Variety of Poodle

Poodle (Standard)

Energetic, usually affectionate; reserved with strangers.
A Poodle (Standard)
Photo: John Leslie from London, UK
Adult male
27–32 kg
60–70 lb
Adult female
18–23 kg
40–50 lb
Lifespan
14 yrs
Class · Family
also Sport, Companion

What it's like

In temperament the Standard is alert, quick to learn and energetic, moving with a springy gait and a proud carriage. It is usually affectionate with its family and reserved rather than hostile with strangers. In the late nineteen-eighties and early nineties a musher ran Standard Poodles in Alaska's Iditarod sled-dog race; the race later restricted entries to northern breeds.

Day to day
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Needs steady training
With people
Affection
Affectionate on its own terms
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Independence
Keen to work with you
Around the home
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Chases; needs managing
Breed explains only about 9% of how individual dogs differ in behaviour1. Meet the dog. A good breeder breeds for temperament as well as health, and matches each puppy's personality to the right home2,3.
Is a Poodle (Standard) right for you?
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Living with one

Loose hair stays caught in the coat until it is brushed, stripped or clipped out. Plan on brushing a few times a week, plus clipping every 6–8 weeks. It needs a modest amount of exercise compared with other breeds.

Size and growth

A Standard Poodle is a medium dog, heavier than a Border Collie and lighter than a Golden Retriever. Males end up clearly heavier than females. It is one of the heaviest medium breeds.

It is a squarely built, elegant dog with a long, fine muzzle, dark oval eyes and long ears that hang close to the head. The coat is dense, harsh and tightly curled; it sheds little, as loose hair stays caught in the curls, and it can be grown into cords. Colours are solid, including black, white, brown, apricot and silver. Pet dogs are usually kept in a short, even clip rather than the elaborate show trim.

Puppy growth

Reference curve · community data appears as owners log
By about 5 months, a male Standard Poodle puppy is already as heavy as a grown Staffordshire Bull Terrier. They grow fastest between 3 and 4 months old.
Fully grown
11 mo
Both sexes, at 99% of adult weight7
Male
Female
Shaded: expected range
0102030402m4m6m9m12m18m
0102030402m3m4m6m9m12m18m
Age
Male
Female
2 months
5.9–6.9 kg 13.0–15.2 lb
4.4–5.5 kg 9.7–12.1 lb
3 months
8.7–10.2 kg 19.2–22.5 lb
6.2–7.7 kg 13.7–17.0 lb
4 months
12.6–14.8 kg 27.8–32.6 lb
8.8–11.1 kg 19.4–24.5 lb
5 months
16.3–19.0 kg 35.9–41.9 lb
11.1–14.0 kg 24.5–30.9 lb
6 months
19.4–22.7 kg 42.8–50.0 lb
13.1–16.4 kg 28.9–36.2 lb
7 months
21.8–25.5 kg 48.1–56.2 lb
14.5–18.2 kg 32.0–40.1 lb
8 months
23.5–27.4 kg 51.8–60.4 lb
15.5–19.4 kg 34.2–42.8 lb
9 months
24.6–28.8 kg 54.2–63.5 lb
16.2–20.3 kg 35.7–44.8 lb
10 months
25.4–29.7 kg 56.0–65.5 lb
16.7–21.0 kg 36.8–46.3 lb
11 months
26.0–30.4 kg 57.3–67.0 lb
17.1–21.4 kg 37.7–47.2 lb
12 months
26.4–30.8 kg 58.2–67.9 lb
17.3–21.7 kg 38.1–47.8 lb
15 months
27.0–31.6 kg 59.5–69.7 lb
17.9–22.4 kg 39.5–49.4 lb

Lifespan

In UK vet records, the typical Standard Poodle lived to about 14 years, longer than the typical medium breed.

Where it comes from

The Standard Poodle is the original Poodle, a water dog that retrieved ducks and the size the smaller varieties were bred down from. Its homeland is disputed: the FCI derives it from the Barbet and gives France, where it was called caniche by 1743, while The Kennel Club places its origins in Germany. The show clip began as a working trim, lightening the coat for swimming while keeping the joints warm4,9,10.

The Standard Poodle's English name comes from the German Pudel, linked to a verb meaning to splash in water. Beyond retrieving, the breed is said to have been used in parts of Europe to find truffles, and its quickness to learn made poodles regular performers in travelling circuses. It became a fashionable companion in France, and it is widely thought of as a French dog, although its origins are disputed.

Breed standard

Kennel clubs do not all register this breed the same way.

Questions people ask

General guidance for dogs rather than a measured Standard Poodle figure: most females have a first season somewhere between six and fifteen months, and cycles then settle to roughly every 180 days. Smaller breeds tend to start earlier and larger ones later, so a medium-sized breed is most likely somewhere in the middle.

Compare with related

Poodle (Toy)
Companion & toy · Toy
Poodle (Miniature)
Companion & toy · Small
Labradoodle
Non-sporting · Medium
Bichon Frise
Companion & toy · Small
Or compare the Standard Poodle with any breed you choose
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Sources

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