• Fact 2 - Description and Definition of Poodles: An intelligent dog with a heavy curly solid-colored coat that is usually clipped. An old breed of excellent swimmers - the hindquarters were shaved in order that the dogs could swim more easily. They were trained as sporting dogs or as performing dogs. The name "poodle" comes from the German word 'pudel' meaning to splash in the water. Poodles come in three sizes, standard, miniature and toy
  • Poodles are retrievers or gun dogs
  • Retriever dogs find and return killed game to the hunter
  • Jessica Simpson owns a Maltese Poodle Cross
  • They are considered suitable as a family pet  
• Fact 3 - Origin of the breed: Poodles originated in Central Europe and Asia, but is usually associated with France. They were originally bred as a retrievers, especially water fowl
• Fact 4 - Standard Size: The height ranges from 15 - 21 inches, up to the shoulder
• Fact 5 - Alternative Names of Poodles and Nicknames: Barbone and Caniche
• Fact 6 - Coat and colors of Poodles: The coat is normally profuse and dense with a harsh texture and comes in a range of colors
• Fact 7 - Life of Standard Poodles: the life expectancy of this breed of dog is between 10 - 13 years
• Fact 8 - The names of dog breeds are separated into different dog types which are referred to as Dog Groups. The name of the dog group for Standard Poodles is the Non Sporting dog breed
• Fact 9 - After the first year of life, dogs are considered to be adults - they equivalent to 16 human years!
• Fact 10 - Choosing Poodles as pets! The following considerations should be taken into account when choosing this particular breed of dog as a pet:
  • How much it will cost to feed and train the dog?
  • How much time will it take to groom the dog?
  • How much time will it take to exercise the dog on a daily basis?
  • Are Poodles suitable for children?
  • How much will it cost for vet bills, pet or dog health insurance, medication and vaccinations?
• Fact 11 - Every breed of dog is susceptible to certain health problems and illnesses. Poodles are prone to health problems and illnesses such as:
  • - Gastric Torsion
  • - Hip Dysplasia (abnormal development of hip joints)
  • - Entropion (The border of the eyelid turns inward against the eyeball)
• Fact 12 - Teacup poodles have been achieved by selective breeding 
• Fact 13 - Breeding Poodles for appearance was only introduced in the 19th Century
• Fact 14 - It is estimated that 85% of dogs visit a vet in a year
• Fact 15 - The average cost of owning a medium sized dog, over a 10 year period, is estimated as over $13,000! This provides a good idea of how much it costs to raise Poodles

For in depth information we highly recommend Dog Names and Breeds.