The English word "poodle" comes from the German pudel or pudelin, meaning "to splash in the water." The standard poodle is believed to have originated in Germany, where it is known as the Pudel or Canis familiaris aquatius. The poodle is also regarded as the national dog of France, where it was once commonly used as a retriever. Many poodles love water starting from a young age. Poodle puppies often play in their water bowls. Poodles also drink from the hose and frolic in the rain. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the poodle who doesn't want to get their feet wet, walks on the sidewalk, and refuses to go out in the rain. This poodle stands in the doorway, sniffs the rain in the air, and looks at you to say, "Do we really need to go out today?"
Poodles come in several sizes/varieties: the smallest, the toy poodle, is 10 inches and smaller at the shoulder, the miniature is over 10 and under 15 inches at the shoulder, and the standard is over 15 inches at the shoulder and usually between 22 and 27 inches. Sometimes, a poodle's size is described as teacup or royal standard. These terms are used to describe a very small toy or a large standard poodle, but are not official size categories of poodle. In Europe, there is a fourth size, known as a moyen in France (meaning medium) or a klein poodle in the rest of Europe. Moyen or klein poodles range between 15 and 20 inches at the shoulder. In the United States, a moyen or klein is considered a small standard poodle.
At Heart Song Poodles, we breed standard poodles, moyen poodles (small standards) and miniature poodles. A standard poodle is a poodle that is 15 inches or over at the shoulder. Standard poodles can range from the smaller 15 inch to the larger 27 inches or more. The majority of our standard poodles are between 45 and 65 pounds. Smaller standards, also called moyens are 15-19 inches at the shoulder and 20-35 pounds. Our miniatures on average are 10-15 inches at the shoulder and 10 - 17 pounds.
Standard Poodles come in a variety of colors and patterns, including red, black, white, creme, apricot, silver, blue, brown, silver-beige, cafe-au-lait, parti, phantom, tuxedo, abstract, brindle, and sable. Some poodles are solid colored, while others are multi-colored. Multi-colored poodles include parti poodles, phantoms, brindles, and sables.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) registers solid colored poodles, parti poodles, phantoms, brindles, and sables. While many colors can be registered with the AKC, only the solid colors may be shown in AKC conformation. AKC does allow both multi-colored and solid-colored poodles to participate in all other events including obedience, agility, rally, and more. Poodles are classified in the non-sporting group in the AKC.
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a registry that is in both the United States and Europe. UKC allows both solid colored poodles and multi-colored poodles to be shown in conformation. They allow all poodles to compete in all events. Poodles in the UKC registry are classified in the gun dog group.
Dogs that are advertised as merle poodles are not full blooded poodles. The poodle breed has no gene for the merle color. Dogs that are merle colored must have been mixed with another breed, even if it was many generations back. Be careful when anyone claims to have merle poodles. Unfortunately, unsuspecting buyers may purchase a merle puppy thinking it is a purebred poodle. They often pay a premium price because it is advertised as a rare color.
All of the Heart Song Standard Poodles are AKC registered. Our multi-colored poodles are shown in the United Kennel Club (UKC) conformation shows and are then dual-registered.