Miniature Poodles are just one of the three types of poodles that exist for dog owners to choose from. You will find out about the origins of the poodle, the characteristics, and the care these poodles need to help you decide if you would like to add one of these wonderful creatures to your family.

The Poodle began in Western Europe at least four hundred years ago. It is not determined whether the poodle was first started in France, Germany or Denmark, but it seems that many of the countries did enjoy these poodles several years ago. They got their start by breeding the standard poodle for the smaller size.

The miniature poodle is going to be about eleven to fifteen inches in height and fifteen to seventeen pounds in weight. They are recognized by their curly haired appearance, long muzzle, and floppy ears. With them you will find that their coat must be groomed properly and that for show dogs there are several ways for the coat to be groomed for them to pass the beauty tests. Most poodles require a lot of grooming because of the coat. This means that at least once a month you should have the poodle taken to the groomer to avoid an unpleasant matting and curl of the hair, and you should also brush the poodle at least once a day. They are generally black, blue, silver, grey, brown, apricot, red, white, or cream in colour. They are generally not mixed in colour, but a solid colour.

So what endears one to their owner? It is of course their temperament. The poodle has once of the most outgoing personalities that you will find in a dog. They are loyal, intelligent, sensitive, and happy dogs. They are able to learn a lot of different tricks including circus tricks. In fact you will find that poodles, especially miniature poodles have been in the circus life for several years because of their wonderful talents. If you have a family with children you may need to train your miniature poodle in socialization before you bring him or her home. Some poodles do great with children, but others are sensitive and can be nervous around children. Not only are they highly intelligent, but they also make a great watch dogs. They do tend to bark incessantly, but they are not aggressive animals. Let's look at training with more depth. Training is fairly easy with this breed because they don't tend to show much of a stubborn side. Instead they love the activities and to please their owners so obedience training and trick training can be fairly fun and easy. Keep in mind that being gentle, but firm is always good with training.

When caring for a poodle you have to keep a few things in mind. They need to have a daily walk for exercise and they do like to play quite a bit. This means that a apartment life is okay because they do play well indoors, but they will need some outdoor time as well. It is best to have a small yard where they can expound some of their energy. You will find the poodles can have a few health issues such as eye and ear infections. They can also suffer from heart disease, epilepsy, and diabetes. It is important to understand all of these ailments so that you can better understand the cost of the dog's care later in life. When you commit to a dog it is important that you have them through their entire life as they have bonded with you.