22 Reasons Why Toy Poodles Are The Best

Toy poodles are one of the most cute, energetic, and well-loved dog breeds in the world, which is why so many people often look to adopt them.

In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at 22 of the best reasons why toy poodles make such great pets.

What’s more, we’ll also look to answer a number of the frequently asked questions related to the popular breed.

1. High Intelligence

Toy poodles are incredibly bright, so don’t let their fluffy exteriors fool you. Most dogs can typically learn around 160-170 different words, however, poodles of all sizes can learn up to 400.

This intelligence gives toy poodles a distinct advantage over other dogs when it comes to competing in agility competitions and makes them an excellent choice for becoming service dogs.

Toy poodles are also remarkably clever in terms of problem-solving. So, if you adopt a poodle, make sure you keep them mentally stimulated and challenge them with lots of different dog puzzles.

2. Low-Shedding

Unlike most dog breeds, poodles aren’t actually furry, they’re fluffy instead. In other words, their hair is similar to ours in the fact that it doesn’t shed, it’ll simply keep growing until it’s trimmed.

While this is great for having less fur lying around your home, it does mean that you’ll need to provide your toy poodle with frequent grooming.

For example, if you decide to keep their coat long, daily brushing is essential.

3. Hypoallergenic

If you’re worried about the grooming requirements of a toy poodle, these are comfortably offset by the fact that all poodles are considered hypoallergenic.

What this means is that, in addition to their low-shedding qualities, toy poodles produce very little dander meaning they’re far less likely to trigger allergy symptoms in people.

While dander is only loose flakes of skin that are completely natural and harmless, dogs that produce significant amounts of it can be problematic for allergy sufferers.

Furthermore, some people can also be allergic to dog saliva. Fortunately, a poodle’s lack of saliva is another benefit in this respect.

4. Good Health

Purebred dogs often have a bad reputation for being susceptible to lots of different health issues as years of selective breeding can have this effect.

However, poodles that are responsibly bred have very few genetic concerns as their common life expectancy is between 12 and 18 years. In fact, some toy poodles have been known to live into their 20s.

It’s worth noting that some poodles can be predisposed to Addison’s disease, although most high-quality breeders tend to run tests that prevent these genes being passed onto puppies.

Hip dysplasia is another common issue, but this can also be managed.

5. Easy To Train

While all poodles need a confident and authoritative owner, they respond relatively quickly to training.

This is mainly due to the fact that they’re incredibly eager to please, so with consistent training, they can become model pups in no time at all.

Moreover, toy poodles are easy to housebreak and always up for learning new tricks.

This eager-to-please attitude, in addition to their loving and affectionate personality, makes toy poodles a great dog breed.

6. Small Size

Toy poodles are actually the smallest official poodle variation. Standard poodles were initially bred for hunting, owing to their large size and weight (between 45 and 70 pounds).

However, when the breed became popular for their intelligence rather than their hunting prowess, breeders attempted to reduce their size in order to appeal to all types of pet owners.

As such, the breed was eventually divided into the three sizes that we’re all familiar with today: standard, miniature, and toy.

The average weight of a miniature poodle is around 15 to 17 pounds, while the toy poodle weighs as little as six to nine pounds.

7. History

While toy poodles bear little resemblance to today’s retrievers, they were originally part of the same tribe.

Standard poodles were initially bred to be working dogs, mainly retrieving game from rivers, lakes, and ponds.

The vast majority of toy poodles are now best-suited to lapdog life, but it’s worth noting that some standard poodles are still trained as water retrievers to this day.

8. Signature Look

The signature poodle haircut might look fancy and outdated by today’s standards, but back in the early days of the breed, it served an important purpose.

This is because a full, fluffy coat wasn’t deemed practical for a working dog which needed to quickly traverse lakes, rivers, and streams.

However, poodles still needed to have some fur to keep them warm and protected in the cold water.

With this in mind, the signature poodle cut saw puffs of fur located around the important organs and joints to make sure the right areas of their body were properly insulated.

9. High-Performing

When it comes to dog sports, poodles are almost always one of the highest performing breeds.

Whether it’s something as simple as nose work or a more complex activity like truffle-hunting, poodles excel pretty much every time.

Poodles are also excellent therapy or emotional support dogs, with the standard variety proving to be a particularly good service dog for owners with disabilities.

10. Human Connection

Poodles are definitely people dogs as they naturally gravitate towards humans far more than they do with other dogs.

Simply take one down to your local park and observe how they briefly interact with other dogs, but always return to their owner’s side.

This isn’t to say that they’re antisocial with other dogs, they just tend to prefer human companionship over other canines.

It’s interesting to note that in group play settings with a wide range of different breeds, poodles often gravitate towards other poodles if they’re present.

11. Different Cuts

There isn’t just one official poodle cut, but three.

These different styles are the Continental Clip, the English Saddle, and the Modified Continental Clip, with each of the three cuts providing a different layout of the poodle’s signature fluffy pom-poms.

Poodle puppies that compete in competition get to display the Puppy Clip, which is where the fur is cut evenly across their body.

Lots of adult toy poodle owners also decide to keep their pooches groomed like this just because it looks so adorable.

