# Toy poodles - Just lapdogs? Or possibly more?



## Geneva77

I believe Mini's are circus dogs. I did buy a hoola hoop to try and teach my standard to jump through. I don't know why you couldn't do it with a toy. Just get a smaller hoop. I had a toy and I know she could run circles in the yard like a crazy dog, so they do have stamina!


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## fjm

How athletic? I'm not sure my toy poodle would be up for a 20 mile run, but she will still be bouncing and running zoomies after a 2 or 3 mile walk. I would go for a larger toy, though, and look carefully at the parents - luxating patella is widespread in toys.


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## JE-UK

I've got a mini, and he's very athletic, but I wouldn't rule out a toy. We did an all-poodle agility training day last autumn, and there was someone there with two phantom toys, and they were BRILLIANT. Lightning fast on the agility obstacles and super focused.


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## Kaylee

Thank you guys, this is very reassuring.
For exercise, maybe a short run, plus longer walks, occasional swimming, stuff like that. With proper conditioning after they finish growing, of course. But it sounds like a toy could probably do that fine! 

Fjm- I'm already thinking larger toy (I want a little dog, not a curly hamster like some of them I've seen). Also, I've already located a couple breeders with health tests in my area.


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## northerndancer

Daisy is a mini but I don't think she is going to quite hit 15" tall. Her weight projection full grown is around 13 pounds. Not much bigger than a large toy. This is the perfect size for me. She is small enough to be picked up but still has lots of energy and stamina. Her normal daily walk is about 45 minutes. The other day I took her on a one and one half hour walk with a friend and two adult golden retrievers. The walk included two stops at a quarry so the dogs could swim. She had no trouble keeping up the pace.

The nice thing about this size is that they don't "need" the same extensive exercise as a larger breed but they can go the distance if you want.


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## CT Girl

Swizzle is a tall toy and a couch spud he is not! When we went to Florida and I was swimming in the pool he came jumped in 3 times and swam just fine (while almost giving me a heart attack). Our obedience class is more like an agility class and he has climbed up and down ladders, walked through a ladder lying on the floor, gone through tunnels, woggle boards, weaved through chairs and more. He loves it. As I type he is running chasing a ball. My husband is lying on the floor and Swizzle is using Lou like a springboard he can jump off of. I had Swizzle checked and so far his patellas are excellent. Swizzle is 7 months old - 5 pounds.


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## Kaylee

northerndancer said:


> The nice thing about this size is that they don't "need" the same extensive exercise as a larger breed but they can go the distance if you want.


Cool; just what I was looking for.

Thanks again! It looks like a toy should be perfect for me.


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## lunamarz_31

Kaylee said:


> So, I want to get a toy poodle. My research has convinced me that I definitely want a poodle, but I keep reading that toy poodles are good for the elderly or apartments because they need very little exercise?
> If a toy poodle can't do athletic stuff with me I can look for a mini instead. But I would really prefer a toy.
> 
> So are they energetic and athletic mostly at their own level, or could they keep up with a human easy?
> I know that they do agility, but I'm not sure what that entails so I can't gauge much from that.


My girl is a small mini, she is 11 pounds, between a toy and "regular" mini. She is versatile! When there is nothing to do at home, she is happy to lounge around and take naps. But when we are on the go, she can be as athletic as her bigger counterparts, despite being almost 10 yrs old. Minis and toys don't require A LOT of exercise, so they won't get as destructive and troublesome as bigger dogs if they skip one or two days of exercising.


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## zoey11

> So, I want to get a toy poodle. My research has convinced me that I definitely want a poodle, but I keep reading that toy poodles are good for the elderly or apartments because they need very little exercise?
> If a toy poodle can't do athletic stuff with me I can look for a mini instead. But I would really prefer a toy.
> 
> So are they energetic and athletic mostly at their own level, or could they keep up with a human easy?
> I know that they do agility, but I'm not sure what that entails so I can't gauge much from that.


Where did you hear that? Hahaha! My 7-pound Toy LOVES running, walking, jumping, any physical activity!


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## Dallasminis

So, you need to see the post about Atticus (the amazing toy poodle) on his road trip vacation. He can do anything a mini or a standard can, only CUTER! He has a post up right now...


