The Toy Poodle is the smallest of Poodle Breeds registered with AKC. The Tiny Toy and Teacup Poodle are not AKC classified but are listed as a Toy Poodle with AKC.
Toy poodles are non-shedding, intelligent, loyal, gentle, obedient, and are known to think like a human. These are great companions for those that are allergic to dogs. Poodles do take more maintenence than your average dog. They do not shed, thereforth they must be groomed on a regular basis.
Characteristics of the Poodle
Colors: White, black, blue, gray, silver, brown, cafe-au-lait, apricot, cream, parti, and phantom. The coat may show varying shades of the same color. Brown and cafe-au-lait Poodles have liver-colored noses, eye-rims and lips, dark toenails and dark amber eyes. Black, blue, gray, silver, cream, and white Poodles have black noses, eye-rims and lips, black or self-colored toenails and very dark eyes. Most Poodles are not the same color at birth as they are at maturity. Sometimes it takes a year for the color to clear. Parti in French means consisting of two or more colors, commonly black and white. This can vary from a small amount of white on a dark dog to a fairly even ratio of light to dark. Parti's have irregular-shaped pattern of spots. A Phantom is a Poodle of any color with the tan point pattern. This is the marking that appears in all of the known tan marked breeds- such as Dobermans. Personality: Elegant, dignified and good-natured. Proud. Highly intelligent and one of the most trainable breeds. Pleasant, happy and sensitive. Needs people and dislikes being alone. Behavior: Excellent with children. Reserved with strangers. Very easy to train. Needs people a lot. Generally good with other pets. Combativeness: Friendly with other dogs. Average barker. Grooming and Physical Needs: Grooming:Professional grooming needed. & : . Coat: Curly coat. Non-shedding. The tail is customarily docked & dew claws removed. Exercise: Relatively inactive indoors. Will be great in an apartment. . A small yard is sufficient. Does well in most climates. Good for novice owners. Live an average of 15 or more years. Great watchdog, competitive obedience, and loves performing tricks. Determine Approximate Size of Adult Poodle To determine the approximate adult size (one year of age) of a puppy, double the weight of a 10 week old puppy and add one-half pound. When the puppy reaches 12 weeks of age, then double the weight and see how similar the two weights are (at 10 weeks and 12 weeks). They should be about the same weight. This will give you the average weight of your puppy when he/she reaches maturity. (one year of age) The puppy should be healthy and eating well for this weight chart to work. Teacup Poodles Teacup is a name given by breeders to describe a tiny dog, it is not classified by AKC. All "teacup" poodles are registered as "toy" poodles. Most breeders agree that a teacup should be 4 pounds and under, but poodles are measured by height and not by weight, however weight should also be considered a factor. A true teacup is to be 2 to 4 pounds full grown with 3 pounds being average and under 8 inches tall. The average life span of a teacup is 12 to 15 years of age. Teacup Poodles puppies require extra care. They are the same as any other poodle puppy, just smaller . You must handle them with extra care and treat them as a newborn baby. These are not puppies for small children because they are fragile and tiny and can easily be injured. Tiny Toy Poodles Tiny Toy is a name given by breeders to describe a small dog, it is not classified by AKC. All "tiny toy" poodles are registered as "toy" poodles. Most breeders agree that a tiny toy should be about 4 to 6 pounds in weight with an average height of 8 to 9 inches. The average life span of a tiny toy is 15 years. Toy Poodles Toy Poodles are generally more common than the "teacup" or "tiny toy". It is registered with AKC as a "toy poodle". Toy Poodles generally weigh 6 to 8 pounds with a height of about 10 inches.