12. Full Of Energy

Don’t be deceived by the small size of the toy poodle, they need a lot more exercise than people realize.

This is mainly because they’re descendants of working dogs, so still have the energy levels of their predecessors and require daily walks to remain fit, healthy, and mentally stimulated.

Just be mindful that if you’re unable to provide your toy poodle with enough exercise, there’s a much higher chance that they’ll engage in annoying and disruptive behaviors such as barking and rifling through your trash cans.

13. Choice Of Color

While many breeds of dog only come in one or two colors, poodles come in a wide variety.

There are black toy poodles, white toy poodles, red toy poodles, and much more. In fact, you can even get multicolored toy poodles!

The vast majority of these colors are officially recognized by the American Kennel Club, but it’s worth keeping in mind that some colors are considerably rarer and more expensive than others.

14. Require Leadership

As mentioned earlier, poodles are an incredibly smart breed of dog, therefore, they require a fair amount of intellectual stimulation and firm direction to keep them focused and out of trouble.

This applies to all varieties of poodle including the toy poodle, so make sure you assert your authority early on, otherwise your pooch will quickly assume the leadership.

Unfortunately, if a poodle takes the reins, this can lead to unwanted behavior.

15. Good With Felines

One of the biggest strengths of the poodle is the fact that they make a great companion for felines.

While the playful antics of a puppy aren’t always appreciated by cats, toy poodles tend to find the right balance and get along well with feline members of the home.

16. Love Cuddling

Despite their abundance of energy during the daytime, poodles love to cuddle up close to their owners at night.

In fact, they make great snuggle buddies as their warm, curly coats will be sure to keep you super warm during cold winter nights.

17. Confident In Water

True to their ancestry, toy poodles love spending time in the water. So if you take your poodle down to the beach and let them off their lead, it’s highly likely that you’ll be taking home a wet and sandy pooch.

This explains why the traditional Poodle Clip was designed with a definite purpose in mind.

The fluffy poms keep the poodle’s joints warm and protected while they’re swimming, while the closely shaved areas allow them to effortlessly glide through the water without getting weighed down.

18. Suitable For First-Time Owners

If you’re looking for the perfect breed as a first-time dog owner, there are few options better than the toy poodle.

Not only are they super affectionate and easy to train, they’re also low-shedding and hypoallergenic. What more could you want?

19. Photogenic

While this reason isn’t nearly as important as many of the others on our list, it’s certainly a bonus.

The gorgeous brown eyes and long legs of a poodle give them an incredibly elegant appearance that’ll have you reaching for your camera.

To make things even better, poodles love to be in front of the camera and at the center of attention, so if you’re lucky, they’ll even stop to strike a pose for you!

20. Kid-Friendly

With bundles of energy, an affectionate personality, and impressive levels of patience, toy poodles make an excellent family dog.

However, because of their small stature, it’s important that you supervise interactions with small children as toy poodles can’t take as much rough handling as larger breeds.

21. Truffle Hunting

Some poodles are trained by their owners to sniff out truffles, a delicious but expensive fungi that often grows around oak and hazelnut trees.

This is great for earning some extra money or for owners looking to develop their culinary skills.

22. Perfect For Mixing

It’s no secret that poodles have become one of the go-to breeds for mixing with other breeds due to their desirable characteristics.

Some of the most popular mixed poodle breeds include goldendoodles (golden retriever), labradoodles (labrador retriever), and bernedoodles (bernese mountain dog).

Furthermore, since poodles come in a wide range of different sizes, they are often used to turn some of the most highly-sought, larger breeds of dog into smaller, hypoallergenic hybrid versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Male Or Female Toy Poodles Better?

This all depends on what you’re looking for. Male toy poodles tend to be more loveable, trusting, and playful than female toy poodles, therefore they’re generally better at getting along with other household pets.

On the other hand, female toy poodles are less prone to stress compared to males and tend to be more independent which is ideal if you’re leaving them alone for extended periods during the day.

Are Gray Poodles Born Black?

Despite the fact that some poodles are born gray and remain this color throughout the entirety of their lives, others gradually change color after two or three months of age.

Like humans, the coat of a poodle can turn gray with age due to the progressive graying gene which is often found in black, brown, and blue poodles.

Are Poodles Aggressive?

No, poodles aren’t typically considered an aggressive breed of dog. It’s worth noting however, that some poodles develop anxiety which can regularly lead to aggressive tendencies.

Moreover, poodles also develop separation anxiety if kept apart from their owners for too long.

Do Toy Poodles Smell?

In addition to their excellent low-shedding and hypoallergenic characteristics, toy poodles are known to be clean dogs who don’t exhibit the same “doggy” smell as other breeds.

What Is The Rarest Toy Poodle?

The rarest type of toy poodle in the world is an apricot poodle. This variety of poodle is caused by a recessive gene, with the color coming off as a light red shade which almost looks cream-like.

The Bottom Line

To conclude, toy poodles are a jack of all trades – brains, beauty, and low-shedding coats.

They’re the perfect breed for a wide range of different lifestyles, so if you haven’t already considered them as an option for your next pet, make sure you do!