37 Interesting Facts About Poodles That’ll Melt Your Heart

Did you know that Poodles are one of the most intelligent breeds in the world? Well, there’s more to these cute fluffy pups worth knowing, especially if you’re considering getting one. 

And if you already own a pet Poodle, then these interesting facts about Poodles will surely entertain you. 

Interesting Facts About Poodles

Poodles are fantastic little companions, so it’s no surprise that they make for an excellent cuddle buddy. But here are more Poodle facts that will melt your heart and might surprise you. 

1. Personality Type

Poodles are well known for being intelligent and easily trained and for having a fun-loving personality type. They are active, alert, lively, and very entertaining. These adorable pups are not shy to show their goofy, playful side either.

2. They Come in Different Colours

Most people know Poodles to be white, but they come in many other colors too. These colors include: black, black and white, silver, grey, red, brown, sable, cream, apricot, and even blue. 

3. Confused Origins

Many people believe that the Poodle originated in France, but it actually originated in the country of Germany. They are called “pudel” or “pudelhund” or the German word, which means splashing water, and Caniche in French, meaning “duck dog”. 

4. Poodles are Funny

These dogs will try to make you laugh with their funny antics daily. They love showing off and you can train them to do stunts such as handstands and handstand walking. 

5. Poodles Enjoy Learning New Tricks

Training Poodles is easy (they can learn tricks faster than most breeds). But did you know that it’s necessary to train a Poodle? As mentioned before, Poodles are highly intelligent, so they thrive on mental stimulation and learning. 

6. Poodles Love Being With Their Family

Poodles don’t like being alone or separated from their owners and can suffer from separation anxiety especially when they are puppies. If you train them well enough, they’ll be a pleasure on the road and in new environments. 

7. Poodles Enjoy Being Alone Sometimes

Yes, this contradicts what we just said above. Nothing makes these pups happier than being with their parents, but they want some alone time here and there. It’s nothing concerning, simply a common Poodle trait. 

And when they do go off for their alone time, allow them their space. They’ll return to you with bucket loads of love when ready.

8. Poodles Were First Bred as Hunting Dogs

We can’t imagine these fluffy, cute dogs hunting today, but water retrieving was their main duty back in the day. Water retriever dogs were trained to catch game such as ducks to bring back to their owners. Today, Poodles are still used by some waterfowl hunters. 

9. Poodles Come in Different Sizes 

This breed comes in three sizes, all with the same build and proportions:

• Toys: these tiny critters stand no more than 10 inches. 
• Miniatures: this type of Poodle is 15 inches and under.
• Standards: Your Poodle falls into this category if they’re 15 inches and taller at the shoulder. 

10. Poodles Make Excellent Employees

You heard right—Poodles are fantastic service dogs thanks to their intelligence and eagerness to learn. They can be employed as guides, assistants, and therapy dogs. 

11. Hollywood Loves Poodles

Move over, Hollywood’s favorite pup, Meryl Streep is taking up the spotlight. Some famous Poodle owners include Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, and Walt Disney. They are no strangers to the silver screens starring in favorite movies such as Look Who’s Talking Now, Best in Show, and Edward Scissorhands. 

12. Poodles Don’t Have Fur

Did you know that Poodles have hair and not fur? (How’s that for an interesting fact!). Poodle hair acts like human hair, it never stops growing, and like us, their hair can start thinning due to hormonal changes. 

13. Poodles are Insanely Athletic

With a history of being duck hunters, it’s no surprise that a Poodle’s athletic abilities can give Usain Bolt a run for his money (kidding). On a serious note, Poodles are fantastic water dogs who enjoy loads of exercise, jogging, and playing fetch. These athletic dogs are excellent swimmers and can also be great water retrievers.

14. The Poodle Cut Is Not Just For Dog Show

The Poodle cut is not to make a fashion statement but rather for function and convenience. Let’s explain: less hair on a Poodle means they can be better swimmers as their long curly hair would slow them down in the water. 

On the other hand, cutting off all their hair leaves them vulnerable in cold water. So the solution to that was the now famous Poodle cut, leaving enough hair in certain places of their poodle coats to protect their vulnerable body parts. 

15. Poodles are Highly Adaptive

Poodles can adapt to various climates and environments. They can do well in warm and cold conditions and adjust to big or small homes. 

16. Poodles Make for Excellent Babysitters

Another skill to add to their impressive resume is babysitting. Poodles are very friendly and love playing with kids. They are also friendly towards other dogs and elders, making them an ideal family dog. 

17. Groom Away

As mentioned before, Poodles have hair, so their puffy mane requires a lot of maintenance. While they need extra care, you can rest assured they won’t be shedding all over the place. However, they do require regular grooming. 

18. Poodles are Sensitive Pups

This breed is incredibly in tune with its owner’s mood thanks to its keen sense of emotional tension. Try to be gentle and firm rather than harsh. These hypersensitive doggos can feel alarmed and frightened by too much noise. Their sensitivity is what makes them such excellent therapy dogs too. 

