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Breed guide · Dogs
His ancestors swam for duck hunters. He won't cross a puddle, and I carry him over it.
Last updated 14 October 2026
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What they brought with them.
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At home
Room to room all day, and waiting outside the bathroom door until you come out.
What's going onToy Poodles were bred smaller and smaller to be with people, so following you is normal. Panic when you leave is something different, and a reason to contact your vet.
At home
A volley of barks at the front door before the lift has even reached your floor.
What's going onA clever dog with nothing to do finds a job, and guarding the door is the easiest one. Give them something new to learn every day, and reward quiet at the door.
At home
A quick duck away when a hand comes down from above to pick them up.
What's going onA dog this small can be scooped up at any moment, and some Toy Poodles learn to duck away or snap. Say a word before you lift them, then lift them the same way every time. Snapping when lifted can also be pain, so tell your vet.
At home
A new trick picked up in a couple of minutes, then a hopeful look for the next one.
What's going onTwo or three minutes, a tiny reward, something new. Tricks are real exercise for their head, and for a dog this size they count as much as a walk.
At home
Not a hair on the sofa, and a tangle under the harness after a few days.
What's going onThe coat keeps growing and hardly sheds, so it knots unless it is brushed through. Short, rewarded sessions from puppyhood mean they stand still for it as an adult.
At home
A tiny puppy who has skipped a meal, then goes quiet, shaky or wobbly.
What's going onLow blood sugar is a known risk for Toy Poodles while they are young, and it can look like tiredness. Keep their meals regular, and contact your vet now if they are weak or trembling.
The bit nobody tells you.
Their brain
Built for: A working water dog's brain.
In Dubai: Often carried from room to room, with fewer puzzles to solve.
Their size
Built for: Bred smaller for city homes.
In Dubai: Small enough to be picked up at any moment, by anyone.
Their coat and teeth
Built for: A coat once clipped for swimming.
In Dubai: Need more of your time than you expect.
The barking at the door and the snapping at hands usually come from that gap.
Most of us cannot offer them a river, but we can give them something to learn, and the ten things below are how.
Your plan is built around their breed: the health risks for a Toy Poodle at every age, and the care that goes with each one.
Join the founding families. AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199.
Ten things that make their life better.
Everyone wants to give a tiny dog a treat.
Every age
Why
Everyone wants to give a tiny dog a treat.
What to do
Practise "leave it" every day. Ask the walker, the nanny and the family to stick to the treats you hand over.
They walk close to hot pavement, and a small body heats up quickly.
Every age, most of all puppies and from 7 years
Why
They walk close to hot pavement, and a small body heats up quickly.
What to do
From May to September, walk before sunrise and after dark, and keep it short. Put the back of your hand on the pavement for five seconds: if you cannot keep it there, they cannot walk on it.
They were bred to be with people, and a long day alone is hard for them.
Every age, most of all from 6 months to 2 years
Why
They were bred to be with people, and a long day alone is hard for them.
What to do
If you are out for more than a few hours, arrange a visit or daycare. Leave them a puzzle feeder with part of their lunch. If they are distressed when you leave, contact your vet.
A small dog gets away with behaviour a big one never would, and learns from it.
Every age, most of all up to 2 years
Why
A small dog gets away with behaviour a big one never would, and learns from it.
What to do
Keep the same rules for everyone in the house. Reward four feet on the floor. Teach a cue word for being lifted, and one for standing still to be brushed.
The retriever in them is faint, but many Toy Poodles still carry things about.
Every age, softer toys from 7 years
Why
The retriever in them is faint, but many Toy Poodles still carry things about.
What to do
Keep a couple of small toys they can carry. When they take something they shouldn't, swap it for a treat rather than chasing them.
A short game of fetch uses their head, and their knees prefer low, gentle play.
Every age
Why
A short game of fetch uses their head, and their knees prefer low, gentle play.
What to do
Roll a small toy along a rug a few times, then stop. Keep throws low, and keep the chasing off marble.
They do not need to swim, and the coat mats fast when it stays damp.
Every age
Why
They do not need to swim, and the coat mats fast when it stays damp.
What to do
Keep them away from pools unless you are holding them. After a bath, dry inside their ear flaps, then blow-dry and brush the coat through to the skin.
A few extra treats are a big share of a Toy's day, and they learn fastest for food.
Every age, regular meals most of all up to 4 years
Why
A few extra treats are a big share of a Toy's day, and they learn fastest for food.
