Poodle - Miniature Complete Breed Guide

The Miniature Poodle is the perfect middle ground, more compact than a Standard but with every bit of the same intelligence, athleticism, and charm. Eager to please, remarkably trainable, and deeply devoted, Minis adapt beautifully to almost any living situation without ever dialing down their personality. Sharp, playful, and endlessly affectionate, they have a way of becoming the absolute center of whatever home they're in.

Lifestyle & Living Conditions

The Miniature Poodle gets along well with other animals, other dogs, and children. It is best to socialize it as a puppy. Miniature Poodles will announce the arrival of visitors, but are generally friendly toward them. Poodles are highly adaptable and make good watchdogs. They may find their way into some mischief! Small children should be watched around Miniature Poodles to prevent snapping or rough play.

Exercise & Activity

The Miniature Poodle requires less exercise then the Standard Poodle, but should be walked or allowed to play outdoors. It should do fine with apartment life.

The Miniature Poodle is sensitive, intelligent, lively, playful, proud, and elegant. It bonds closely with family and makes a great companion. Miniature Poodles are very smart, obedient, and graceful, which makes them one of the most popular pets in the world. The Miniature Poodle is bouncy, alert, and usually eager to play. Miniature Poodles are more energetic than Standard Poodles, and more likely to bark.

The Miniature Poodle has a distinctive fine, frizzy, wooly coat similar in texture to sheep’s wool. Solid white is most common, but the coat may also be solid grey, brown, apricot, or black. There are three distinct grooming styles for show Poodles: puppy clip, continental clip, and English saddle clip. The puppy clip entails shaving the face, throat, feet, and base of the tail. The upper legs and hindquarters are also shaved in the continental clip (currently the most popular), leaving ‘pom poms’ around the ankles.

Patellar luxation, progressive retinal atrophy, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, epilepsy, Cushing's disease, Diabetes, dental issues, and ear infections (common in all sizes of poodles).

Medical References