All dog breeds hit different developmental and growth milestones at various times, and Poodles are no exception to this rule. A big part of Poodle development depends on the variety of your Poodle.
Poodles come in three different varieties: Toy Poodles, Miniature Poodles, and Standard Poodles. Standards are 15 inches and taller, at the shoulder, usually maturing at 23 inches for females and 25 inches for males. Miniature Poodles measure 15 inches or less. Toys can stand up to 10 inches. The three varieties reach developmental milestones at different speeds, and this is mainly due to size. Learn more about Poodle development and when your Poodle may reach different growth milestones.
Toy and Mini Poodles
Four Weeks
At around four weeks, Poodles should start to be offered other food and not solely nurse. This is intended to help them transition from mother鈥檚 milk to puppy food. An example of supplemental food could be mixing goat鈥檚 milk with dog food, including one commercial puppy food that is mousse-like in its consistency, to make it easier for the puppy eat.
Six weeks
At about six weeks, your Poodle鈥檚 teeth should start coming in.
鈥淭oys and minis will develop their teeth a little bit later,鈥� says Patti Jason, a board member of the and a Poodle breeder for 30 years. 鈥淭oys may not fully erupt teeth until seven or eight weeks of age.鈥�
Eight weeks
Toys and Minis are typically weaned at about eight weeks old. Toy puppies can weigh just a few ounces at birth and their small size makes them susceptible to conditions like hypoglycemia or low blood sugar if they don鈥檛 consume enough calories.
鈥淭he weaning process, from getting them off nursing with mom to puppy kibble, you really have to watch the smaller breeds so that they eat enough and don鈥檛 suffer from hypoglycemia,鈥� says Jason.
Twelve Weeks
At about the three-month mark, Toy and Mini Poodles are typically ready to leave for their new homes.
鈥淭hey need a little more time with their mother because they鈥檙e much smaller as puppies,鈥� says Jason.
This is largely due to their small size and the fact that their teeth don鈥檛 arrive until later.
For Poodles, grooming is a key part of development. You鈥檒l want to start grooming early. According to Jason, many breeders will start some type of grooming鈥攍ike trimming their Poodles鈥� face鈥攁round four to six weeks. Nail trimming can start as young as three days old to prevent the pup鈥檚 from scratching mom when they鈥檙e nursing.
One reason why you want to groom Poodles early on is just to get them used to being groomed.
鈥淵ou want them to experience it and make it a positive experience of what the grooming process is,鈥� says Jason. 鈥淕o in slow steps. I might just clipper their face the first time. And then a week later, I start clipping their feet and then their tail.鈥�
Grooming is an important part of Poodle hygiene. Poodles are one of the few dog breeds that doesn鈥檛 shed.
鈥淭hey don鈥檛 shed,鈥� says Jason. 鈥淯nless you cut their hair, their hair would just grow indefinitely.鈥�
Besides hair growth that鈥檚 out of control, the coat also can mat if not properly groomed. Poodles are shaved around their feet, face and feet. Many owners will also want the Poodle鈥檚 tail to stand out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 partly hygiene, and it鈥檚 partly aesthetic,鈥� says Jason.
16 to 18 Weeks
At around this time, it鈥檚 probably a good idea to take a Poodle to a professional groomer.
Waiting about 16 weeks is important because most dogs have had all their vaccines by this time, and it鈥檚 safe to take them out into public spaces like to obedience classes. 鈥淭hey can go once they鈥檝e had at least up to their 16 weeks shot,鈥� says Jason.
Once your puppy has had all of her shots, taking her to a pro groomer is important, the main reason being that professionals tend to have more expertise. 鈥淎 professional groomer would know what trims are appropriate for what breeds and how to trim their tails or head,鈥� says Jason.
Five Months
Jason tells us that all your Poodle鈥檚 adult teeth should have come in at this point.
12 Months
A Toy or Mini Poodle should be about fully grown by the time they reach their first birthday.
Standard Poodles
Standard Poodles are larger than Toys and Minis. Their developmental timelines are slightly different, and you can see those variances below.
Three Weeks
At around three weeks, Standard Poodles should start receiving supplemental food in addition to mother鈥檚 milk.
Six Weeks
A Standard starts erupting baby teeth between five and six weeks, says Jason. With the full set arriving at roughly six and seven weeks. Around six weeks is also when a Standard Poodle can be weaned.
鈥淭ypically by six weeks, the Poodle puppy鈥檚 eating whatever puppy food we鈥檙e feeding, and the mother is not wanting them to nurse her any longer,鈥� says Jason.
Nine Weeks
At around nine weeks, a Poodle puppy can be separated from her mother and go to a new home.
16 Weeks
At around 16 weeks, it鈥檚 now safe to take your Poodle out in public. As long as your dog has had his vaccinations, they can now be around other dogs and people. You can now take your puppy to a pro groomer and to obedience classes.
鈥淭hey need to wait until 16 weeks and have had a couple of shots so that they鈥檙e protected against parvo and distemper,鈥� says
15 to 24 Months
The time it takes for Standards to mature or reach their full size varies and is based on the individual dog. They could hit this milestone as early as 15 months and as late as 24 months.
鈥淪tandards can take anywhere from 15 to 18 even 24 months to mature because they are larger breeds,鈥� says Jason. 鈥淚t鈥檚 how they grow in height, but also in musculature and dropping their chest. Different parts of the dog mature at different times.鈥