Learn the key standards and trims of Toy, Miniature, and Standard Poodles, including structure, movement, grooming, and breed characteristics.
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This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, November 2018 issue.
First I feel you must look at the whole picture: this is a silhouette breed in three vatieties. Toy Poodles 10 inches, Miniatuare Poodles over 10 inches to include 15 inches, and Standard Poodles are over 15 inches: an active, intelligent, squarely built, properly groomed, elegant appearing, moving soundly, carrying himself proudly, air of distinction “Poodley”, well-proportioned with proper boning for each of the three varieties. When they carry themselves around the ring effortlessly. I can tell you they are constructed correctly! You then have to look and examine the fine points to judge the whole Poodle picture. Then the class enters your ring.With observing them go around your ring. You might pick one or two that you think is the best, however until you get them on the examination table will you be able to see if the one that you thought was the best is still the best in the class.
We can trim them to look perfect. And this might all be the hair and trim. We can trim them to be square, with a great set back on the front and give them angles in the rear to match the front. What ring side sees may or may not be what is under the coat and the trim and where you will place them in this class.
S General appearance, temperament, carriage and condition value of 30 points
This is the whole picture: squarely built, moving soundly, properly groomed. They must carry themselves proudly! Head up – Tail up (or no ribbon!)
Head, expression, ears, eyes and teeth value of 20 points
We are looking for in head is a moderately rounded, slight stop, flat cheekbones with length from occiput to stop about the same as length of muzzle. Muzzle long, straight with slight chiseling under the eyes. The ears are set on at or slightly below the eye with a long wide ear leathers handing close to the head with feathering. Eyes are very dark, oval and set far enough apart to give an alert intelligent expression. Teeth are strong white with a scissors bite.
Body, neck, legs, feet and tail value of 20 points
Chest deep moderate width with well sprung ribs, topline level, loin is short, forequarters strong smoothly muscled shoulder blade is well laid back with the hindquarters balanced with the forequarters. The forelegs are straight with the elbow set directly below the point of the shoulder. Hind legs are muscular with width in the region of the stifles that are well bent equal length of femur and tibia.
Hock to heel short and perpendicular to the ground. When free standing the rear toes are only just behind the point of the rump. The neck is well proportioned, strong and long enough to carry the head proudly with it set well into the muscled shoulder. The feet are small and oval and well arched toes with a thick cushioned thick pads nails to be short. The standard states that “entire foot is to be shaven and visible” tail is set on high straight and carried up. Docked to balance the outline of the whole picture of our Poodle.
Gait value of 20 points
A straight-forward trot, light springy action strong hindquarters drive. Head and tail carried up. Sound effortless movement is essential! So this is not the hackney movement, its not with the hindquarters under itself or placed behind the tail set, that has no drive off the rear. Its a trot in a light springy action that is correct!
Coat, color and texture is 10 points
Coat is curly (we bathe and blow it dry and this straightens it.) Naturally harsh texture dense throughout.
Trims
Puppy – six months to the first birthday. On this first day of the birthday. It must be in one of the adult trims. If not this is a DQ! This is why you must ask your steward date of birth on the puppy being entered any other class than puppy. Even in the BOV class, Group or Best In Show! The puppy trim is to be carefully trim to give a neat appearance with the coat long as to the age of the dog in hair growth stage.
This puppy trim has no broken line or lines. The face, feet, neck and base of tail is to be shaved. The entire foot is to be visible! Carries a pompom on the tail. The english saddle trim is one of the great trims that not everyone can set and not every Poodle can carry. The Poodle must be balanced and up on leg to wear this trim. In order to wear this trim the Poodle must have a good driving rear to wear it! This trim must have a shaved kidney patch , shaved bands to divide the hind legs, the hindquarters are covered with a shorter blanket of hair and can be tightly curly blanket or hair dryed straight to make and shape of the pack. It can be sprayed with water and patted to make darker and tighter curls. This is what the handler can do to make it the most outstanding trim! If you are not informed about this trim then you may not like it as it would seem odd. However, this was the main trim that all Poodles would wear at the dog shows in the earlier days of dog shows. As most of the Poodle world early on hated the shaved bare butt! You must learn to appreciate the whole dog and our trims is the icing on the Poodle! I have seen old pictures where the kidney patch was as large as a salad plate. So it’s up to the handler to do what they think looks best in trimming on the Poodle as long as it meets the requirements of our Breed Standard! Continental trim today this is the most popular trim that is being shown.
Those with rears that are as straight as a stick it seems no one even notices for whatever reason; it seems to be the easy clip for the dog shows. Here you shave the hindquarter’s before every show along with face, neck, feet and front legs then scissor in the rest to finish balance of the Poodle in the trim. The two pompoms (or rosettes) are on the hip, however they can also be shown without any pompoms. Again this is the handler’s option. When the front legs are bowed its like the judge doesn’t even think this is a factor in evaluation of this Poodle. In the adult trims is the only time this will be seen as the standard states forelegs straight and parallel when view from the front, when viewed from the side the elbow is directly below the highest point of the point of the shoulder” when in puppy trim you slide your hands down the front legs to feel for straight legs and where they are placed in all the puppy hair! Both of these trims can be corded hair but must be in the exact same lines as without cords. The puppy trim would not be seen in cords as it takes a great deal of time to accomplish these cords, with having to change the trim on first birthday you would run out of time! All of these trims, continental, english saddle and corded Poodles have bracelets on the hind legs and puffs on the front legs. We have the sporting trim. This trim is not shown in regular classes (non-competitive classes only) such as stud dog, broad bitch and the parade of champions. The breed standard states: “Requirements for the topknot – in all clips. The hair maybe left free or held in place by elastic bands.
The hair of sufficient length to present a smooth outline! Topknot refers only to hair on the skull, from stop to occiput. This is the only area where elastic bands may be used! Rubber bands may not be placed under the ears or down the back of the neck, over the shoulders
The coat is an even and solid color at the skin. May show shading of any one color with many being born black that will start to clear to silver and will have darker tipping as they clear. Most likely the last places you will see this dark tipping will be ear feathering. Natural colors in shading will be in accepted in many of the other colors other than black and white Poodles. Brown and cafe-au-lait will have brown or liver noses, eye-rims and lips. This is accepted in apricots colors also, these can have amber eyes, this is correct for these colors. Do we prefer dark eyes. Yes. The Poodle colors of white, black, blue, gray, silver, cream have black noses and eye rims and lips.
Major faults:
Disqualifcations:
Everyone needs to make ones own list of the ten most important breed characteristic of what makes a Poodle a Poodle for them. This would be what they must have in the Poodle they award! If you have any additional questions after checking and re-reading the breed standard you may contact me. Nancy Hafner at nancyshafner@aol.com, AKC #7295 with the Toy and Non-Sporting groups, best and 14 Terrier breeds.
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