Kaylee

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.

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!

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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To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring- it was peace.

~ Milan Kundera

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.

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.

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.

Kaylee

Cool; just what I was looking for.

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

lunamarz_31

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.

zoey11

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