Poodle

The public's love affair with the Poodle is one of the worst kept secrets in the dog fancy. Whether you prefer them little or large, This breed has been a mainstay in the list of the top ten favorite dogs for decades.

Poodles were originally developed as water retriever dogs in Germany in the 19th century, so the early popular name of French Poodle is inaccurate even though the French did take the breed to heart. This utilitarian use for the dog greatly influenced this breed's most recognizable attribute—their coats.

Poodles have a coarse and tightly curled coat designed to be water resistant, and act as a thermal insulator. This makes them the ideal dogs to jump into a chilly lake and retrieve downed game. These elegant animals are mainly kept in three acceptable trims, with many variations of each for pets:

• Puppy Trim, which is close over the entire body with the extra fluff kept on the head, ears and part of the tail.
• English Saddle Clip, which is a longer but slightly more tailored version of the puppy trim that strategically removes hair from a few areas on the back and legs.
• The Continental Trim, which was developed to best fit the breed's water retrieval use. Areas of the head and joints are grown long and full to protect internal organs and joints from cold, while unnecessary hair is removed to help the dogs move more freely in the water.

• Toy - Height of ten inches and under.
• Miniature - Over ten inches tall up to fifteen inches.
• Standard - Over fifteen inches tall.

Except for size, each of these varieties should be of the same type and personality.

Poodles are loving, outgoing, intelligent dogs who are always up for adventure, but love snuggle time too. They make wonderful family pets, so you can basically choose how much dog you can accommodate when choosing your preferred variety.

You really can't put a limit on what you can train a Poodle to do because they are so intelligent and cooperative. Potty training is relatively easy, and obedience and agility trials are filled with top performing dogs of this breed. These fluffy dogs also make terrific guide dogs for the blind, as well as search and rescue dogs. If you can think of a use for these dogs, you can likely train them to it.

Poodles require lots of grooming to keep the coat in good condition. Most owners opt for a regular trip to the grooming shop about twice a month. Do-it-yourselfer's can expect to brush every other day, bath once a week and give a clean up trim twice a month.

A bargain Poodle is no bargain at all. The price for a well-bred, fully veterinary examined and tested pet quality dog seldom dips below $1,000.00 and our next category will explain why.

Which brings us to the main drawback with this breed—health issues. The breed bloodlines are riddled with a number of genetic disorders that keep true breeders on their toes trying to eliminate them from their breeding stock. These disorders require a mountain of testing to rule out and that is why a well bred and fully tested animal costs so much. Here's the list of the most prevalent diseases to be aware of:

• Subaceous Adenitis (SA), a skin disorder evidenced by foul smelling, crusty lesions and hair loss. It can be diagnosed with a skin punch sample, but dogs who have tested clear for years can suddenly develop the disease. Treatment mainly consists of management, with no current cure.
• Von Willebrand's Disease (VWD), a blood disorder similar to hemophilia. As yet, untreatable but can be diagnosed with a blood test before or after onset.
• Juvenile Renal Displasia, a degenerative kidney disorder that is eventually fatal. this disease may be detected between six months to two years of age.
• Hip and Elbow Displasia, a crippling malformation of the ball and socket joints, that is detectable by x-ray. Surgery may be helpful in some cases.
• Pre-Retinal Atrophy, also known as PRA Blindness, a degenerative disease of the optic nerve.
• Torsion, a painful twisting of the stomach that cuts off the blood supply and locks digestive acids, food, and gases into the stomach which then bloats like a balloon. The cause is not completely known, but treatment usually involves surgery to prevent death.

As you can see, a responsible breeder has their work cut out for them, and will usually give you a genetic health guarantee on your purchase. For a more indepth look at these and other breed health issues, we recommend you visit Poodle Club of America.

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