19. Oldest Poodle to Live?

The oldest Poodle to have lived was Lady. She was born in 1908 and lived to the year 1937, meaning she was 28-years old. 

20. Sleepy Pups

Many Poodle owners have wondered if it’s normal for their doggos to sleep as much as they do. Poodles love a good rest and need 13 hours of minimum sleep daily to perform at their best. 

21. Poodles: France’s National Dog

While we cleared up earlier that Poodles originated from Germany, part of the rich history of poodles is that they hold a prominent place in the hearts of the French. They were highly sought after amongst the French nobility and became the official national dog of France during the 17th century. 

Many believed owning a pet Poodle was like having the trendiest accessory in town, and people would carry them around like trophies (sometimes placing them in their sleeves!). 

22. How the Poodle Breed Took to Fame

It is believed that drawings of poodles by German artist Albrecht Dürerm had put these pooches on the map. Sketches by Dürerm in the 15th and 16th centuries depicted Poodles in the oversized sleeves of a person’s garment with the intent to warm their hands. This is why they became known as “sleeve dogs”. 23. Toy Poodles Were First Bred in England 

The adorable Toy Poodles were developed during the 18th century in England for companionship, as performers, and as tiny mushroom hunters (cuteness overload).

24. Poodles are Hypoallergenic

Poodle hair is hypoallergenic, probably one of their most adored facts. Poodles shed way less, and their curly coat traps hair and dander, making them one of the most popular hypoallergenic breeds. 

25. There’s a Toy Poodle Who Can Operate an Elevator

A Teacup Poodle named Nala has figured out her way around elevators at a local nursing home where her owner worked. According to her owner, she was never trained to operate an elevator but had spent much of her time navigating the halls of the nursing home solo. 

26. Poodles Prefer People Over Dogs

Poodles seem to prefer the company of humans rather than fellow canines. However, if you have to leave your pups at home while working, it would be best to adopt another dog to keep your Poodle occupied. They will start acting out if they’re left alone for too long.

27. Their Former Lives as Circus Performers

Miniature Poodles were used in circus productions in France back in the day. They preferred Poodles due to their intelligence, quick learning abilities, agility, and cuteness. 

28. There Are Over 40 Types of Poodle Mixes

A Poodle cross-over breed is known adorably as a “doodle”, and there are tons of them. Have you heard of a Boxerdoodle, a Schnoodle, a Maltipoo, or a Cockapoo? These are just a few examples of the doodle mixes out there, and they sure have funny names. 

29. Sailor the Record-Breaking Poodle

Sailor the Poodle has smashed multiple records in the Guinness World Records book due to his impressive speed and athleticism. He’s been able to climb 20 stairs in 18 seconds on his hind legs. That’s not all—Sailor has walked on top of a large ball for nearly 33 feet in only 33 seconds. 

30. Poodles as Mighty War Dogs

Don’t let the small stature of some Poodles fool you, they were used as working military dogs since at least the 17th century. This was likely due to their high intelligence, trainable nature, and ability to train them to ignore gunfire. 

31. They Are an Ancient Breed

Poodles were one of the first recorded dog breeds in human history, with depictions dating back thousands of years in Ancient Rome. Poodles were featured on some ancient Greek coins, to make this fact even more interesting. 

32. Poodles Are Really That Smart

Did you know that Poodles are the second most intelligent breed in the world, losing the first place title to the Border Collie? 

33. Winston Churchill Was a Huge Fan

The man who led Britain to victory during World War Two was a Poodle-lover. It’s all over the history books. Winston Churchill used to treat his pet Poodles as though they were royalty. 

His Miniature Poodle named Rufus the second would have his meals served before anyone else by a butler. And to top it off, his food was served on a Persian rug. 

34. Poodle Pups Come With an Expensive Price Tag

Due to their high cost of breeding, these canines are well-known to be pricey. Breeding healthy Poodles takes a lot of effort, time, and money. 

The petite long-haired Löwchens Poodle continues to be the most expensive of the breed. They are still so rare that a puppy would cost you anywhere between $5,000 to $8,000. 

35. Poodles Once Took Part in an Iditarod Race

A team of Poodles once took part in the Iditarod race of 1988. While there was no rule prohibiting Poodles from participating, this event would ensure that it never happens again. 

Unfortunately, the choice in using Poodles was a poor and irresponsible one by their owner. This left the Poodles injured, leading to a new rule stating that only northern breeds were allowed to participate in this race. 

36. Poodles Are Fantastic Little Dancers

You can train your Poodle to do an entire dancing routine on its hind legs. There are records of Poodles participating in complex choreographed dancing and singing acts.

37. Poodles Hardly Smell

As mentioned before, this breed rarely sheds and, compared to other doggos, their smell is exceptionally clean. 

You might enjoy reading my articles on facts about dogs, knock knock jokes about dogs, interesting facts about shih tzus and fun facts about puppies.