How many types of poodles are there?
After many fights between the different cynological institutions around the world, a standard has been established for each of the poodle classes, distinguishing a total of 4 different varieties This classification is fundamentally based on distinguishing each type based on its weight and size, that is, its height at the withers. In this way, we find the following types of poodle:
- Standard or Large Poodles
- Medium Poodles
- Toy Poodles
- Toy Poodles
This classification is that of institutions such as the International Cinological Federation (FCI), however, others such as the American Kennel Club (AKC) only recognize three varieties: standard (which includes the large and medium), the mini or dwarf and the toy.
Characteristics of poodles
All poodles share a series of characteristics, as well as criteria included in their standard. One of them refers to the accepted colors, which in all classes are: black, white, brown, grey, orange fawn (apricot) and red fawn. Another of these criteria is the type of coat, which presents a abundant hair in all varieties, with a woolly, curly or wavy texture. Likewise, all poodles are characterized by being physically proportionate dogs.
Below, we show the types of poodle and detail their particular characteristics.
1. Large Poodle or Standard Poodle
This type of poodle is the original It was the first to appear, its history being long and full of personalities, as there were many nobles and kings who coveted and valued him as a companion dog. Among them, the French kings Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette stand out as characters who highly valued this dog breed.
A standard poodle has specific measurements, ranging from 45 centimeters to 60 cm in height at the withers, including weights between 16 and 22 kilograms. There is a marked sexual dimorphism, since the males are noticeably more corpulent and heavier than the females. Due to its large size compared to the rest of the varieties, many people call this dog the giant poodle.
The large poodle is quite long-lived, so its average life expectancy can exceed 16 years relatively easily, provided it receives proper care.
As we say, this was the original variety, from which the breeders began to work in order to obtain smaller and smaller specimens, originating the other three varieties.
two. Medium Poodle or Medium Poodle
Medium Poodles are slightly smaller than Standard Poodles, although according to classifications such as the AKC these two varieties would be merged into one. For this reason, there is often a lot of confusion when talking about standard poodles, since while for some organizations this term refers to medium-sized poodles, others understand it as referring to large ones. In any case, a medium poodle is one whose size is in the range of 35 to 45 cm in height at the withers and has a weight of between 7 and 12 kilograms.
Medium Poodles are considered to be the second poodle variety to make an appearance, with the next variety being developed from Medium Poodles.
3. Toy Poodle or Mini Poodle
A mini or dwarf poodle, being both terms accepted when talking about this type of poodle, is somewhat smaller than a medium one. Of course, the size differences are much more pronounced compared to a large size. Its proportions and specific measurements are in the range of 4 to 7 kilograms of body weight and 28-35 cm in height at the withers As we can see, there is a difference of almost 10 centimeters between this kind of poodle and the big one, something easily perceptible to the naked eye.
This is the variety with the longest life expectancy, as there are specimens that have practically exceeded twenty.
4. Toy Poodle or Toy Poodle
Being one of the most famous and popular varieties, the toy poodle was the last variety of the breed to be created Breeders had to work hard to get poodles of such small proportions. In addition, to avoid the appearance of diseases related to its small size, such as complications and organic alterations due to dwarfism, several interventions by scientists specializing in genetics were necessary. Even so, despite having saved the most serious and deadly congenital diseases, certain alterations continue to occur in them that require further intervention and thus achieve a completely he althy breed. Many of these pathologies are shared with the other varieties of poodle. To discover them, don't miss the following article: "Most common diseases in poodle dogs".
This dog is really small, especially compared to the standard poodle, as it is only 24-28 cm high at the withers, weighing a maximum of 2.5 kilograms This makes the differences incredible between two specimens of the same breed, although of different varieties, since between a toy poodle and a standard there is a minimum difference of almost 20 centimeters and more than 14 kilograms. Of course, despite the fact that many people tend to call this variety a mini toy poodle precisely due to its small size, the truth is that this term is incorrect. As we have already seen, the miniature poodle dog and the toy poodle are different types of poodle.
The average life expectancy of the toy poodle is slightly lower than that of the toy poodle, since it does not usually reach ages above 14-15 years.
What kind of poodle to adopt?
Faced with so many possibilities, many ask themselves this same question. Something to note is that, despite the fact that there are usually noticeable differences in character when talking about different varieties of the same breed, this is not something that happens in the case of poodles. In this breed there are no differences in character or docility between some classes and others, with size being the only thing that changes when comparing the 4 classes with each other.
This means that, although we may think that a toy poodle will be very different from a large one, it is only true in the fact that the standard will be a significantly larger size, but nothing more. Therefore, whether we choose one or another type of poodle to be part of our family will depend solely and exclusively on our personal preferences and the space we have. All of them are just as sociable, affectionate, calm, intelligent and, above all, incredibly sensitive and noble.
