Also known as the Pudel and the Pudle, the Standard Poodle is an intelligent, playful, and friendly breed. But how do you know whether you are ready to purchase a pet and if this breed is right for you? This information is absolutely necessary in making the decision to purchase a pet.
History
The exact origin of the Standard Poodle has not been well documented. Enthusiasts believe that the breed originated in Germany, yet was developed and nurtured in France, though this has never been proven scientifically or otherwise.
Throughout its history, the Standard Poodle has been most commonly used for hunting, tracking, retrieving, and flushing out game such as duck, and for retrieving items lost in water, proving its superior abilities to work on land and in water while providing loyal and warm companionship.
Today, the Standard Poodle has attained a world wide popularity as a hunting dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Personality Traits
Best known for its social, outgoing, and spunky nature, the Standard Poodle is full of character. These dogs thrive on strong and dependable relationships with humans, love to receive attention and praise, and often look to their owner for leadership and assurance. This breed is very intelligent and generally easy to train. As a pet, the Standard Poodle is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate. The Standard Poodle is not suited for full-time indoor or apartment living, as it enjoys spending time outdoors, playing games such as fetch and frisbee, and having plenty of room to roam, run, and play.
Train-ability
Due to its hard working attitude and eagerness to please and impress its owner, the Standard Poodle generally responds well to basic training and commands. This intelligent breed has the ability to learn to perform most any task its trainer is willing to take the time to teach.
Establishing immediate dominance, trust, and respect is key to successfully training the Standard Poodle. These dogs require a confident, patient, and caring handler with a stern yet gentle approach to repetitive exercises and tasks.
Benefits and Disadvantages of the Breed
There are many benefits to owning a Standard Poodle. This spunky and lively breed is always on the move, and often very amusing and entertaining to watch while at play. These bright dogs are obedient by nature, easy to train, and capable of learning to perform many impressive tricks and tasks. When properly socialized from a young age, the Standard Poodle gets along well with children and other pets, known for its sweet and gentle approach to small children and its ability to make friends quickly with other animals due to its social nature. The Standard Poodle is obedient, loyal, loving, and affectionate, making an excellent hunting dog, family pet, and companion alike.
Unfortunately, there are also disadvantages to owning a Standard Poodle. These active and energetic dogs require large amounts of daily exercise and room to run and play outdoors. Anyone wishing to purchase this breed lacking the adequate amount of time and space to dedicate to the dog is strongly advised against doing so. A Standard Poodle not receiving the proper amount of exercise and space will often act out by destroying property, chewing, barking, whining, and ignoring basic training such as housebreaking.
The Standard Poodle is known to be somewhat excitable when greeting humans and while at play. Excessive barking, jumping, and full-body wags may lead to headaches and accidents. Proper training can reduce these behaviors in these dogs.
This breed has a strong instinct to hunt and will occasionally indulge in a good chase. When on the run, these dogs are surprisingly quick, and may pose a threat to other animals, neighborhood pets, and small woodland creatures. The Standard Poodle must be leashed or properly secured at all times when outdoors.
Common Health Concerns
While the Standard Poodle is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they may suffer from a few health problems, including: hip dysplasia, Legg-Calve-Perthes Syndrome – a degenerative disease of the hip joint, congenital heart defects, epilepsy, progressive retinal atrophy, glaucoma, cataracts, distichiasis – ingrown eye lashes, entropian – folding inward of the eye lid, von Willebrand’s Disease – a blood clotting disorder, various dental issues, and bloat.
Now that you know all about the breed, do you think you are ready to own a Standard Poodle? Remember, purchasing a pet is a big decision and should be discussed thoroughly and seriously with your entire family.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/poodle
