activity level. Because toy poodles are small in size, they don’t require a large number of calories each day. If they are fed above their ideal caloric level, they may become overweight or even obese without proper exercise to burn it off. It’s important to work with your vet to find the right food for your pet and the portion control required to keep them healthy.

Whether you choose wet, dry, or raw food, you should go for something relatively high in protein and fibre, but without too many fillers like corn bran or oat hulls. The ideal dog food should contain mostly whole foods and quality sources of protein, including things like real meat and vegetables.