What to do
Weigh their daily food and keep meals at regular times, because a young Toy can run low on blood sugar. Take training treats out of the daily amount, and feed part of a meal from your hand while you teach them something. Your plan scores their body condition and muscle at their puppy visits.
Their teeth crowd, and the coat hides their skin and their weight.
Every age
Why
Their teeth crowd, and the coat hides their skin and their weight.
What to do
Brush their teeth, ideally every day, and brush the coat through to the skin every day. While you do, look at their skin and feel their ribs. Weigh them once a month.
Patellar Luxation (PL, a slipping kneecap) is on their record from puppyhood to prime adult.
Every age, most of all up to 7 years
Why
Patellar Luxation (PL, a slipping kneecap) is on their record from puppyhood to prime adult.
What to do
Put a ramp or step up to the sofa and bed, and lift them down rather than let them jump. Put rugs where they run on marble, and keep them lean.
Two of these are in your plan. The rest you can do at home.
Join the founding families. AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199.
Their health, at every age.
How old are they?
Their age
the first six months
What to watch for
The care that goes with it
Their age
6 months to 2 years
What to watch for
The care that goes with it
Their age
2 to 4 years
What to watch for
The care that goes with it
Their age
4 to 7 years
What to watch for
The care that goes with it
Their age
7 to 10 years
What to watch for
The care that goes with it
Their age
10 years and over
What to watch for
The care that goes with it
Breed predispositions indicate an increased risk rather than certainty of disease. What is right for them always comes from their own history and an evaluation.
Before they come home.
Toy Poodle size
Poodles come in three sizes, Toy, Miniature and Standard, and the Toy is the smallest: 10 inches or under at the shoulder, about 25 cm. Same quick brain, same curly coat, in the smallest body. You may hear "mini toy" too, but it is not a separate type, so ask how big both parents are.
Colours
Whatever colour a Toy Poodle is, it runs evenly all over. They come in black, white, cream and apricot, deeper browns, cool silvers, blues and greys, and a pale beige called café au lait.
The first six months
Their full vaccination course, microchip and Dubai Municipality registration come first. Keep meals regular so their blood sugar stays steady, and start short, rewarded brushing sessions now, so they stand still for it later.
Puppy health, 0 to 6 months
Getting the flat ready
Get a ramp or step up to the sofa and bed, rugs where they run on marble, a slicker brush and comb, and a dog toothbrush. Then choose the cue word you will say before you lift them.
Ten things that make their life better
Before you commit
Ask the breeder for the parents' eye and knee results, and bring them to their first vet visit. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (gradual loss of sight) and Patellar Luxation (a slipping kneecap) are both known risks for Toy Poodles from puppyhood.
Before the clinics open
AED 1,999 of essential care for AED 199. No payment now.
For a new puppy: First 30 days with a new puppy · Puppy vaccinations in the UAE · Heatstroke in dogs
When it is not behaviour.
You'll keep carrying them over puddles. If they start holding up a back leg on dry ground, tell your vet.
Before they were yours.
Origins
Poodles started as water dogs, swimming out for duck hunters and bringing the birds back. The name comes from the German pudeln, to splash in water.
What they still carryA quick brain, and the wish to be with their people.
On the water
Hunters clipped the heavy coat short so the dog could move through water, and left hair over the chest and joints for warmth.
What they still carryA coat that keeps growing, and a lifetime of brushing and clipping.
Over time
Poodles were bred smaller and smaller for city homes in Paris and other European cities, and the smallest were kept purely as companions.
What they still carryA companion from the start.
1943
By 1943 the Toy was its own size in America: the smallest Poodle, 10 inches (about 25 cm) or under at the shoulder.
What they still carryThe Poodle's brain and coat, in the smallest body.
Today
In the UAE a Toy Poodle's job is company, and they take it seriously.
What they still carryA small, sensitive dog who still wants a job, even if the job is you.
The ones you type at midnight.
If the Toy Poodle suits you, so might these.
Miniature PoodleThe same kind of dog: the same poodle one size up, a little sturdier, with the same bright mind.
Standard PoodleAnother size of the same poodle, many times bigger, built for an active, outdoor life.
Yorkshire TerrierThe same lively, friendly temperament and the same small-dog confidence, in a silky-coated toy terrier.
MaltipooA similar small size and a coat that barely sheds, in a calmer cross that is part poodle.
