Toy Poodle Show Dog Requirements

The toy is the smallest of the three competitive poodle groups, the others being the standard and the miniature. In U.S. dog shows, the toy poodle is judged by the regulations set out by the American Kennel Club's breed standards, as are all dogs. These standards take into consideration appearance, health and temperament, among other things.

  1. General Appearance

    • The toy poodle has to be 10 inches in height at the shoulder or smaller to qualify in its class. Length between chest and rump should be as close to shoulder height as possible to give a squared body shape.The weight and musculature of the dog has to be proportionate to its size; flabby, skinny or overly muscled dogs are penalized. The dog should have a deep chest, with smooth, muscled shoulders and hindquarters, and all legs should be straight and parallel when viewed from the front.

    Head and Expression

    • The preferred toy poodle skull shape is slightly rounded with flat cheekbones and smooth musculature. The back of the skull, or occiput, should be equal in length to the muzzle that should be narrow, straight and long. Eyes have to be dark in color, with an oval shape, and set far enough apart to give an alert expression. The ears should be long, close to the head and start at or below the line of the eye. To add to the dog's alert appearance, the neckline has to be strong and long to carry the head high.

    Coat and Color

    • The toy, as with all poodle classes, can only compete if it has one solid coloration, although slight shading variation is allowed. Possible colors include cafe au lait, blue, gray and silver. Nose, eye rims and lips can vary from the body color but must match and must also be solid-colored. Depending on age, poodles can be shown with two fur cuts: puppy cut for under 12 months and English saddle for older dogs. Both involve the shaving of the face, throat, feet and tail base. In the saddle cut, the forelegs are also shaved.

    Gait and Temperament

    • Part of the judging involves seeing the dog walk to judge its gait. For toy poodles, this gait should be a springy, proud trot with evident power from the hindquarters. The head and tail also have to be held high when walking. Judges look for a temperament in the dogs that exhibits pride, energy and poise. Dogs that show shyness or do not accept physical inspection well are found to be at fault and may lose points.