Is my dog a Poodle? Coat, head and size
A Poodle’s coat is easy to spot, but doodles and Bichons share some of it. Upload a photo to compare your dog with 357 breeds; the clues below cover what a camera can and cannot show.
Also known as: Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle, Toy Poodle, Caniche
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About the Poodle
Despite its French image and FCI listing under France, the Poodle began as a water retriever in Germany and France; the classic clip once kept joints and chest warm in cold water. It is one of the most trainable breeds: quick, people-focused and athletic, with a real sense of fun. Varieties differ only in size. FCI recognises four (standard, medium, miniature and toy), while AKC and KC recognise three. A photo rarely shows true size, so the identifier names the breed rather than the variety. The coat sheds little but grows constantly and needs regular clipping.
How to recognise a Poodle
- Dense, springy curls of even texture over the whole body; a corded coat is a rarer, accepted alternative.
- Long, fine head with a slight stop and a straight, chiselled muzzle; dark, almond-shaped eyes.
- Long, flat ears hanging close to the cheeks and covered in curls.
- Colours are solid: black, white, brown, grey, and apricot or red. Parti-coloured Poodles exist, but most show standards exclude them.
- Square, athletic build with straight legs and a tail set high and carried up, docked in some countries and natural in others.
- Size cannot be judged from most photos. Without a scale reference a toy and a standard look alike, so the identifier names the breed, not the variety.
Photo tip. Photograph the head in profile to show the long, fine muzzle. If you want to judge the variety yourself, include something of known size, such as a chair or your hand.
Poodle or look-alike?
Bichon Frise
A Bichon is always white, with a rounder head, a shorter muzzle, black-rimmed round eyes and a plumed tail curving over the back. A white Poodle has a longer head and finer muzzle.
Labradoodle
A Labradoodle’s coat is usually looser, wavy or fleecy rather than tightly curled, and its head is broader with a shorter, thicker muzzle. The chest is heavier too.
Portuguese Water Dog
Portuguese Water Dogs also have curly or wavy coats and lion clips, but a broader, more massive head, heavier bone and often black or brown with white markings.
Poodle mixes
The Poodle is the most common parent in designer crosses: Labradoodle, Goldendoodle, Cockapoo, Cavapoo, Yorkipoo, Maltipoo and many more. Curl is partly dominant, so many first crosses have a wavy or curly coat, but one litter can range from flat to tight curls, and a low-shedding coat is never guaranteed. Long ears and a fine muzzle also carry through. For a doodle, the identifier lists the closest pure breeds, typically Poodle with the other parent.
Health and care
- In Standard Poodles, Addison’s disease, sebaceous adenitis and hip dysplasia are known. Ask breeders for hip and eye results, the PRA-prcd DNA test and, ideally, sebaceous adenitis screening.
- Standards are deep-chested, so feed two or three smaller meals and keep vigorous exercise away from mealtimes to lower the risk of bloat.
- In miniatures and toys, kneecaps and teeth need the most attention: ask for the parents’ patella results and brush teeth often.
- Brush the coat down to the skin several times a week and plan a clip every four to eight weeks. Keep the ear canals clean and dry, as ear infections are common.
- These are clever, athletic dogs that need daily exercise and something to think about: training, retrieving, scent games or swimming.