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## BambiDog

My toy poodle puppy runs rings around my border collie. Now, as I'm sure you know border collies are very athletic and outgoing dogs!
Bambi is actually far more athletic than our collie. Super fast and super agile but small enough not to cause problems if she does a mad dog run around inside!


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## Kat&Fluffs

I never owned a toy poodle before (had a mini) but i am still SURE that toy poodles are not only lap dogs. They can be like any other dog.

I have two maltese who enjoy going active as much as any other dog  they are addicted to dock diving and swimming.


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## lilypoo

Kaylee said:


> but I keep reading that toy poodles are good for the elderly or apartments because they need very little exercise?


Actually I believe the recommendation that they make good apartment dogs is because they are small enough that they can get a good amount of exercise indoors, not because they aren't active or don't need exercise. They make good dogs for the elderly because they're small enough to be lap dogs but it doesn't mean they only want to curl up in laps. My Lily (who appears to possibly be an oversixed-toy) is just as active as the minis I had growing up--the only difference is she can tear it up more easily in the house because she's smaller.  (And tear it up, she does....she has a whole path that she runs, including jumping on and flying off the couch, loveseat and chair whilst running a circle around the family room, through the hall, across the living room and back...LOL)


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## BambiDog

Mama2FourAZ said:


> Actually I believe the recommendation that they make good apartment dogs is because they are small enough that they can get a good amount of exercise indoors, not because they aren't active or don't need exercise. They make good dogs for the elderly because they're small enough to be lap dogs but it doesn't mean they only want to curl up in laps. My Lily (who appears to possibly be an oversixed-toy) is just as active as the minis I had growing up--the only difference is she can tear it up more easily in the house because she's smaller.  (And tear it up, she does....she has a whole path that she runs, including jumping on and flying off the couch, loveseat and chair whilst running a circle around the family room, through the hall, across the living room and back...LOL)


Gotta love toys tearing it up indoors! 
Bambi jumps between all the furniture in the living room and then ends up running on the spot on the laminate flooring for ages before moving onto the next room!

You're right, they don't need to be taken out for exercise as much as standards, because they just exercise themselves without knocking everything over! =)


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## buttercup123

I defiantly agree with who said they don't need the exercise of a big dog but can keep up.

My toy is content to lay around but when we go out she is always ready to go and would last a good 3 hour hike without a doubt. 
She keeps up with my 2 big dogs (anatolian shep puppy and mastiff) she actually can last longer then them easy. 

They also aren't prissy dogs, if my poodle sees a puddle or mud she head dives into them and starts playing in them. She loves to get disgusting.


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## Marcie

My Sahsa is a tall toy (she has long legs but only weighs 7.5 lbs) and is quite a Diva at times. She will tiptoe through the grass like a ballerina to find a spot to relieve herself but if she is chasing a squirrel all bets are off. She will wrestle with her adopted brother (large Pomeranian 17 lbs) like an amazon and chase deer (at my sisters home) like a huntress. I figured she was chasing deer because I fed her a venison kibble that now she is stalking her own. We have a pool and she is quite a better swimmer than the Pomeranian. She is a better alert dog than the Pom and will alert to sounds better than he does. To sum it up, she is a lap dog, a Diva, a huntress, a tomboy, a watch dog, a true friend. Toy poodles are all that and more!


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## Skye

I have a mini and a toy, both rescues. They are close in age, Auggie is a little over a year (the mini) and Mimi is a little more than 2. (Our best guess-timate!) 

I adore both of my dogs. Auggie, the mini, is definitely more "high maintainence." He requires more exercise, and "busy" work. He loves to run around with my two little ones. He will really get into mischief if given the chance.

Mimi is a puppymill rescue. She was a year and a half when we got her. She's a little shy, but not aggressive. She follows me everywhere. She is a wonderful lap dog! However, she can run REALLY fast! She loves to play fetch. Auggie would rather chase Mimi when she is chasing a toy, than retrieve a toy. But, Mimi loves to fetch little tennis balls. She is great on a leash, she will walk right along with Auggie and keep up. Auggie is more work on a leash; he is more easily distracted. Mimi barks less than Auggie which surprised me. I figured the smaller the dog, the more "yappy" or "hyper" it would be, but that is not the case at all. I love my dogs and their personalities. I feel like they compliment one another and fit well with our family.


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